Threads Labels Final 12

Patricia Batiste-Brown Born Elmore County, Alabama, 1947 Serengeti, 2003 Machine stitched and quilted Courtesy of the artist I was inspired by the glorious colors of mythical animals against the backdrop of an African sunset. The design grew out of a class I was teaching on three-dimensional windmill blocks. The section across the top came from a fabric store located inside a railroad car. The color green represents the flowing grass of the African plains. Patricia Batiste-Brown

Deborah Boone Born Southfield, Michigan, 1966 African Winds, 2003 Machine stitched and hand tied Courtesy of the artist Some of my quilts spur viewers to question their lives or take a journey within. They spark the need to ask, “Am I living right?” If the answer is no, the quilt sends the message to "Straighten up and Fly Right." Or the viewer might ask himself or herself, “Do I need a vacation?” If the answer is yes, my quilt titled “African Winds” invites the viewer to imagine himself or herself on a hammock in the middle of the vast Serengeti gazing at the sunset, feeling the breeze and listening to the sounds of the African night. Deborah Boone

Bernetta Branch Born Seattle, Washington, 1951 African Squares on Point, 2007 Machine stitched Quilted by Elaine Colvin Collection of Kim Sullivan This quilt was a commissioned piece for a lover of African fabrics and science teacher at the school where I work. The most I can say is that after a very tumultuous last few years, I was at peace making this quilt. Bernetta Branch

Antoinette Bush Born Seattle, Washington, 1949 Serengeti Safari, 2006 Machine pieced Adapted from a pattern by Laura Dennison Courtesy of the artist This pattern was a perfect way to fulfill my love of African fabrics. I love color. The colors are a rich tapestry rare in American fabrics. The biggest challenge was picking American-made fabrics to accompany the African cloth. The two very different tones could not overshadow or battle each other. They needed to bring out the best in each other like a good marriage. Antoinette Bush

Iris Franklin Born College Station, Texas, 1939 Boomerang, 2007 Machine pieced and quilted Courtesy of the artist I have experimented with the gamut of colors, from willowy pastels to richer earth tones. Silky creams, chocolate browns, and rich oranges became my passion. I create quilts as an expression of art that transcends the painted picture. My creation of both traditional and artistic quilts in ethnic fabrics is reflective of my heritage. My quilts are bold, but don’t call them primitive or exotic just because you’re having trouble categorizing them! Iris Franklin

Lynette Gallon-Harrell Born Tampa, Florida, 1958 I Am Not My Pain, 2004 Machine stitched and hand quilted, imported cotton batiks Courtesy of the artist When I was diagnosed with a life-altering disease, I was devastated and afraid. I was afraid that I could no longer be the mother and wife my family needed and devastated by life changes I would need to make. Lynette GallonHarrell

Antoinette Hall Born Hartford, Connecticut, 1957 Counsel, 2004 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist After a decade of quilting, I favor designs based on traditional patterns as well as improvisational collages. Antoinette Hall

Annie Harper Born Yokohama, Japan, 1949 Every Which Way but Loose, 2005 Machine stitched Quilted by Sue Sullivan Courtesy of the artist I love the process of creating something unique from conception to execution. My love of geometry helps me translate ideas into a visual aesthetic. I am frequently surprised by the results of color, texture, proportion, repetition, and value. Hopefully others feel the joy and happiness I put into my pieces. Annie Harper

Oneda Harris Born Seattle, Washington, 1967 Storm Clouds over Zion, 2004 Hand stitched and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist This was one of my first picture quilts and it depicts Seattle’s Mount Zion Baptist Church on a rainy day. I made the quilt during a difficult time in the church’s history. I pieced it by tearing sections of fabric to create sky, rain, wood, and brick. Tearing the fabric, as opposed to cutting it, was cathartic. Sewing the disparate pieces together helped me heal just as my church family was struggling to heal. Oneda Harris

Oneda Harris Born Seattle, Washington, 1967 Shadrach, Meshach, and a Big Negro, 2005 Hand stitched and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist As a child, Oneda Harris heard the Biblical verse Daniel 3 about the tests of faith endured by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Unable to pronounce easily the long and strange names, Harris believed that the verse relayed the story about “Shadrach, Meshach, and a big Negro.”

