POPULARITY
5 episodes with bisa butler
4 episodes with bisa butler
2 episodes with bisa butler
2 episodes with bisa butler
2 episodes with bisa butler
2 episodes with bisa butler
2 episodes with bisa butler
Over the years, we've been honored to host iconic figures like Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably, who revealed how color can be a life-changing force, and Tula Pink, who welcomed us into her imaginative, boundary-pushing world. We heard from Alex Anderson, who reminded us of the importance of claiming space for our creativity, and Amanda Murphy, who inspired us to stretch the boundaries of traditional quilting. This journey has introduced us to countless other inspiring voices: astronaut Dr. Karen Nyberg, who shared her love for quilting in space; Michael Thorpe, whose bold textile art challenges conventions; and the incomparable Gee's Bend Quilters, represented by Mary Margaret Pettway, whose work connects us to a rich heritage of storytelling through fabric. We've also learned from quilting luminary Ricky Tims, who shared his unique blend of music and quilting, costume designer Justine Seymore and Julian Collins, who creates fashion with purpose. Mimi G brought her vibrant energy and DIY spirit, while Deanna Springer reminded us of the enduring legacy of Nancy Zieman and the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show. We've brought you behind the scenes at Quilt Week in Paducah, BERNINA university, C2E2, QuiltCon, The Sewing and Stitching Expo, Houston Festival, The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show and The National Quilt Museum. And our guest list goes on: Gail Yellen with her expert sewing techniques, sustainable designer Tristan Detweiler, creative advocate Kristina Wong, and reality star Craig Conover from Southern Charm who we accompanied to North Charleston High School as he donated BERNINA sewing machines to their maker space. We've heard from visionaries like Jean Wright from Sew Sisters, Amanda Richie from Unshattered and fabric artist Cookie Washington, each of whom has left an unforgettable mark on our community. As we reflect on these first 100 episodes, we are profoundly grateful to each guest who has shared their time, talent, and insights, and to each of you who have been with us on this journey. So now, let's celebrate by taking you back to February 18, 2021, to where it all began with a replay of our very first episode featuring the incredible Bisa Butler. Here is Sew & So episode #1… This podcast explores Bisa Butler's fascinating journey, which began with her getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting at Howard University. Realizing painting was not her passion, she went on to Montclair University to pursue a Master in Teaching. It was there, while making a quilt in her first-ever fibers class, that she had an artistic epiphany; she realized she could do what she loved, express her creativity in a way that moved her deeply, and tell the countless untold stories of African Americans. Each pivotal step in her journey is described in fascinating detail. She talks about learning to sew from her grandmother; a black woman, and wife of an Emissary, who found herself transported to Morocco. She and her husband had to attend many formal events, and since they couldn't afford to buy the refined clothing, one was required to wear, her grandmother would pore through fashion magazines and create replicas of designer outfits. The scraps of fibers and fabrics from those outfits can be seen in Bisa's portraits of her grandmother and grandfather. She explains how using little bits of their lives helped inform her work. Butler describes her work as “excavating the soul, where her own spirit has a conversation with someone who has long passed. The process begins with a portrait. By gazing into the eyes of her subject and really looking at the lines, creases, scars and the expression in their eyes, she can ‘hear' their unspoken story. She spoke of the improvisational nature of private quilts and their ability to tell the personal experiences of her people (21:20 – 24:21). As she details her journey through galleries and museums, Butler recounts the bias that was shown towards artists who use cloth in their art. But through all the rejections and dismissals, she kept at it, slow and steady, until her work exhibited at a New York gallery. After that, her work began getting accepted at more galleries and museums. Her fiber and fabric creation, The Storm, the Whirlwind, and the Earthquake features a life‐sized representation of abolitionist and social reformer Fredrick Douglass whose magnetic gaze pulled her in. This piece is a powerful example of how Butler's painterly textiles convey a sense of shared humanity were on exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art. Her textile creations were exhibited in the European Painting Gallery Space at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2021. This is the first time a living artist has been showcased in this space. Her work iwasalso featured in Dress Up, Speak Up: Regalia and Resistance at the 21C Museum Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a joy to learn about the strides fiber, fabric and quilting artists have made, and we owe much of it to Bisa Butler. Her personal story of using textiles and the medium of quilting to celebrate her heritage and her community and her powerful art is a great inspiration to us all. This is one story you don't want to miss, so make sure you catch the podcast. You can learn more about Bisa Butler and view some of her amazing works of art at Bisabutler.com If you know someone you think has an outstanding story – a story that should be shared on this podcast, please drop me a note to meg@sew&sewpodcast.com or complete the form on this website. Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform. Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today's and all of our Guests.
