Grandma Pearl and Pansy
 Grandma Pearl and Pansy |
Grandma Pearl is piecing a cotton quilt for her grandaughter, Pansy. Pansy is helping out by passing her just the right color of four squares from the basket. And so the patterns of both hands and hearts are passed from one generation to the next. Left over scraps from both their home-made clothing will soon be helping to keep Pansy warm, possibly long after Grandma Pearl's last days. I wanted to honor the rich tradition of Afro-American quilt-making, and the many years I spent comforted under my own grandmother's quilts, enjoying and studying their patterns. I also spent hours on the floor tracing the patterns of the fabrics in our rag rugs. I celebrate the use of patterns and scraps! I had a student once named Pansy, who was full of spunk and jive. She loved her namesakes. But when I named her grandmother, my son said, "But why? Pearls are white." "Oh no, I replied. "The most precious of all are black." The pine base of this tableau is 15" square, and includes a rag rug, splint basket with scissors and spools of thread, and Grandma Pearl's wooden rocking chair. Pearl is made of Sculpey and Cernit and Pansy is of Premo, their hair is wool, bodies are soft and posable, they are dressed in cotton prints.  Click Here for a Close-up of Pansy Click Here for a Close-up of Pearl
|
