Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African American Quilters (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Kyra E. Hicks (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An authoritative account of the powerful bonds between generations of African American quiltmakers

From the Publisher

In Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African American Quilters, Patricia A. Turner explores the culture and recent history of African Americans through the creations and wisdom of nine quilters. Turner profiles quilters who exemplify the range of black women and men dedicated to the making of quilts, and she shows how their craftwork establishes order and meaning in their lives. The artisans comprise eight women and one man, ranging from teenagers to octogenarians, representing an array of education and income levels, and living across the United States, including Alaska.

Turner also probes the ways in which African American quilts and quilters have been depicted, discussed, criticized, and characterized. From the displays of Harriet Powers's creations at the turn of the twentieth century to the contemporary exhibits of such black art-quilts as those promoted by Carolyn Mazloomi, and such utilitarian expressions as the celebrated examples from Gee's Bend, Alabama, Turner uses quilts to assess the level of control African Americans have had or have not had over the materials they craft and the art they leave as legacy to new generations.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604731311
• ISBN-13: 978-1604731316
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #223,395 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Richness and Diversity of African American Quilts and Quilters, March 17, 2009

By	Ann E. Savageau (Davis, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Folklorist Pat Turner has written a richly detailed account of the lives and quilts of nine African American Quilters of various ages and backgrounds. In doing so, she proves that there is no such thing as "the African American quilt". Instead, we are introduced to a complex spectrum of aesthetic expression. One of the most fascinating and troubling issues presented by Turner is that of the Gee's Bend quilters and their exploitation by unscrupulous art world dealers and curators. This is a must-read for anyone interested in issues of equity and social justice. I highly recommend this book to scholars, quilters, and anyone interested in the history of culture of the quilt.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quilts can be more than they seem, March 3, 2009

By	Arlene Jones (Dixon, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Crafted Lives" by Patricia A. Turner is a good read on many levels. The way she describes her nine quilters is sensitive and respectful at all times. As a white quilter, and current owner of my Portuguese grandmother's Double Wedding Ring quilt, it was heart-warming and extremely informative, to read the stories (and "back" stories) of these black quilters. I would be honored to be included in their community of "sistah quilters". Those of us who design and make quilts for our families and others to use needed a book like Turner's to teach us that we should consider ourselves artists - at least to some degree. You will enjoy "Crafted Lives".