Quilting
Artist
Heather Broehm
2020
Quilting has played a starring role in U.S. history and culture, especially for women. Brought to the U.S. by English and Dutch settlers, quilting was formerly a social activity and a mechanism for women to convene, share knowledge, communicate, heal, and create together. Quilting has served many other symbolic purposes throughout American culture. For me it stands as a symbol of protection and the power of women coming together in solidarity.
All credit for this work goes to Heather Broehm of Michigan. I simply supplied the material. The work is entirely Heather’s and a kind gift to me. I wanted to showcase this creation here because it came from a concept that I was excited to bring to life with Heather. Further, given the historic meaning of quilting and the way in which it can incorporate used materials to create something new, I think it’s a wonderful medium to explore in modern expression.
Upquilt
Upquilt is a king size quilt. The quilt was created out of over fifteen years + of my clothing. Squares range from worn t-shirts to formal dresses, to skirts and other items. Most of the pieces were too worn for anyone to wear again or had broken fastenings. There are some great memories from around the world stored in these odd bits of clothing. Heather completed this piece over the summer of 2020 in Michigan as we navigated the pandemic in the U.S. in our small community.
Spot the wine stain! 2025
