Generations of Art

The women of Gee's Bend are known for their unique and intricate hand sewn quilts, and these women, as well as their quilts, have earned a very important place in American history. The women are direct descendants of the enslaved people who worked on a cotton plantation owned by Joseph Gee, in the rural community of Boykin, Alabama. After the Civil War, many of the ancestors remained there, working as sharecroppers. Quilting in the 19th century mostly arose from the physical need to keep warm, rather than as an art form. So the women would use scrap fabrics that they had available to them at the time, and would piece and sew them into useful items. The patterns and piecing style continued to be handed down and taught, generation after generation--through slavery, the antebellum South, and Jim Crow. During the Civil Rights Movement of 1966, the Freedom Quilting Bee was established as a way for African American women from Gee's Bend to gain economic independence. They began to sell their quilts, and eventually, awareness and acclaim for them grew. The quilts have now become a cultural icon to homemade art. There are examples in permanent museum collections in over 20 art museums, including the National Gallery of Art, and the Brooklyn Museum. Gee's Bend quilts are considered to be a crucial contribution to the history of American Art, and many descendants of the original Gee's Bend Quilters still create this art form today. There is a special section devoted to these current artists of Gee's Bend on Etsy, an online marketplace for artists. You can click here to view the site, learn more about these wonderful women, and see their creations. Many are even available for purchase. A few examples of their work are shown here for you to enjoy!

Quilt created by Caster Pettway, Etsy Shop--Quilts by Caster

Quilt created by Doris Pettway Hacketts, Etsy Shop--K and K Quilted Treasure

Quilt created by Veronica Lavette Saulsberry, Etsy Shop--Oh Lula's Creations