Ep.215 María Elena Ortiz is curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, where she curated Jammie Holmes: Make the Revolution Irresistible (2023) and Surrealism and Us: Caribbean and African Diasporic Artists Since 1940 (2024). Previously she was curator at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), where she curated group shows Allied with Power: African and African Diaspora Art from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, The Other Side of Now: Foresight in Caribbean Art, and solo exhibitions with Firelei Báez, Ulla von Brandenburg, william cordova,Teresita Fernández, José Carlos Martinat, Carlos Motta, and Beatriz Santiago Muñoz. At PAMM she founded the Caribbean Cultural Institute, a curatorial platform dedicated to Caribbean art, and worked to grow the museum's collection, securing works by Simone Leigh, Bisa Butler, Bony Ramirez, and others. In October 2024 Maria co-curated Flow States- La Trienal 2024 at El Museo del Barrio with Rodrigo Moura and Susanna Temkin. Photo Credit: Casey Kelbaugh The Museum of Modern Art Fort Worth https://www.themodern.org/program/maria-elena-ortiz | https://www.themodern.org/exhibition/surrealism-and-us-caribbean-and-african-diasporic-artists-1940 Caribbean Cultural Institute https://cci.pamm.org/en/author/mariaelena/ The Hopper Prize https://hopperprize.org/maria-elena-ortiz/ El Museo del Barrio https://www.elmuseo.org/ ICI https://curatorsintl.org/about/collaborators/6324-mara-elena-ortiz The Brooklyn Rail https://brooklynrail.org/contributor/maria-elena-ortiz/ The Weisman Museum https://wam.umn.edu/maria-elena-ortiz ARTnews https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/el-museo-del-barrio-la-trienal-2024-artist-list-1234708729/ ArtSpeak https://artspeak.fiu.edu/interviews/maria-elena-ortiz/ Culture Type https://www.culturetype.com/tag/maria-elena-ortiz/ Rizzoli Books https://www.rizzolibookstore.com/author/maria-elena-ortiz
Introducing the podcast Studio Noize! where creativity meets conversation! Join host Jamaal Barber on a journey into the vibrant world of Black creatives who are reshaping the art scene. Whether renowned artists like Deborah Roberts and Bisa Butler or emerging talents making their mark, Studio Noize offers intimate, behind-the-scenes access to their stories and inspirations. With each episode, Jamaal invites listeners into the studios of these remarkable individuals, exploring the passion, dedication, and unique perspectives that fuel their artistic endeavors. From insightful discussions on technique and process to candid reflections on the challenges and triumphs of their careers, Studio Noize celebrates the diverse voices shaping contemporary art. As an artist and printmaker, Jamaal profoundly understands and appreciates the creative journey. His infectious enthusiasm and genuine curiosity, which have the power to ignite sparks of inspiration, infuse each conversation, leaving listeners energized and inspired to pursue their own artistic dreams. Join the Studio Noize family today and discover the power of creativity, community, and connection. Tune in at [insert podcast link] to explore the boundless world of art through the lens of Studio Noize. Listen to Studio Noize: https://www.studionoizepodcast.com/ Support noseyAF! Rate and Review the show Share noseyAF with your friends Buy a pin Buy a print Join the noseyAF newsletter Partner with the show
On this episode I'm joined by Maria Elena Ortiz. Maria comes to the Modern from the Pérez Art Museum in Miami (PAMM), where she curated discerning exhibitions such as Allied with Power: African and African Diaspora Art from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection and The Other Side of Now: Foresight in Caribbean Art. At PAMM and with support of the Mellon Foundation, Ortiz founded and spearheaded the Caribbean Cultural Institute (CCI)—a curatorial platform dedicated to Caribbean art. During her tenure in Miami, Ortiz worked to diversify the museum's collection, securing works by Simone Leigh, Bisa Butler, Bony Ramirez, and others.María joined the Modern in 2022. Her first exhibition with the museum, Surrealism and Us: Caribbean and African Diasporic Artists since 1940 is on view now until July 28, 2024. The show inspired by the history of Surrealism in the Caribbean with connections to notions of the Afrosurreal in the United States. Representing a global perspective, this exhibition is the first intergenerational show dedicated to Caribbean and African diasporic art presented at the Modern. Listen in as we talk about her latest show, what inspires her work, and what she's most passionate about.
