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“There are times when an idea for a painting will linger
for years in my mind before it is ever committed to canvas. I’ve
thought about this painting for at least 15 years. It all began
when my mother showed me a quilt her grandmother had made as
a little girl in the late 1800s. I was amazed by its detail and
beauty. I began to research quilt-making and discovered the wonderful
American tradition of quilting bees, and I knew I had my painting.
At a quilting bee, women would have family and neighbors gather
to finish a quilt. It was a real community event. Often a quilt
was made to mark a special occasion, such as a wedding or an
upcoming journey. The older, more experienced women would do
most of the quilt work, but as in my painting, the less experienced
would learn the craft alongside the veterans. The quilt in this
painting is the actual quilt my great-grandmother made as a little
girl, which made the creative process all the more personal for
me.” |