Nelson fabric artist Kate Bridger met with friends in the Touchstones Gallery for tea Monday.

They came to say goodbye. Bridger is moving away after 25 years in Nelson.

“I am going to Comox to live beside the sea and start a new adventure,” she said.

Cindy Fillion, manager of the Touchstones gift shop, said they have been exhibiting Bridger’s work and hosting her as an Artwalk artist since 2008.

“People are usually confused by her work and are convinced she paints on fabric,” Fillion said. “Her scale and perspective are always spot on, and of course, being an interior designer, so are her colours. And she does her own framing! She is an amazing artist and has become a friend. I will miss Kate and her wit and charm.”

Author and librarian Anne DeGrace added: “Kate has really been a part of the fabric of Nelson. When you think about it, creating a series of fabric art pieces depicting Nelson scenes says a lot about how embedded she became in Nelson, and Nelson in Kate. Through her work, teaching, and mentorship, Kate has been an inspiration for a lot of people in Nelson and the Kootenays.”

Kate Bridger’s book The Fabric of Nelson contains photos of her fabric art pieces that depict scenes and life in Nelson.