[REBROADCAST FROM JUNE 15, 2023] Bisa Butler is a local artist who makes life sized quilts inspired by portraits of Black figures, including those taken by her favorite photographers such as Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. Her solo exhibition, The World Is Yours, inspired by the lyrics of Nas combined textiles, paint, Nigerian hand-dyed batiks and African wax-resist cotton. Butler joins us in studio to discuss her process and the show, which was on view at Jeffery Deitch through June 30.
Show Notes:00:42 - Upstate New York00:47 - Finger Lakes00:49 - Cayuga Lake00:58 and 1:15 - Thangles block of the month01:26 - Applique01:27 - Free motion quilting 01:49 - Aurifilosophy program02:22 and 2:25 - Studio Auriga02:53 - Angelo Gregotti02:34, 2:36 - Elena Gregotti02:42 - Studio Auriga02:53 - Angelo Gregotti02:56 - Alex Veronelli05:18 - Egypt07:53 - Thread skeins09:17 - Egypt09:22 - Cotton bolls 10:12 - Chicago10:16 - Aurifil Thread production process video 10:28 and 10:54 - Aurifil Thread YouTube Channel10:25 and 10:31 - Aurifil ‘Made in Italy' video 12:12, 12:23, 12:24, 12:27 and 12:33 - Thread skeins13:31: 13:35, 13:4,13:59, 14:19 - Aurifilosophy14:36 - Aurifilosophers14:59 - International Quilt Festival15:01 - QuiltCon15:06 - Aurifilosophy15:42 and 16:05 - Aurifilosophers17:17 - Egypt17:35, 17:40, 18:22, 18:40, 18:50- Aurifil 50 weight19:15 - Foundation paper piece19:17 - English paper piece 19:26 - Blanket stitch 19:27 - Machine applique19:52 and 20:01 - Aurifil 80 Weight20:02 - Aurifil 50 weight20:12 - Aurifil 28 weight 20:19 - Aurifil 50 weight20:25 - Aurifilosophers21:52 - Aurifil 12 weight 21:56 - Hand embroidery22:15 - Free motion quilting 22:36, 23:01, 23:05, 23:17, 23:19, 23:30, 23:51- Fabric panels23:23 - Tula Pink23:24 - Moda Fabrics24:42 - Redbird Quilt Co24:46 - Redbird Quilt Co YouTube channel24:53 - Redbird Quilt Co25:00 - Free motion quilting 25:03 - Hand applique25:05 - Wool applique25:09 - Redbird Quilt Co25:27 - Creative Chaos25:35 - Fat quarter 25:44 - Creative Chaos26:01 - Aurifil subscription program, Thread Labs26:12 and 26:16 - Aurifil 40 weight 26:47 - International Quilt Festival 26:48 - International Quilt Market27:45, 27:50, 28:00 - Aurifil 28 weight 28:07, 28:10, 28:11 28:22 - Clover hera marker28:35 - Free motion quilting 29:01 - Foundation paper piecing29:13 - Half square triangles 30:32 - Bisa Butler @bisabutler30:34 - Luke Haynes @entropies30:36 - Alli Koch @AlliKDesignFollow Karen:Instagram - @AurifilThread @RedbirdQuiltCohttps://www.aurifil.com/https://redbirdquiltco.com/Follow Us:Amanda: @broadclothstudio https://broadclothstudio.com/Wendy: @the.weekendquilter https://the-weekendquilter.com/Quilt Buzz: @quilt.buzzhttps://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/Intro/Outro Music:Golden Hour by Vlad Gluschenko
Award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates is the current artist-in-residence at The Apollo and is curating the festival [at] The Intersection, running from October 6-8, a series of performances and panel discussions with cultural figures like Jordan E. Cooper, Bisa Butler and Salamishah Tillet. We preview the festival with Coates and speak more about his relationship with The Apollo. And, during Banned Books Week, we also speak to him about recent attempts to remove his book Between the World and Me from schools in South Carolina, Texas, and other states.
