Jean Hillis

Jean Hillis is a founding member of the Oxford Quilters Guild, thirty years ago she was one of the group that decided if they could start a guild they could get people like Jinny Beyers to come and teach. Jean is also a founding member of the Ingersoll Creative Arts centre some 37 years ago, and a founding member of the CQA -The Canadian Quilter's Association. That is the organization that puts on Quilt Canada every other year. She has also held the position of President of all three organizations. Over the years Jean has won many, many awards for her quilts.

The Dorothy McMurdie Award is Canada's most prestigious quilting award and is presented through the CQA. The recipient of this award has made a significant contribution to quilting in Canada and may be a quilter, teacher, author, researcher, historian, collector and/or editor of a quilting publication. The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals and pay tribute to their accomplishments as well as to establish documentation of their contribution to our Canadian quilting heritage. Jean was the 1999 recipient of this award.

The King Newell Award which is a yearly presentation here at the centre for Outstanding contribution to the Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre.

In 2008 Jean traveled to Queens Park in Toronto where she was the recipient of the Ontario Senior Achievement Award presented by the Honorable David Onley Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Jean was noted as One of Canada's most highly respected quilters and a founding member of the Canadian Quilters Association, The Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre and the Oxford Quilters Guild. The Ontario Senior Achievement Awards recognize seniors over the age of 65 who have made significant contributions to their communities through voluntary or professional activities
Not only an amazing quilter, a teacher and mentor to all of us, Jean has also been responsible for the programs at the Centre for more than 30 years. She has been responsible for organizing the classes that have helped develop all of us in our quilting skills. Always challenging us to be more creative and to continually expand our quilting skills that have lead us become one of the most respected Quilt Guilds in Canada.

Judy Millard

Afterglow