Thursday, January 31, 2008

Gee's Bend Quilts

Essie Bendolph Pettway, born 1956, multiple columns of blocks and bars

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway, 1920-1982. "Bars" work-clothes quilt, ca. 1950,
denim and cotton, 84 x 81 inches.

Loretta Pettway, born 1942. Four-block strips, ca. 1960, cotton twill and synthetic
material (men's clothing),
78 x 73 inches.
Quilt images property of Tinwood Media

I've been reading The Quilts of Gee's Bend and it has been the primary inspiration behind the new work I'm preparing for March as my month to be the featured artist at shopSCAD Atlanta. The University of Auburn has created a website for the quilts here. Take a look if you haven't already seen them in the book or museums! I'll write more about my upcoming show tomorrow!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i went to see this exhibit in memphis. it made me start saving old my shirts that i non longer wear, ones with great pattern, so that one day i might cut them into long strips and sew them into a quilt. big ambitions.

i really admire your work and aesthetic.

Fiona Cartolina said...

I first read about the quilts from Gees Bend in a Country Living Magazine about 10 years ago, at least, and I still have the pictures that I cut from the magazine on my cork board. I was so inspired by their naive abstraction - they have haunted me to this day. Thank you for posting these. I just discovered your blog and am happy to add it to my daily read.

Katie Runnels said...

Thanks for writing Cartolina!