Throughout her lifetime, Dr. Rhoda Faye Amstutz Imhoff championed practices and mentalities that insisted on equity and inclusion, creating a sense of belonging for all, specifically those too often minimized and silenced. As evidenced by her book, ?The Blue Book of Everyday Folk,? Rhoda deeply believed in the significance of each of us as individuals.

Dr. Imhoff?s art includes various mediums - jewelry, macrame, quilting, woodblock printing, and drawing. Her needlepoint designs, reflecting rich traditions associated with her Mennonite heritage, were among the most highly sought-after items at the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Relief Sale each October for nearly a decade. Each piece, averaging 25,000 stitches, would bring in several thousand dollars towards the event?s fundraising efforts. Upon her retirement in 1995, many were elated when she returned to her true calling as a full-time artist. She has earned numerous awards and exhibited her quilts in churches and juried shows, including an annual display at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Arizona. Her choice to self-publish this book in 2016 was her final contribution to her legacy of insisting on compassion, justice, empathy and equity for all regardless of background, societal standing, title or persona.

The Blue Book of Everyday Folk is a journey through the every-person, a visit with your neighbors, friends and strangers, illustrated with fabric, thread and found objects. Enjoy the visit.

The Hershberger Art Gallery, located inside the Goshen College Music Center, is open for summer hours until late August - weekdays 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m., and closed weekends. It will be open for special events in the Music Center. In late August, the gallery will return to more regular hours. The closing reception for the Blue Book of Everyday Folk exhibit will be held on Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 p.m., and will include an artist talk hosted by Dr. Imhoff's daughters, Roseyn and Morgan.