Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Teen Studio Highlight #2: The Art of Quilting

    This past summer, the Johnson Museum of Art curated an exhibition titled Quilted Stories: American Quilts from the Permanent Collection. The show presented quilting as an art form through the works of American women, many of whom remain unnamed, and showed a quilt created by the Ithaca community. For centuries, quilting was considered a craft, created only for utilitarian purposes. However, these fabric collages held and still hold a much deeper meaning. Since its creation, quilting has been a way for women to express themselves, given how limited expression was in a traditional household. Many quilts also held family history, and were a way for stories to be passed down through generations. During the Underground Railroad, specific patterns were symbolic for safe escape routes and used in navigation. Patchwork was also used during the fight for women’s suffrage in making protest banners. By the late twentieth century, with the emergence of Second-Wave Feminism, quilting was considered less a practical tool and more an art form, crucial in the fight for societal change.

    Quilting is, unfortunately, quite time consuming. Pattern-making requires precise calculations and near-perfect cutting and sewing skills. It can take years to become a master quilter. This is why we at Teen Studio decided to experiment with paper quilting. Paper quilting requires the same computations and grants the same level of creative freedom, while also producing intricate designs in a less intensive medium. One only has to find some fun colored paper, cut shapes out proportionally, and arrange them with some glue, and they have their very own patchwork collage! While you cannot use this quilt to keep you warm at night (unless you were to use it as fire fuel), you can hang it up to brighten your day, if you so please.

    As an intern at the museum, I have the opportunity to help organize Teen Studio, a monthly workshop for any teen that wants to try their hand at learning about and making art. This past year, we have worked on charcoal drawing, jewelry making, lantern making, watercoloring, book-binding, needle felting, Japanese fish printing, cyanotyping, and so much more. Check your email or go to the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art’s website to find out when the next Teen Studio is. Whether you want to be the next Michelangelo or just want to have fun, Teen Studio is for you. Admission is free and snacks are provided!