Sponsored by Accuquilt! Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter! Check out our merch here Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode. Join the Black Women Stitch PatreonAmazon StoreLisa WoolforkLisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation. Bisa ButlerBisa Butler is an award winning African American textile artist known for her vibrantly stunning larger than life sized quilted portraits that captivate viewers around the world. Formally trained, Butler graduated Cum Laude from Howard University with a Bachelor's in Fine Art degree and it was during this time that she began to experiment with fabric as a medium and became interested in collage techniques. She then went on to earn a Master's in Art from Montclair State University in 2005. While in the process of obtaining her Master's degree, Butler took a Fiber Arts class where she had an artistic epiphany and she finally realized how to express her art. “As a child, I was always watching my mother and grandmother sew, and they taught me. After that class, I made a portrait quilt for my grandmother on her deathbed, and I have been making art quilts ever since.”After working as a high school art teacher for thirteen years, Butler was awarded a Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship in 2002 and exhibited in Switzerland during Art Basel with the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery. Many institutions and museums have acquired Butler's work including the Art Institute of Chicago for a solo exhibition, The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Insights from this episode:Why it's important to uplift and encourage each other, starting with the children in our livesHow Bisa uses her art to affirm the dignity of historical figuresThe process of researching historical figures and time periods to accurately portray them through artHow different colors play into the meaning expressed in her artHow Bisa infuses her quilts with the music she's listening to as she createsWhat happens when you stop starting with ‘white' as a defaultInsights into the difference between studying art education (teaching people how to make art) vs. learning how to make art yourselfQuotes from the show:“I'm always seeking for truth and to find those essential truth elements about Black people.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“I have had people ask me, people who don't necessarily look like us so they don't have a full understanding, ‘I notice that you make all of your subjects look regal. Why, or what's the process of that?' I would say I'm just looking at them and this is the way they appear to me. I'm not trying to make them look regal; if anything maybe it's just that you're looking at them more carefully. The dignity or that inner regality, I can't give it to them; they have it already.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“My interest in colorism is why the features look very African American. I don't want to dilute that in any way. I'm loving our full lips, broad noses, or whatever the case may be.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“I love that word ‘talisman' because it acknowledges that spiritual resonance and also having a mantra. We've always been very spiritual people and we've always been people who have to think hopefully and we have to think about the world beyond us or even after us. A lot of times we have to pray for our living relatives who we may not be able to protect in the way that we want to.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“Music is such a strong form of communication; it's such a strong form of art because you don't need words, you just need to hear the sound to understand somebody's emotional output. The composer, musician, they can make you feel sad, they can make you feel happy, they can make your heartbeat go faster, they can make you go to sleep. That's a control of power that can be passed down through the ages. The music, as long as it's in a form that you can hear, you can hear how somebody felt hundreds of years before you.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“The music to me is more than an aid; it's the explanation.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200“For Black Women Stitch and the Stitch Please podcast we center Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing to make a deliberate choice to center Blackness. Also one of the things I'm studying a lot in my own work is the question of what happens when you stop starting with white… Stop acting like color is something that is new when white supremacy operates in this country deliberately through our laws and customs.” – Lisa Woolfork, Stitch Please, Episode #200“We are the sum of all the people who came before us.” – Lisa Woolfork, Stitch Please, Episode #200“Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Treat yourself like you treat other people; it will help you get your stitch together. Enjoy your life. Look at beautiful things. Take classes and learn, and be patient if things don't look or seem the way you want because we are all growing in this life together and you will get there.” – Bisa Butler, Stitch Please, Episode #200Resources Mentioned:Francis and Violette, 2001The Holsinger Collection, Bill Hurley's portrait, and Bisa's interpretation: A Man's Worth, 2019This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley (“You don't give dignity, you affirm it.”)Bisa Butler: Portraits at the Art Institute of Chicago and accompanying playlistI Owe You Nothing by Seinabo Sey (song) Stay Connected:YouTube: Black Women StitchInstagram: Black Women StitchFacebook: Stitch Please PodcastLisa WoolforkInstagram: Lisa WoolforkTwitter: Lisa WoolforkBisa ButlerWebsite: Bisa ButlerInstagram: Bisa ButlerTwitter: Bisa ButlerLinkedIn: Bisa ButlerLinkTree: Bisa ButlerEmail: bisabutlerart@gmail.comSubscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.
