Call for Entries - 9th Annual African American Fiber Arts Juried Exhibition

9th year of the African American Fiber Arts Juried Exhibition curated by Torreah "Cookie" Washington will honor the late Maya Angelou and focus on “How Maya Angelou made your artist’s journey more meaningful? What were her words that inspired you to keep keeping? How did she help you to RISE?," according the call for entry information.

You might remember that Ms. Washington curated the fantastic 2012 exhibit Mermaids and Merwomen in Black Folklore: A Fiber Arts Exhibition. See this video of the Mermaids exhibit.

This juried exhibit will be installed as part of the North Charleston Arts Festival and on display at the North Charleston City Hall, April 30 - June 15, 2015. Several pieces will be selected for a traveling exhibit that will tour the lower Southern US states for one year. Quilts, wearable arts and dolls may be submitted for this juries show. Here are a few considerations, but contact Ms. Washington for a complete list.

1.  All works must be made by the entrant but can be quilted by someone else.
2.  Quilts must be at least 30” x 30” and not more than 60” x 60”. Group Quilts assembled or quilted by 3 or more people, such as row robin quilts, block exchange quilts, group hand quilted quilts are open for consideration.
3. Dolls may be no taller than 18 inches.
4. There is a non-refundable entry fee for each entry.

If you want to submit an entry for consideration, contact Ms. Washington at Cookiesews1960@gmail.com   Enjoy!

Quilt Me Into Memory by Sherrie Theriault

Wanted to share news of a charming new children's picture book by outsider artist Sherrie Theriault titled "Quilt Me Into Memory."  Sherrie has self-published over twenty illustrated books featuring her art. In Quilt Me Into Memory, she writes about a little girl who's family remembers her in a quilt. Sherrie's mother stitched the quilt on the book cover.  Fans of Harriet Powers will smile when you read this story. (I don't want to spoil the story!)

You can read an interview about Sherrie's inspiration for this particular book on the Publish Your Own Quilt Catalog blog.  Enjoy!

Columbus Black Doll & Gift Show - November 27, 2010

If you are in Columbus, Ohio on November 27, check out the Columbus Black Doll & Gift Show. Natasha Gates, who is organizing the event, shared with me that the show will be from 10am to 5pm at the Aladdin Shrine Center, 3850 Stelzer Road, Columbus, OH 43219. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children 6 to 12 years old. Free parking. Enjoy!

Barbie Turns 50 - Black Barbie Quilt by Kyra Hicks

Raise your hands if you played with Barbie dolls! Well, Barbie is turning 50 in the next couple days. I don't recall ever owning a Mattel Barbie doll, but do remember playing with Barbie and all the accessories over at a friend's house on Sundays after church.

My next encounter with Barbie came when I worked as a marketing strategist for Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, specifically on the dear Miniature and Magic ornaments and, my favorites Merry Miniatures (I was on the team that created the Merry Miniature Cinderella Collection!). Can't believe I was paid to work at Hallmark as it was a magical experience to work on products that connected emotionally with people and with a terrific team of creatives (shout out to all the Keepsakes artists!).

I had a heated discussion about Barbie ornaments at work with my then manager (sorry, no details via such a public blog :> ). To deal with my anger, I came home and worked through my feelings by designing and stitching this quilt here. Black Barbie Quilt is based on the original Barbie doll. In the background I've painted repetitiously, "Black Barbie has no name." Appliqued is "Barbie, America's Doll was never intended for me." This quilt has been exhibited at the American Folk Art Museum ("Talking Quilts") in New York and, more recently at the Fenimore Art Museum.

What does Barbie mean to an African American woman or a young black girl? How have others interpreted this American icon from a Black perspective? Here's a few links:

• "My Aunt's Quilt" by AuthenticEducator (Barbie bed quilt Photo via Flickr)
  
• Don't Just Play Barbie, Be Barbie - African American Barbie blog by V Byers
• Ann Ducille on "ethnic" Barbies from the Anti-Racist Parent blog
  
• Writer K. Danielle Edwards article from TheRoot.com "Dolls Like Me"
  
• Yona Zeldis McDonough's "The Barbie Chronicles," a collection of essays on the doll
• Philadelphia Doll Museum - collection of African American dolls
  
• You can occasionally find Black Barbie fabric online or on eBay

So, has Barbie had an impact in your life? Have you stitched anything with a Barbie theme? Do tell! Enjoy!

Disney's Princess Tiana - when will the fabric be available?

Mattel unveiled the Princess Tiana doll at Toy Fair in New York last week. Princess Tiana will be the first Disney African American princess. She will debut later this year in the animated musical, The Princess and the Frog. Now - when will the Princess Tiana FABRICS be available?!?

LionBrand - Free Obama Finger Doll Pattern

Lion Brand yarns is offering a free Obama crochet finger puppet doll pattern. There's also a McCain doll pattern. You'll need to register on the site and then get the pattern. Enjoy!

Obama Paper Doll

Thanks to a quilting sistah for passing along the link to the Obama Paper Dolls booklet, which comes complete with a "wardrobe of authentic outfits worn by the couple on the campaign trail." Just $7.99. Yes, there's a McCain Paper Dolls set, too. Enjoy!

No Longer Hidden: Black Cloth Dolls 2007

Isn't this just a great photo of these three cloth dolls - so appropriate for this US Presidential election year. The photo is by Kent Boynton and from the 2007 (yes, last year!) exhibit titled No Longer Hidden, An Exhibit of Black Cloth Dolls, 1870 - 1930. I wonder if the folks at the Harvard Historical Society have plans to tour this exhibit in 2008?

Black Doll Collectors Convention - May 2008

Debra Britt and her two sisters Felicia Walker and Tammy Mattison have amassed a stunning collection of African American dolls, according to one Massachusetts newspaper. The sisters held a Black Doll Collectors Convention at the Mansfield Holiday Inn (MA) the last weekend of May 2008. I'm sorry to have missed this event, thought to be the first one of its kind in Massachusetts.

Sponsors of the convention include Pearls of Wisdom, a sorority from Brockton, Sisters in Stitches, an African American quilting group in Holbrook, Black Gold DollClub, DALLSS Inc. and thePhiladelphia Doll Museum.

You see photos at: http://www.blackdollcollectors.com. Would love to hear how the convention was from anyone who attended! Enjoy!

Felt Art - Obama Finger Puppet & Other Crafts

I laughed out loud when I saw this Barack Obama Felt Finger Puppet created by Chicago artist Abbey Christine. It's hand stitched, four inches tall, about eight different pieces of felt. Do have a look at her Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton felt finger puppets giving speeches. Enjoy!

If you'd like to see other Presidential Election folk art, visit Etsy.com...

• Obama-lopes (that's recycled envolopes)
• Obama Scrabble words
• Obama & Kennedy bracelet
• Neil Jam style Obama & Clinton pop art
• Hillary Clinton flag wall art
• Hillary Clinton Voodoo doll

Deborah Grayson Bailey - YouTube, New Blog

Take a moment to view this YouTube video interview with Sistah Quilter and Dollmaker Deborah Grayson. Visit her new quilting blog - see her new quilt about her grandmother!

Renaissance Woman blog - Sandi Howell

If you're like many quilters, you also make cloth dolls! When you get a moment, check out Bronx dollmaker and quilter, Sandi Howell's blog, Renaissance Woman. Her recent African Doll using pieces of her fabric stash (photo here) is bold and dramatic! Enjoy!