01/09/2026
Meet Martha Jane Peterson, a Givens Highland Farms resident with an inspiring journey!
Martha Jane didn’t embrace the title of “artist” until age 65, after retiring and discovering her creative spark. Her life’s mission was always to “save the world,” which led her to careers as a nurse, missionary in three countries, Presbyterian minister, and devoted wife and mother of three.
In 1994, a quilting class changed everything. She shifted from painting to quilting and has created at least one quilt every year since. When she and her husband moved to Black Mountain in 2000, they pastored local churches and immersed themselves in the vibrant arts community of Western North Carolina.
Her quilts are born entirely from imagination; no patterns, just pure creativity fueled by an “inner fire.” Martha Jane shares her work freely, saying: “I do not own this gift nor am I the author of it. God calls all of us to offer our gifts and abilities for the sake of the world and the common good.”
A true testament to lifelong creativity and purpose!