FELICIA GEORGE aka ARROW THE SYMBOL: Born in and raised in the suburbs of Maplewood-South Orange, New Jersey y- Arrow, The Symbol, formally known as Felisha George, is a recording artist, performer, lyricist and conjurer of rhythmic color, who walked the same school hallways as artists such as Lauryn Hill, Bisa Butler, and Sza. . Following High School, Felisha studied Acting at American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Manhattan, and one semester later she transferred to Academy of Art University (AAU) in San Francisco Acted in college + high school and is still a teacher of songwriting and hip hop to high school + middle school students…. She fell in love with Hip Hop via cyphers [circle gatherings of rappers etc] in her grandmother's project garden in the South Bronx, raised in a Trini-American household with parents, uncles and cousins, all extremely immersed in the hip-hop culture and later she performed at jazz+poetry lounges, in NJ and on IG and small events to kick-start her career. When she started recording and posting on social media — that's when Netflix's Rhythm and Flow got a hold of her……She was on the first season, hosted by T. I, Cardi B, and Chance The Rapper, which featured phenomenal giants in the music industry such as
Cookie Washington, born in Morocco, is a fourth-generation needle worker, award winning textile artist and guest curator of the African American Fiber Arts Exhibit which is part of the North Charleston Arts Festival. Her passion for fiber art is infectious and she comes from a long line of sewists dating back to her great-grandmother. She's been selected as one of 44 master quilters to create a quilt for Barak Obama's inauguration and has been featured in documentary films. (2:28) At four years old, Cookie was paid 50 cents by her grandfather for sewing her first Barbie dress - she shares this story. In addition, she talks about the female lineage in her family that inspired, mentored, and encouraged her sewing. She also talks of her sewing plans for her three granddaughters. (7:00) Then, Cookie transitioned to fabric art during a difficult time in her life - she shares this story. A Communion of Sprits; African American Quilters, Preservers, and Their Stories by Roland Freeman created a tipping point in her creativity and she opens up about how this happened.(10:46) Cookie talks about her personal connection to the attack at Mother Emanuel Church and how she used her quilts to help heal the city. Her art to her is a meditative prayer. (13:21) What's the Divine Feminine and what does it mean to her? She shares the meaning of this and how it led to her work with mermaids. (16:15) Cookie does a lot of curatorial art to foster introspection, communication and provide education. She walks us through her process for this, and how we can celebrate our sameness and be inquisitive about our differences. She shares stories about her work “A Dialog in Black and White” and how she believes her ministry is to bring people together. (10:25) “I want to make art that challenges people to feel. Art that makes them soar and annoys.” Cookie explains how this drives her creations. She also talks about Henrietta Lacks and “The Immortal Cell” and the art she created to celebrate this amazing woman. She also talks about how she artistically captures the physicality of Serena and Venus Williams, and Simone Biles in her work. (32:58) In addition to her work, she donates her time and talent to serve in many ways which she tells us about. She also shares news about her current project “Quilted Hugs”.(39:20) Cookie believes that there is a shift in the art community and sewing that is moving from utilitarian out of necessity to art that celebrates. She explains her position on this shift invoking Bisa Butler and Michelangelo! (46:00) Right before the podcast was recorded, Cookie had the “Best Weekend Ever” in her curating the exhibit “Celebrating Black Mermaids from Africa to America”. This is a wonderful story here about the genesis of this exhibit of 150 pieces and the effect is had on the art community. She talks of the contributions of Dr. Lauren Davis and Dr. Henry Drewal to this event. The event exceeded her expectations and dreams! (56:47) What's her dream? To keep encouraging people to quilt. She will move forward with this at The Kindred Spirits Conference. She also has a show coming up in November where she'll display her Quilted Hug project. She wants to learn the longarm too! (59: 43) What didn't I ask? About her granddaughters!!!! (1:00:33) To reach out to Cookie email her at Cookiesews1960@gmail.com and her website www.cookiesewsquilts.com. And Instagram @cookiwsews. (1:01:54) Oh, and by the way, how did we find Cookie for Sew & So? Learn that here! If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to Meg@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website. (10:46) Cookie talks about her personal connection to the attack at Mother Emanuel Church and how she used her quilts to help heal the city. Her art to her is a meditative prayer. (13:21) What's the Divine Feminine and what does it mean to her? She shares the meaning of this and how it led to her work with mermaids. (16:15) Cookie does a lot of curatorial art to foster introspection, communication and provide education. She walks us through her process for this, and how we can celebrate our sameness and be inquisitive about our differences. She shares stories about her work “A Dialog in Black and White” and how she believes her ministry is to bring people together. (10:25) “I want to make art that challenges people to feel. Art that makes them soar and annoys.” Cookie explains how this drives her creations. She also talks about Henrietta Lacks and “The Immortal Cell” and the art she created to celebrate this amazing woman. She also talks about how she artistically captures the physicality of Serena and Venus Williams, and Simone Biles in her work. (32:58) In addition to her work, she donates her time and talent to serve in many ways which she tells us about. She also shares news about her current project “Quilted Hugs”.(39:20) Cookie believes that there is a shift in the art community and sewing that is moving from utilitarian out of necessity to art that celebrates. She explains her position on this shift invoking Bisa Butler and Michelangelo! (46:00) Right before the podcast was recorded, Cookie had the “Best Weekend Ever” in her curating the exhibit “Celebrating Black Mermaids from Africa to America”. This is a wonderful story here about the genesis of this exhibit of 150 pieces and the effect is had on the art community. She talks of the contributions of Dr. Lauren Davis and Dr. Henry Drewal to this event. The event exceeded her expectations and dreams! (56:47) What's her dream? To keep encouraging people to quilt. She will move forward with this at The Kindred Spirits Conference. She also has a show coming up in November where she'll display her Quilted Hug project. She wants to learn the longarm too! (59: 43) What didn't I ask? About her granddaughters!!!! (1:00:33) To reach out to Cookie email her at Cookiesews1960@gmail.com and her website www.cookiesewsquilts.com. And Instagram @cookiwsews. (1:01:54) Oh, and by the way, how did we find Cookie for Sew & So? Learn that here! If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to Meg@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website.
