Friday, February 15, 2008

Fine Art Friday

I love folk art. The art of the people, untrained and natural. I happen to live in a very folk art rich area of the US and have been able to see many of these treasures first hand. Story quilts have always amazed me. These beautiful creations made from rags, which tell family stories, stories of faith and survival. I've never grow tired of seeing the beauty that can come from pain and struggle. These quilts reflect to us how strong we humans really are.


Adam & Eve Naming the Animals, Panel 1 (of 11), Harriet Powers' 1st Story-Bible Quilt

Here is he artist bio

HARRIET POWERS, known as the "mother of African-American quilting," was born into slavery in Athens, Georgia on October 29, 1837 (died in 1911). She married Armstead Powers, and her first daughter Amanda was born in 1855 when Harriet was 18. Southern Negro women slaves were often trained as expert seamstresses and Harriet was probably instructed in the craft of appliqué quilt-making by her mother.

There are just two quilts by Harriet Powers that have come down to us (both created after she was freed from slavery following the Civil War), but they are among the most famous and revered works of art in the history of African American folk art. The magical story of how Harriet Powers' story Bible quilts came to be known and preserved has been told many times...

2 comments:

Mama Peep said...

Now that is art I can get into. I love sewing but have never tried quilting. by the time I became interested in it I became a mother of 3 and J never leaves me time for that. Now that he is older.....

Thanks for sharing.

Patricia

PS I am such a slacker. I will get mine up by Sunday....maybe.... :-)

Kyra said...

Harriet Powers' quilts are indeed awesome! Thought you'd enjoy the video about one of her quilts on my blog about African American quilting..www.BlackThreads.blogspot.com

Enjoy!
Kyra