Heidi Read lives a patchwork quilt of a life which has allowed her to indulge varied interests and develop a quirky skill set.  She likes making things, especially with others. She has spent decades working with the Boise Peace Quilt Project, “waging peace from a quilting frame.”  This group has made over 50 quilts which are awards to peacemakers, tools to change the social fabric, and experiments in working together. An Academy Award-nominated documentary, “A Stitch for Time,” was made about this group.

Read also worked with Dr. Patch Adams and the Gesundheit! Institute as a costume therapist and administrative assistant.  The work focused on creating a healing context for individuals; making joyful service healing for the “healers” and integrating fun with hard work.  Read continues to sew costumes and custom props for Dr. Adams.

The “Memory Sisters” is an ongoing collaboration which grew out of volunteer work with the New Old Time Chautauqua in the Pacific Northwest.  Read and her painting partner, Marcia Way-Brady, hand paint and sell silk accessories and art clothing. When possible, they offer others a silk painting experience which reawakens creativity and healing fun. 

In the current manifestation of Read’s longest-running social experiment, she serves as “Nana” to four grandchildren and “Mom” to two kids and their spouses.  Her daily partner is a large, brown, woofy Newf.