Hosted by Kenconsumer, this episode was originally broadcast on www.keithfem.com on June 29, 2023. Arbitrarily Deterministic focuses on the intersection between art, technology and popular culture and the people who help blur those lines. In this episode I talk to Libs Elliot. For the last decade+ Libs has been creating generative quilts using a Processing tool created by Joshua Davis. We discuss how she got to the point where she wanted to use this tool in her art making and where that has taken her since. We also touch on the history quilt making, her NFT collecting habits, whether or not she will release NFTs at some point, Bisa Butler and many many other things along the way. Have a Tez or ETH wallet and wanna donate to the podcast? Send Tez or tokens here- idontlikepodcasts.tez or ETH- kenconsumer.eth Links- https://twitter.com/LibsElliott https://libselliott.com/ https://joshuadavis.com/ https://www.bisabutler.com/
Bisa Butler is a local artist who makes life sized quilts inspired by portraits of Black figures, including those taken by her favorite photographers such as Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. Her new solo exhibition, The World Is Yours, inspired by the lyrics of Nas, is on view now, and combines textiles, paint, Nigerian hand-dyed batiks and African wax-resist cotton. Butler joins us in studio to discuss her process and the show, which is on view at Jeffery Deitch through June 30.
Maria and Julio discuss the latest with former President Donald Trump's indictment, and Hunter Biden's plea deal on tax-related crimes. In our roundtable, we're sharing an episode from 2021, where Maria and Julio talk with fiber artist Bisa Butler about her quilted portraits that celebrate Black life. They also get into the history of Juneteenth and the push by Republican lawmakers to take critical race theory out of classrooms. ITT Staff Picks: Solomon Jones analyzes how Trump's indictment has widened disparities within the justice system and equates Trump's desire to live by a different set of rights to that of a tyrant, in this piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Ayanna Dozier likens Bisa Butler's quilted portraits to the art created by a DJ, sampling culture to create their own unique work of art and celebrate Black life, in this article for Artsy. “It is impossible to celebrate a national holiday that marks the emancipation of Black people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, without confronting the history of slavery and the role of education in freedom,” writes Kellie Carter Jackson in this piece for the Los Angeles Times. Photo credit: Courtesy of Bisa Butler
Bisa Butler is a local artist who makes life sized quilts inspired by portraits of Black figures, including those taken by her favorite photographers such as Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. Her new solo exhibition, The World Is Yours, inspired by the lyrics of Nas, is on view now, and combines textiles, paint, Nigerian hand-dyed batiks and African wax-resist cotton. Butler joins us in studio to discuss her process and the show, which is on view at Jeffery Deitch through June 30.
