Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Gees Bend Quilts in Selma

Presidential candidate and SenatorJohn McCain traveled first by plane, then by bus and finally by ferry to see the Quilts of Gees Bend down in Wilcox County. But, I photographed this original at The Frame Shoppe on Selma's Historic Water Avenue.

The store, which is located right across from the St. James Hotel and Bridge Tender's House, not only frames your artwork but features regional arts and crafts for show and sale, including the renowned Gees Bend quilts.

The quilts are handmade by women of the rural, isolated community who generations ago developed geometric, folk-art patterns that they learned from their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. The quilts eventually were discovered by folks from outside the Black Belt and have been shown and marketed worldwide.

To watch McCain's My Space video of his Gee's Bend trip, click HERE.






7 comments:

Halcyon said...

Oooh! I just love quilts. I have a few handed down to me from my great grandmothers. I cherish them and all the hours they must have put into those stitches.

Troop 1309 said...

Fun! I love quilts and have tried quilting before. I wasn't very good at it, but I do plan on making a flannel quilt next month.

Southern Heart said...

I love quilts, too. I tried quilting, but just didn't have enough free time to be consistent. I've enjoyed your coverage of McCain's visit.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

this is beautiful - I love quilts. My grandma makes them all the time. :)

Jilly said...

I love quilts, not that i understand the significance of the various shapes, colours. this is lovely.

Z said...

Patchwork quilts are great. I have a photo of three quilts airing out in a winter snowscape somewhere in the US that I picked up at an arts-and-crafts fair in Maryland many years ago. It's hanging in our dining area now and I wish I had gotten a larger photo!

bitingmidge said...

My wife quilts while I fiddle on the web, I daren't show her links like this unless I have a week's worth of pictures uploaded, because I then have to fight to regain control of the World Wide Web!

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