Radka Donnell, (24 November 1928 Sofia, Bulgaria – 13 February 2013 Zurich, Switzerland) [1] was a feminist, painter, art therapist, poet, translator, storyteller, and pioneer of modern quilt-making.

Born in Bulgaria, Donnell's early years were spent in Germany with her family during World War II.

Donnell lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the early 1970s, where she influenced younger artists, and worked to secure and organize shows of her own and other contemporary quilters, seeking recognition for quilt artists on equal footing with those working in more recognized media.

Although she always intended her quilts to be functional, her designs broke with tradition in many ways, and they remain unique today.

[2] She spoke about the tactile "touchy" nature of the quilt, the physical and symbolic comfort they provide as representations of "home" and their link to traditional roles of women as caregivers and homemakers.