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The Quilts of Gees Bend Postage Stamps

2006 Quilts of Gees Bend 39 cent postage stamps

The Quilts of Gees Bend Posted Sep-2-2006
2006 Postage Stamps
Quilting guilds and art lovers alike will be happy to know that the United States Post Office has issued an artful array of stamps depicting the designs of the Quilts of Gees Bend. An art-loving friend of mine gifted me with a sheet of the stamps the other day which contains ten different quilt designs. Neat-O!

If you are unfamiliar with the Quilts of Gees Bend and its collective history you must visit the organization's Web site and take a quick rural American South history lesson, see some wonderful quilt art, and view profiles of the quiltmaker artists. And to be sure, this isn't just any quilt art — this is truly historical gold! Without giving too much away, my appreciation for the artistry these quiltmakers pieced into their work is deep, and I am truly humbled.

I first learned about the Quilts of Gees Bend earlier this year when a group of women I was visiting with were discussing the guild's previous exhibition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. So many of them were impressed and moved by the exhibition and highly recommended it to me. Hearing about it reminded me of another quilt artist I also appreciate for her painted story quilts, Faith Ringgold (and I came thisclose to meeting her earlier this year at an exhibition opening in a nearby town, but I was unable to attend).

You can view the Quilts of Gees Bend exhibition schedule and learn a few interesting facts about it on the Web site, such as:

"In 1937 and '38, the federal government commissioned two series of photographs of Gee's Bend. The images have since become some of the most famous images of Depression-era American life."

I am ever astounded and grateful at the resourcefulness artists from all kinds of eras and regions combine with their creativity to add interesting variations of artistic beauty to this world. I hope that through the newly issued postage stamps of the Quilts of Gees Bend that more people will become acquainted with this important slice of history and appreciate the contributions artists of all kinds make to our lives.

© 2006 Chris Dunmire www.chrisdunmire.com. All rights reserved.

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