Our local museum is currently running an exhibit of some of the Gee's Bend quilts: Mary Lee Bendolph, Gee's Bend Quilts and Beyond.
Mary Lee Bendolph is one of
Gee's Bend's quiltmakers and her work connects the older and the younger circles of quilt artists. This exhibit studies her relationships with other artists: her mother, her daughter, her daughter-in-law and two self-taught Alabama artists (a sculptor and a painter/sculptor). The exploration of her inspiration and creative process was presented with not only several of her actual quilts, but a
maquette of a quilt and then the resulting art print. It would have been nice if the life-size version of the maquette and the print were on display as well. This is not a normal quilt show, but an art exhibit that was well presented and displayed.
Do you realize that these quilts are made from denim, corduroy, twill and other non-traditional quilting fabrics? They weigh a lot more than a normal 100% cotton quilt and it would be difficult to roll over when laying under one. I admire their ability to use what they have, but then that is the reasoning behind the early day pioneer quilts also, isn't it?
Have you seen a Gee's Bend exhibit? The pieces pack a powerful graphic punch.
*photo credit: Mary Lee Bendolph, Blocks and Strips, 2005, Corduroy, 84 x 81 inches
