Human Nature
This collection of quilts all feature people as the main subject, though with varying levels of detail, are able to portray different aspects of the human experience.
There are many different ways that people can be portrayed through quilting. Many levels of detail (or lack of) can communicate the message the quilter wanted to share through the quilt and the appearance of the people within it. This collection of quilts all feature people as the main subject, though they all showcase different parts of the human experience.
This is a notable subject to present on because these are quilts, and you typically would not expect these types of pictorial designs to be presented through quilting.
Mount Pleasant Miners
This quilt was based on a photo of the artist's grandfather, a miner, with other miners on a mountainside. She based the colors on what she remembered from visiting the mine as a young child.
Mount Pleasant Miners (1993) by Nancy BrownThe National Quilt Museum
Although small, the faces of the men are detailed enough that you can see the ruggedness they capture. It could have been easy to give the men all the same face, but Brown based this off of a real photo, and all of the men are real men who worked alongside her grandfather.
Chasing Bubbles
This photorealistic quilt, by Hiroko and Masanobu Miyama, was inspired by images of their grandchildren playing with bubbles with their dog. It is machine pieced, hand dyed, and precision appliqued. These techniques were chosen to portray the extreme detail of the image.
Chasing Bubbles (2014) by Hiroko Miyama and Masanobu MiyamaThe National Quilt Museum
"I love to express my granddaughters and dogs in beautiful scenery to make viewers happy," writes Hiroko.
Rumors and Hard Times (1987) by Susan ShieThe National Quilt Museum
Rumors and Hard Times
This quilt, alternatively, features very cartoon-like people. Artist Susan Shie says that many of the people portrayed in this quilt are based on real people, be it her family or journalists spreading false publicity about her.
"I think the line of rumor mongers at the bottom is my expression of frustration to what was happening at the time with me getting a lot of publicity in the local newspapers. I just couldn’t believe some of the incorrect things that got written, and I took it all to heart."
Emerging for Tea (2015) by Valerie C. WhiteThe National Quilt Museum
Emerging for Tea
This quilt was created to acknowledge the beauty of African women, showing how they dressed based on tribal traditions, as well as using the materials that they had available. Valerie White based these women on what she saw through her mother, grandmother, and aunts.
"My art tells stories that I feel are important, connecting spirituality, tradition, and nature. I’m encouraging one to consider roots as metaphors. Roots, like people, are intertwined and connected.”
Ice Fantasia
This quilt, inspired by the Winter Olympics, features not only the ice skater in the middle, but people surrounding her as well, representing an audience watching her skate. Although the design is simple, you can easily tell the image that Vredenburg was portraying in this quilt.
Ice Fantasia (1989) by Elsie VredenburgThe National Quilt Museum
"This quilt is my song of joy."
Looking Back on Broken Promises (1989) by Dawn AmosThe National Quilt Museum
Looking Back on Broken Promises
With this quilt, the viewer is put in the Native American's place, looking over his shoulder and feeling the emotion of being removed from his home. Though not as realistically quilted as others, you can still see the emotion in the man's face as he looks towards his past.
"I try to put the viewer in the Native American's place. What are his thoughts? What is his world like?"
Summer Fun
This quilt, perhaps the most realistic of the collection, was actually based on a photograph of a young boy in Africa. Each color is a different piece of fabric, quilted together to represent the joy the young boy feels while playing with water.
Summer Fun (2022) by Marina Landi and Fabia DinizThe National Quilt Museum
Incommunicato
This quilt has a clear message about humans and their behavior. Although this couple is sitting together at dinner, they are both distracted and "incommunicato," not communicating with one another. It shows how easily distracted people can get, even when they're in good company.
Incommunicato (2008) by Esterita AustinThe National Quilt Museum
"...I thought it was amusing when two tourists at a table nearby had finished dinner and, seemingly, after many years of having said everything there as to say to each other (and nothing left to say) they had their smartphones readily at hand to tweet and text..."
Harlequinade
This quilt portrays the story of the trickster Harlequin, cutting the strings of the other marionette puppets. This quilt features hand appliqued pieces to show the detail of the dolls and set the stage around them, showing that it is all a performance.
Harlequinade (2021) by Beckey Prior and Jackie BrownThe National Quilt Museum
"Harlequinade is a theatrical quilt filled with visual clues guiding viewers to discover the hidden story. Inspired by Venetian Carnival masks and commedia del'arte characters the quilt features the antics of Harlequin, the trickster, who has his own ideas about freedom and fun"
All quilts are part of the Collection of the National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Kentucky, United States.
