Wallace College PresentsThe History, Art, and Legacy of the Gee’s Bend Quilters

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Apr 13 2015 12:05 PM

Dothan:  Wallace Community College-Dothan will present the History, Art, and Legacy of the Gee’s Bend Quilters on Tuesday, April 14, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The event, which will be held in Cherry Hall on the Wallace Campus, will include a lecture featuring the Gee’s Bend quilting legacy and its historical significance, musical performances by the guest quilters, and a discussion panel. The Alabama Humanities Foundation, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for Humanities, co-sponsors this project with WCC.

Mary Ann and China Pettway are life-long quilters whose skills and designs were passed down through generations of quilters before them. They are part of the Gee’s Bend community, which is located south of Selma, Alabama on the banks of the Alabama River. The area was founded in the 1800’s by the Gee’s family from North Carolina, who established a cotton plantation in the bend of the river. This event is an opportunity to meet the women of Gee’s Bend and learn about their handmade history. 

The tradition of quilting is an old one in Gee’s Bend. “We didn’t know anything about art. We were just making quilts to keep warm,” said Mary Ann Pettway in a recent interview. Her mother made quilts for all of her children – one to lie on and one to cover them. “She used worn-out material from clothes to make her quilts,” she continued. “Some quilters still like to use old clothes because the fabric comes from items that have been worn and loved.”  Pettway says that she always tells clients to sleep on their commissioned quilts at least once. “These quilts are made to be used – not just packed away.”

Art Historian Stephanie Burak-Fehlenberg will lecture on the history and isolation of Gee’s Bend and how this contributed to the unique style of the quilts, creating a heritage that has caught the attention of art historians and designers. The quilt designs have even been featured on a series of postage stamps. Burak-Fehlenberg has contributed to the quilters’ success by curating national and international exhibitions of their quilts.

Pettway says the creative process can be a long one. She will sometimes plan a design for a commissioned quilt for several months before beginning the project. “I have to see it in my mind before starting,” she said. While quilting techniques are passed from generation to generation, some of the designs are also handed down with names like “House Top” and “Lazy Gal.” 

The Gee’s Bend quilts will be on display in the Cherry Hall lobby before and during the event, and they will be available for purchase from 8:00-9:00 p.m. The quilters accept cash or checks only. The quilt sales are not affiliated with the AHF Grant.

 

 

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