Spring Break
Quilt-makers inspire a play
Derek Campbell
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Culture
Artistic, spiritual and inspiring are just a few of the words that have been used to describe the beautiful quilts that have been produced by the women of Gee's Bend, Ala. As Kansas City Repertory Theatre patrons found out Monday, April 14, the quilts directly reflected the vibrant and strong women creating them.
Copaken Stage hosted an event featuring five quilt-makers from Gee's Bend in conjunction with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of the play "Gee's Bend" (reviewed 4/07/08, www.unews.com).
The women, Mary Lee Bendolph, Mary Ann Pettway, China Pettway, Revil Mosely and Florine Smith represented a historical line of women who created beautiful works of art in this impoverished region of the deep South during the 20th century.
But when they were quilting as young girls, art was the last thing on their minds.
"We used to put the quilts we made on the windows and eight or nine on each bed to keep us warm at night," China Pettway said. "We didn't have heat in our houses like we do today."
As their mothers began seeing them as capable of helping out the family, they handed the girls needles and thread and put them to work.
"I didn't want to quilt," Bendolph said. "Mama made us quilt. Thank God, because if I hadn't started, I wouldn't be here today."
In the play "Gee's Bend," the main character, Sadie, is based on Bendolph's life.
This event also included Matt Arnett, who, along with his father, began researching the history of Gee's Bend, and brought the quilts to the attention of art museums all over the country.
"When I met the women of Gee's Bend, I thought I knew a lot about art," Arnett said, "but after meeting these women, I realized I had a long way to go."
The women remembered quite well the first time they heard about Arnett and his father purchasing quilts in their town.
"My auntie said some crazy white man was going around paying $500 for quilts," Bendolph said. "I told her to send him over to my house."
Copaken Stage hosted an event featuring five quilt-makers from Gee's Bend in conjunction with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of the play "Gee's Bend" (reviewed 4/07/08, www.unews.com).
The women, Mary Lee Bendolph, Mary Ann Pettway, China Pettway, Revil Mosely and Florine Smith represented a historical line of women who created beautiful works of art in this impoverished region of the deep South during the 20th century.
But when they were quilting as young girls, art was the last thing on their minds.
"We used to put the quilts we made on the windows and eight or nine on each bed to keep us warm at night," China Pettway said. "We didn't have heat in our houses like we do today."
As their mothers began seeing them as capable of helping out the family, they handed the girls needles and thread and put them to work.
"I didn't want to quilt," Bendolph said. "Mama made us quilt. Thank God, because if I hadn't started, I wouldn't be here today."
In the play "Gee's Bend," the main character, Sadie, is based on Bendolph's life.
This event also included Matt Arnett, who, along with his father, began researching the history of Gee's Bend, and brought the quilts to the attention of art museums all over the country.
"When I met the women of Gee's Bend, I thought I knew a lot about art," Arnett said, "but after meeting these women, I realized I had a long way to go."
The women remembered quite well the first time they heard about Arnett and his father purchasing quilts in their town.
"My auntie said some crazy white man was going around paying $500 for quilts," Bendolph said. "I told her to send him over to my house."
Be the first to comment on this story