Quilter and preschool teacher Soammy Feliciano-Hurst was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and now lives in Huber Heights. She was taught to sew at a young age by her mother, but was unaware of quilts before coming to Ohio in 1988 to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood education. Feliciano-Hurst began quilting about 15 years ago, taught the basics by a woman at her church, but feels her quilts were “somewhat unimaginative” until she made a decision a few years ago to incorporate her cultural heritage into her work. Feliciano-Hurst’s specialty is strip piecing, in which she cuts hundreds of strips of fabric into different lengths and sizes and then assembles them, piece by piece, into “a picture, a story that reflects who I am as a Latino woman.” Her quilts now are distinguished by rich textures and vibrant colors—especially the blue of the ocean and island skies.