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| detail of Machann Twal Yo |
One of the smaller exhibits tucked along the back wall of the George R. Brown during the recent International Quilt Festival was this gem,
Haiti PeaceQuilts: Patience to Raise the Sun. The quilt festival program explains that a Haitian proverb says, "you must have patience to raise the sun." In the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, this is a truth well understood by the Haitian women who made these quilts. The quilts in this exhibit provide a look into the rich island culture of Haiti. I will share the artists' words as displayed at the festival - words which tell stories of both joy and heartbreak. It was a small and yet very powerful exhibit.
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| Machann Twal Yo - Our Fabric Market by Imma Hyppolite |
Machann Tal Yo - Our Fabric Market was created by Imma Hyppolite. She says the fabric market nearby is her design source, going to say: "This is the market where I sometimes buys (sic) fabric. I love to see all the different colors and designs, but most of it is synthetic. Cotton is very hard to find." What's true for Imma in Haiti is true across the globe. Quilters everywhere enjoy the hunt for the perfect fabric to add to their stash, to use in their quilts and the hunt is the sometimes the greater part of the quilt-making process. Another truth: many of us, the quilters in the world, do prefer lovely cottons above all other fabric options.
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| Se Si W Ki Site Bwa W - Wood Sawing by Natacha Estavard |
As with most of the quilts in this Haitian exhibit, they listed these techniques: hand-appliqued, quilted, embroidered and embellished, pieced on a treadle sewing machine. My favorite -- that they were pieced on a Treadle sewing machine! Sewing on such a machine is now on my bucket list, before now, I've mostly seen them in museum exhibits as props, or in someone's home as part of the decor. But to use one, to use one to create quilts .... wouldn't that be awesome?
Back to the above quilt - it's design was inspired by "typical workers in Haiti". Natacha Estavard, the quilter of this piece, goes on to state: "Wood is scarce in Haiti because people have cut the trees down to make charcoal for cooking their food. But people still need wood for many things, so they buy it from vendors along the side of the road or in nearby towns. In this quilt, the men are cutting planks for people." Home Depot, Lowes, and other lumber yards which are common here in the states, are non-existent in Haiti. This quilt is a humble reminder of the basic differences in our world in the USA and their world in Haiti.
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| Tout Mon Ap Kontample Environment Haiti - Everyone Contemplates Haiti by Nadege Florian |
"The life and environment that all Haitians know and love" provided the design source for Nadege to create this lovely quilt. She states "the center of this quilt is the tree of life, important because Haiti has been largely deforested. Around the tree are tap-tap buses. Each one represents a different state in Haiti. The outside band represents the sea. There is a Haitian flag celebrating our independence from France in 1803." This quilt is full of important meaning to Nadege and any who know Haiti. Did you know that there were 10 states in this small island country? Quilt shows are truly educational in so many different and often unexpected ways.
I had walked past by this exhibit of Haitian quilts several times before, and barely gave it half a glance, but when walking by on a later day, this is the quilt (below) that pulled me in. Along the dark back wall, this bright and colorful dancer bid me to come at take a closer view.
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| Vini Danse Avec Mwen - Come Dance with Me by Sr. Angela Belizaire |
Vini Danse Avec Mewn translates to mean "Come Dance with Me". Inspired by her own love of dancing, Sr. Angela Belizaire, the artist who created this lovely quilt, states: "Haitians love to dance, and even though I am a Catholic nun, I also dance on many occasions. I sew my own costumes, select the music, and follow the movements of traditional Haitian dances. In this quilt, I am inviting everyone to dance with me. I decorated the border with cow horn buttons because Haitians make beautiful things out of almost anything, including the horns of cows." Sr. Angela, I heard your invitation and loved my dance through this exhibit. Beauty abounds everywhere ...
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