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. |
