Gee's Bend Quilts, and Beyond:
Louisiana Bendolph, Mary Lee Bendolph, Thornton Dial and Lonnie Holley

Looking At Art

Mary Lee Bendolph
Housetop Variation, 2006
Cotton
74 x 75 inches
Collection of the Tinwood Alliance


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Mary Lee Bendolph created Housetop Variation using sewing skills that she learned from her mother and grandmothers. The process of quiltmaking often involved both independent and cooperative work. The top of the quilt- the side that faces up on the bed- is always pieced by a quilter working alone and reflects a singular artistic vision. The subsequent process of 'quilting' the quilt- sewing together the completed top, the batting (stuffing), and the back- is sometimes then performed communally, among small groups of women.

" Describe the pattern you see in Housetop Variation. Is it symmetrical or assymetrical?

" Why do you think the squares are not all exactly the same size, shape and color?

" Why do you think the mothers and grandmothers in Gee's Bend think quiltmaking is an important skill to pass on to younger generations?

" What sorts of things has your family taught you? What would you like them to teach you? What would you want to teach your own children? Why?


Mary Lee Bendolph
Work Clothes Quilt, 2002
Denim and Cotton
97x 88 inches
Collection of the Tinwood Alliance

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Quilts in Gee's Bend were often constructed using recycled fabric scraps, rags, and pieces of old clothes.

" What materials in this quilt do you recognize?

" Why do you think some parts of the clothes were used and not others?

" If you were going to make a quilt that reflected your life experience, what types of fabric and material would you recycle and incorporate into your quilt? Explain your choices.