In this episode, I tell my friend, Ona, about the "Negro Boys on Easter Sunday," a 1941 photograph taken across the street from the Regal Theatre on Chicago's south-side in the midst of the Great Migration. I also share a bit about the life and work of quilter Bisa Butler, who used the photo as inspiration for one of her quilt, and talk about my visit to the Black Power Naps exhibition at the MOMA and Terrence Nance's Swarm show at Philly's Institute of Contemporary Art. If you're interested in participating in the giveaway that includes a 8.5x11 cyanotype recreation of "Negro Boys on Easter Sunday," you have until June 15th to leave a comment and email me a screenshot at qiaira14@gmail.com or dm it on instagram @@thegoodhoodwitch . My apologies that this episode had a few audio issues! (It was recorded during Mercury Retrograde) You can support the podcast by listening, leaving a review, sharing with a friend or making a donation: Venmo: @lilqiaira Cashapp: $sweetpotatq --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/somethingyoucanfeel/message
Special counsel John Durham issued a report that criticizes the FBI for its investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign. Washington Post reporter Devlin Barrett joins us to talk about the report. And, you've probably seen a sign that says "We Buy Ugly Houses" in your neighborhood somewhere. A new report from ProPublica uncovered the ugly side of the company's business tactics. Anjeanette Damon, one of the ProPublica reporters who reported the story, joins us. Then, Bisa Butler creates vibrant, electrifying quilt portraits using scraps of clothes. Her pieces weave together the culture and history of Black American life. Her new exhibit, "The World is Yours," is on display now at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in New York. Butler joins us to talk about her work and inspirations.
After a short break (life gets in the way sometimes!) we're excited to dive into Ta-Nehisi Coates' “Between the World and Me.” This National Book Award winning-novel is short but packs a punch. Written as a letter to his son and inspired by James Baldwin's “The Fire Next Time,” Coates writes about what it means to be Black in America. He weaves the personal anecdotes and stories into life lessons for his son as well as personal reflections we can all learn from. For this discussion, we are joined by Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) Director Franklin Sirmans and we touch upon what role education plays in our biases, reflect on what we learn at school versus what we don't, the humanist approach of museums, and more. Alexa pairs the wine with La Fête Blanc du Blanc, gifted by the amazing Ray Sholes @theroyalvines, certified sommelier and wine geek. PAMM artists mentioned in this episode: Leandro Erlich, Virginia Jaramillo, Firelei Báez, Bisa Butler, John William Bailly, Alfredo Jaar, Teresita Fernandez, Calida Rawles, Gary Simmons, and Antonia Wright. And to humor our PAMM in-house general counsel: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or positions of any entities they represent.
Bisa Butler is an award winning African American textile artist. She is known for her vibrantly stunning larger than life sized quilted portraits that captivate viewers around the world. For this and other artwork we discuss, please visit https://www.darwindarko.com/ekphrastic …its where you can find all this stuff catalogued for your viewing pleasure.
Show Notes:0:38 - Pacific Northwest2:03 - Acetone2:22 - Lord of the Rings2:23 - Pirates of the Caribbean 2:27 and 2:28 - Costuming2:38 - Barbie2:39 - Boiling Barbie hair3:30 and 4:11- Surface pattern design4:22 - Modern Makes subscription box4:24 - Pattern Writing Academy with Alderwood Studio4:27 - Heirloom Quilting by Amber Elliot 5:06 - Rifle Paper Company5:07 - Charm pack5:12 - Half square triangles8:22 - Vector graphics10:28 - Pattern Writing Academy with Alderwood Studio10:34, 10:50, 10:54, 11:26, 11:44, 12:54, 13:37, 14:51, and 14:57 - Modern Makes subscription box14:10 - Fran from Cotton and Joy (listen to episode 46 to learn more about Fran)15:03 - Pattern Writing Academy with Alderwood Studio16:50 - Heirloom Quilting by Amber Elliot 18:49 - Modern Makes subscription box25:24 - Purchase Heirloom Quilting by Amber Elliot from her website 25:29 - Purchase Heirloom Quilting by Amber Elliot from Amazon26:58 - Modern Makes subscription box27:44 - Only Murders in the Building28:00 - Kona Cotton28:00 - Moda Bella Solids28:06 - Kona Cotton in Spruce28:15 and 28:26 - Fableism Wovens28:31 - Great Heron Thread Co.28:31 - Cottoneer28:45 - Adjourn Quilt by Juniperus Threadworks29:06 - Trace Creek Quilting (@tracecreekquilting)29:12 - Kristin VanKampen Quilting (@kristinquilting)29:49 - Justine from Great Heron Thread Co. (@greatheronthreadco)29:56 - Persephone Quilt by Alderwood Studio31:00 - Sharon31:12 - Allie of Exhausted Octopus (@exhaustedoctopus, listen to episode 44 to learn more about Allie)31:23 - Bisa Butler (@bisabutler)Follow Amber:Instagram - @AlderwoodStudiohttps://www.alderwood-studio.com/Follow Us:Amanda: @broadclothstudio https://broadclothstudio.com/Wendy: @the.weekendquilter https://the-weekendquilter.com/Quilt Buzz: @quilt.buzzhttps://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/Intro/Outro Music:Golden Hour by Vlad Gluschenko
