12 Days of Christmas (x) Times 2 December 2014
Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend
People often wonder where
exactly artists come from...
Then they continue to wonder
why an artist makes what they make...
Which is usually followed by
examining the artist's hands...
And to be fair and honest,
a person with an artistic spirit
just happens to be born that way.
Then, someone comes along and
notices an artistic interest and helps
the artist reveal their perception
and presence.
For me, my hands are quite small,
but manage to pack a force. I shook
a strong man's hand one day and
heard his joints pop.
That had never happened before...
that man swore up and down that
I did not hurt him.
But it did leave a lasting impression
for self reflection and having an
awareness of intention.
I'm terribly fond of the Quiltmakers
of Gee's Bend... their use of color
and form creating a minimalist
functional work of cultural beauty
rivals even the most revered artist
in any medium.
Among the great Folk Artists is also,
Marc Chagall, who allowed his work
to be his bones during all the Jewish
oppression in Russia.
I imagine these quilts also held
the bones bonding many families
in Gee's Bend.
The link to the Alabama Public Television
documentary on the life and culture behind
these quilts is linked below.
Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend - APT
video.aptv.org/video/1724622078/
Blog - Tuesday, December 9, 2014
12 days of Christmas (x) times 2
Dec. 1-12: Southern Hospitality Monologues
Dec. 13-24: 12 Days of Saints for BABY Jesus!