Sunday, August 12, 2012

The 2012 Atlanta Quilt Festival

Recently a group of the doll artists whom I profiled here in May 2011 formed the Dazzling Dames Doll Club.  They were kind enough to invite me to join even though my interest is more in making doll videos than in making art dolls. 

one of Mattie's People by Mattie Eley

Most of these soft sculpture artists developed their fiber arts skills through years of quilt making.  Thus they regularly show their work at the Atlanta Quilt Festival, one of the many cultural events that enrich the city during the National Black Arts Festival. 


detail from "The Women" by Nina Moore

Cookie Patterson's beautiful bride doll is on permanent display at the South Fulton Arts Center where the quilt show was exhibited. 


Mattie's People were throwing fierce attitude as usual. 


Meanwhile Cassandra Harrison crafted a touching scene of a grandfather who has fallen asleep while reading to four adorable grand-kids.


The quilts were breathtakingly beautiful.  R.E.S.P.E.C.T. by Aisha Lumumba was one of my favorites. 

"R.E.S.P.E.C.T." by Aisha Lumumba

It is easy to see why Ambassador Andrew Young and President & Mrs. Barack Obama have purchased Lumumba's quilts for their collections!

O.V. Brantley not only advances the art of quilting through her own masterful work, she has also established the Clara Ford Foundation "to promote, preserve and celebrate the art of African American quilting and quilting in general" in honor of her grandmother. 

"Give Yourself Flowers Today" by O.V. Brantley

The Clara Ford Foundation presented a selection of red and white quilts that were greatly appreciated by the Delta Sigma Theta sorrors whose colors are red and white.

"A Bouquet in Red and White" by O.V. Brantley

On Sunday August 29th, the day the exhibit opened, I joined Cookie Patterson of the Dazzling Dames in the demonstration room at the South Fulton Arts Center.  Cookie was demonstrating how to make doll pins.  She had asked me to bring some videos so I set up a simple backdrop and demonstrated how to shoot doll videos with an iPod Touch.  "The Love Story" was the collaboration of four siblings:



Whether in two dimensional quilts, three dimensional dolls, or in time-based multimedia, it was refreshing and inspiring to see such positive representations of African American experience.

À Bientôt

8 comments:

  1. I would have been awed at the sight of the quilts and soft sculptured dolls. Your samplings are proof. I am particularly fond of the first one by Mattie Eley.

    The doll video story was enjoyable.

    Thanks for sharing your experience at the 2012 Atlanta Quilt Festival.

    dbg

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  2. Nice video! I wish I had known about the Quilt Festival. I love the Mattie People's dolls. One day I plan to purchase one. Love the quilts.

    Happy Sunday Paulette!

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  3. Thanks for your comments ladies. The Dazzling Dames had a meeting yesterday. It is amazing to see how art dolls are made. I'll try to do more posts on this group of artists in the future.

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  4. Hello from Spain: I enjoy reading about your experience at the 2012 Atlanta Quilt Festival. It's a very interesting event. Congratulations for creating this video as creative and romantic. I like when the boy kneels. A really romantic ... . Keep in touch

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    1. Hi Marta,

      credit for the video goes to the children who created the story. I would like to work with children to produce videos like this more often.

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  5. Ok, I really enjoyed this post! The dolls are wonderful. Are they for sale?
    The video is too funny and I hope we will be seeing more.

    I must research to find the date of the next quilt show for sure.

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    1. Hi Grandmommy,

      I'm glad you like the dolls. Halima and Yusef are not for sale but eventually I might find a way to produce their fashions at an affordable price.

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  6. Hi and thanks for sharing the amazing quilts and the cute doll story. Love the voices ... good luck working with the kids on more videos. Sounds like fun was had all round ;-)

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