Cheryl Haskins Born Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1960 African Winter, 2007 Machine stitched Quilted by Elaine Colvin Adapted from the pattern “White Out” in Quiltmaker Magazine, November-December 2006 Courtesy of the artist I am a creator of quilts for use, comfort, and as a blessing to others. I enjoy finding a pattern I like and making it three or four times in different fabrics to create different looks. African-inspired fabrics have a warmth and vitality I like to interpret into traditional quilt blocks. This quilt was inspired by a plain tone on tone flannel quilt with white snowflakes. Here is the same quilt—only vibrant and alive in the middle of winter. Cheryl Haskins

Cheryl Haskins Born Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1960 Winter Garden, 2007 Machine stitched Quilted by Elaine Colvin Courtesy of the artist

Sheila Holmes Born Seattle, Washington, 1948 Autumn Dahlias, 2005 Machine pieced, appliquéd, and quilted Courtesy of the artist I took a class called “Stack and Whack.” I love this technique because you have to tear fabric as well as make precise cuts. The pieces are then sewn, appliquéd, and quilted together. It did not turn out exactly according to the pattern because I ran out of both the brown and off-white background fabrics so improvising became a necessity. Sheila Holmes

Mary H. Johnson Born Decatur, Mississippi, 1944 Underground Railroad, 2007 Hand appliquéd and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist Years ago I purchased a book, “The Underground Railroad,” by Charles L. Blockson. This guidebook listed schools, churches, homes, and other sites across America of historical significance during slavery. I longed to visit those places. Instead I created a quilt depicting an imagined scene along the Underground Railroad. I used wools, cottons, and furs for clothing that I then appliquéd onto the figures. Acrylic paint on muslin made the faces and bodies. The key was to use materials consistent with that era. Mary H. Johnson

Christine Jordan-Bell Born Newbern, Alabama, 1961 Robbie’s Quilt, 2007 Machine pieced, hand quilted, and hand appliquéd Adapted from the pattern "Let It Grow" by Sue Nickels from America's Best Quilting Projects, A Rodale Quilt Book by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter Courtesy of the artist My son Robbie has grown into an extraordinary young man. I honor him with this quilt. I found, as always, working with my hands to be extremely relaxing, and thus this quilt symbolizes both my love for my son and the pleasure I find in the art of quilting. I prefer hand quilting, piecing, and appliqué. The more experienced I become as a quilter, the more drawn I am to appliqué projects. Everything comes back to the contentment I derive from working with my hands. Christine JordanBell

Paola Maranan Born Seattle, Washington, 1963 Batik Windows, 2003 Machine stitched and hand tied Courtesy of the artist I made this wall of batik fabrics for Majken and Mike—two friends who found love and each other late in life. Majken came to the marriage with a son adopted from Guinea, and the couple adopted two more children from Sierra Leone. The indigos lend a wonderful texture and weight. The batik African masks are in tribute to Majken and Mike’s commitment to their children and their culture. Paola Maranan

Gwen Maxwell-Williams Born Starkville, Mississippi, 1947 Spinnin’ III, 2007 Machine pieced Machine quilted by Elaine Colvin Courtesy of the artist Does everyone go through phases in their work? For the last year, circles have been the focus of a lot of my art. Circles represent to me completion and wholeness. They may show up as concentric, divided into quarters or halves, or even with curved edges—but usually even the parts come together to create completed circles. Is this representative of where my life is on its continuum? I hope so. It is a good sign. Gwen MaxwellWilliams

Johnnie Miller Born Haynesville, Louisiana, 1930 It’s a Log Cabin, 2005 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist The colors in this quilt put me immediately in the frame of mind of a Jacob Lawrence painting. The fabulous browns, rusts, and olive greens were eye-catching. I didn’t know what I was going to make, but I knew I wanted to use these fabrics! The log cabin is a very traditional quilt design that I’ve used since I was very young. Johnnie Miller

Wadiyah Nelson-Shimabukuro Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1951 Kokoro, 2002 Shippou [seven treasures] design with Japanese fabrics Quilted by TigerLily Courtesy of the artist This quilt gives me a sense of “kokoro,” the in between feeling that connects one person to another, filling seemingly empty space with personal spiritual meaning. My late husband Craig Tosh Shimabukuro was the inspiration behind this quilt. He was my greatest love, supporter, and art critic. This quilt was my gift to him on his favorite holiday—Christmas. I began quilting in 2000 possessing absolutely no sewing skills. Quilting was the key opening the door to a new world of discovery, creativity, and love. Quilting energizes me with fabric, color, beads, threads, metal, stone, jewels, and symbols. The act of quilting embodies me with a sense of kokoro with the world. Wadiyah NelsonShimabukuro

Lynne K. Varner-Hollie Born Stuttgart, Germany, 1962 Blue Monday, 2000 Machine pieced and machine quilted, imported Japanese and African cottons Courtesy of the artist I was born blue. That’s no exaggeration. I am drawn to blues of any kind. The blues is my favorite type of music. I tend toward the melancholic, another variation of blue. Life varies, sometimes so bright it hurts the eyes; other times so gloomy the shade of blue chills your fingers. I can look at this quilt every day and find a hue to fit my changing moods. Lynne K. VarnerHollie

Brenetta Ward Born St. Louis, Missouri, 1958 The Women before Me, 2000 Hand quilted with silk and African and domestic cottons Courtesy of the artist I created this quilt as a personal altar in memory of the important women in my life. My mother died when I was young and several women stepped in, each in their own way, to care for me. They taught me to nurture self, family and friends; to live with faith, grace and dignity; and to honor creativity, intelligence and style. The fabric framing each photo represents their individuality, their bond to each other, and their connection to my mother. The rainbow of fabrics in the border reflects the diversity of their collective experiences and celebrates their lives. Brenetta Ward

Challenge Quilts One cannot be good at something and not feel compelled to show off every now and again. At the beginning of each year, PNWAAQ creates a challenge quilt project to be completed during the year. This is no ordinary challenge. It is an opportunity to show your stuff! Themes and dimensions are strictly defined. Artists are free to use any quilting technique they desire with mad props going to those who stretch themselves by trying new or difficult techniques. The results of the year’s challenge are usually hung at Festival Sundiata at Seattle Center during the President’s Day weekend. PNWAAQ challenge quilts have also hung at Town Hall in Seattle and myriad public exhibits. Lynne K. Varner-Hollie

Patricia Batiste-Brown Born Elmore County, Alabama, 1947 The Migration of the Negro, No. 58 from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Deborah Boone Born Southfield, Michigan, 1966 Jacob’s Hue from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Iris Franklin Born College Station, Texas, 1939 Toussaint L’Ouverture Series from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Lynette Gallon-Harrell Born Tampa, Florida, 1958 In His Footsteps from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Cheryl Garcia Born Brookhaven, Mississippi, 1956 The Migration of the Negro No. 4 from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Cheryl Garcia Born Brookhaven, Mississippi, 1956 The Migration of the Negro, No.16 from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Cheryl Garcia Born Brookhaven, Mississippi, 1956 The Migration of the Negro, No. 22 from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Mary H. Johnson Born Decatur, Mississippi, 1944 The Lovers from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Christine Jordan-Bell Born Newbern, Alabama, 1961 The Life of Harriet Tubman No. 4 from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Gwen Maxwell-Williams Born Starkville, Mississippi, 1947 Jacob—The Artist from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Appliqué, machine quilted, and mixed media Courtesy of the artist

Cynthia Davis-Vanloo The Ultimate Migration from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Deborah Boone Born Southfield, Michigan, 1966 Woman Renewed from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Antoinette Hall Born Hartford, Connecticut, 1957 Creation from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Machine pieced and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Cheryl Handy Woman The Create-Her from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Oneda Harris Born Seattle, Washington, 1967 Create-Her from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Annie Harper Born Yokohama, Japan, 1949 A Mother’s Love from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Cheryl Haskins Born Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1960 Let There Be Light from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Sheila Holmes Born Seattle, Washington, 1948 Creation from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist

Christine Jordan-Bell Born Newbern, Alabama, 1961 Coretta from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Machine pieced, machine quilted, and mixed media Courtesy of the artist

Johnnie Miller Born Haynesville, Louisiana, 1930 Woman from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Machine pieced, machine quilted, and hand quilted Courtesy of the artist

Wadiyah Nelson-Shimabukuro Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1951 Musha Mukadzi [The Woman is the Heart of the Home] from the “Challenge Quilt” Woman-Creation-Mother Earth, 2006 Machine pieced, machine quilted, and mixed media Courtesy of the artist

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Festival Sundiata Quilt, 2006 Appliqué, machine pieced, machine quilted, and mixed media Courtesy of the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters

Charity Quilts One principle underscores the values of PNWAAQ: to whom much is given, much is required. Our members are fortunate in their talents and privileged to practice a venerated art form. We are duty-bound to share our gifts with the community. One way we accomplish this is by regularly donating an art quilt to a non-profit, charity fundraiser, or a person in need. Organizations may approach us or members make requests for their favorite charities. Then blocks are made using agreed upon designs, fabrics, and colors. Later the blocks are assembled into quilts and sent with our good wishes to the recipient. Giving feels good! Seeing where our quilts end up is a reflection not just on our generosity but on our talent! It is gratifying to hear that a PNWAAQ charity quilt launched a bidding war at an auction or that an art quilt graces the wall of a medical facility. We seem to grow closer when working toward a common cause. The best example comes from a glorious spring weekend PNWAAQ members spent sequestered on Whidbey Island working fast and furiously to complete a quilt for former Seattle School District Superintendent John Stanford. The four-star general and pride of Seattle lay in a hospital bed battling leukemia. We chose fabrics of deep red and blue for strength, bright yellow for healing and sewed

them into a quilt to cover his bed. It is difficult to look at the John Stanford quilt and not feel an emotional tug. Love, compassion, and prayers radiate from that quilt. Lynne K. Varner-Hollie

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters John Stanford Memorial Quilt, 1998 Machine pieced and machine quilted Private collection

OPEN ART STUDIO Build a Quilt in the Open Art Studio.

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Ujama, 2004 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Pacific Northwest African American Quilters

Sistah Quilts In addition to being a quilting group, PNWAAQ is a sisterhood. Like any true sisterhood, we celebrate the milestones in one another’s lives. One cannot be a member of our sistah-circle and quietly get married, welcome a first child or greet a decade birthday. Oh no! Whether a quilter is turning a proud 40, a wise 50 or a defiant 60-years-old, the occasion is greeted by a blindingly beautiful quilt that outs our milestones to the world. Sistah quilts are made in secrecy to keep the recipient from thwarting our plans. Members contribute one or more blocks relying on either the intended’s style and personality or their own signature patterns. The quilt blocks are collected and on a certain date we gather, still shrouded in secrecy, to sew the blocks into a magnificent symbol of our love and support of each other. Lynne K. Varner-Hollie

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Welcome Home, 1999 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Lynne K. Varner-Hollie

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Welcome Home, 1998 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Shelia Guy-Snowden

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Marriage Quilt, 1998 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Lynne K. Varner-Hollie

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Iris’s 60th Birthday Quilt, 1999 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Iris Franklin

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Gwen’s 60th Birthday Quilt, 2007 Machine pieced and machine quilted Collection of Gwen Maxwell-Williams

Threads That Bind: Works by Pacific Northwest African American Quilters is a project that could not have been accomplished without the close collaboration of the museum and this group of quilters. Tacoma Art Museum is indebted to the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters for their help selecting work for the exhibition and for sharing their stories, their expertise, and their passion for quiltmaking. In particular, we wish to thank Gwen Maxwell-Williams and Iris Franklin for their invaluable leadership and guidance. We are also grateful to Lynne K. Varner-Hollie for her work interviewing each of the quilters and compiling this information for label texts and additional reference materials. These materials will serve as important community resources for years to come.

Pacific Northwest African American Quilters Nkonsonkonson–In Unity, There is Strength, 2007 Mixed media, machine pieced, and machine quilted Courtesy of the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters In West African societies, particularly in the region of Ghana, adinkra symbols are used to represent popular proverbs and maxims, to record historical events, and to express particular attitudes. "Nkonsonkonson" is one of the symbols that symbolizes the chain that links us all and implies that ”in unity, there lies strength." It reminds us of the universal principle that every person's cooperation is important for the global success of any project. The quilters that make up the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters come from all parts of the world—we've migrated from the South, the East, the North and from the West Coast. Some have come from as far away as Germany and other foreign ports. We've all come together with shared goals of quilting and friendship. Our styles and techniques are as varied as the members of the group. Some are traditionalist, others more contemporary in their approach; some use bold, vibrant colors, and others tend toward a softer palette of colors. Whatever the flavor, it represents the heart and soul of the

quilter: and thus, that of the group. Each member was encouraged to do a series of panels in her style to contribute to this collective wall hanging. The finished product is a collection of panels that overlap and cover each other, and are linked together to create a "sisterhood" piece.

Donna Kimbrough Born Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1948 Bless This Food from the “Challenge Quilt” Tribute to Jacob Lawrence, 2001 Machine pieced and machine quilted Courtesy of the artist