Show Notes:0:52 - Boston0:55 - Marblehead, Massachusetts0:59 - Massachusetts2:16 - Fashion figure drawing2:24 - Drexel University 3:06 - Venice Biennale5:06 - Faith Ringgold 5:08 - National Art Teachers Convention7:31 - Chainsaw7:34 - Miter saw7:35 - Bandsaw9:07 and 9:15 - Hurricane Sandy10:40 - Double wedding ring quilt 10:43 - Entanglement, wooden quilt by Laura11:30 - Bias11:45, 11:56 and 12:25 - Bandsaw13:04 - Philadelphia13:19 - Particle board table13:54 and 13:55 - Log Cabin quilt block 14:46 - Table saw15:37 - Stripology ruler16:05 - Henry Ford16:32 - Miter saw17:23 - Captain America18:17 - Puerto Rico19:58 - Hurricane Sandy21:49 - Midwest23:50 - Log Cabin quilt block 24:03 - Boston Museum24:19 - Upstate New York24:21 - Beacon, New York 24:23 - Garage Gallery25:05 - Provincetown, Massachusetts25:10 - New York City25:11 - Brooklyn26:58 - Led Zeppelin27:06 - Death of an Artist podcast27:11 - Ana Mendieta27:19 - Resin27:27 - M&M's27:50 - Log Cabin quilt block 29:20 - The Ray Wiggs Gallery29:20 - Provincetown, Massachusetts29:26 - Laura's website: www.lauracheney.com29:30 - Netherlands29:30 - Canada29:30 - Finland29:37 - England29:43 - Bandsaw31:50 - Bisa Butler (@bisabutler)32:07 - New Jersey32:12 - Roderick Kiracofe (@roderick752)32:14 - Unconventional, Unexpected American Quilts Below the Radar by Roderick Kiracofe32:55 - Alyson Stanfield (@alysonstanfield)Follow Laura:Instagram - @laurapetrovichcheneyhttps://www.lauracheney.com/Follow Us:Amanda: @broadclothstudio https://broadclothstudio.com/Wendy: @the.weekendquilter https://the-weekendquilter.com/Quilt Buzz: @quilt.buzzhttps://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/Intro/Outro Music:Golden Hour by Vlad Gluschenko
The new executive director of the Spelman Museum of Fine Art, Dr. Liz Andrews, joins the Noize! She has been tasked to lead the museum through a new exciting period in its illustrious history. We recorded live from the Lave Thomas: Homecoming exhibition in the halls of Spelman. Dr. Andrews tells us about the upcoming Black American Portraits exhibition overflowing with some of the biggest and best Black women artists like Bisa Butler, Amy Sherald, and Calida Rawles. She discusses her time at LACMA, the power of museum acquisitions, and the meaning of portraits. Listen, subscribe, and share!Episode 156 topics include:Lava Thomas: HomecomingSpelman Museum of Fine Artcurating at LACMAthe power of museum acquisitions authenticity in artBlack American Portraits exhibitionmeaning of portraitsthe reputation of Spelman Collegethe new Spelman Center for Innovation & the ArtsLiz Andrews is an artist, curator, museum professional, and leader who is dedicated to the arts and social justice. She has worked with arts organizations across the nation. In August 2021, Liz began her role as Executive Director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Prior to joining Spelman College, Liz Andrews was Executive Administrator in the Director's Office of LACMA where she expanded her role to collaborate on projects and priorities across museum departments, including diversity and inclusion efforts and curating exhibitions. Her curatorial projects at LACMA included The Obama Portraits Tour and a companion exhibition Black American Portraits, and she commissioned an augmented reality (AR) monument dedicated to Biddy Mason by the artist Ada Pinkston, among other projects. Liz's career is also defined by a long-standing commitment to engaging college students through research and the arts through teaching at George Mason University and serving as an advisor and organizing public programming at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Liz was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and attributes her commitment to justice from her father, attorney Irving P. Andrews. She holds a B.A. in American Studies from Wesleyan University, a M.A. in Arts Politics from the NYU Tisch School of Arts, and a Ph.D in Cultural Studies from George Mason University. Her dissertation was entitled Envisioning President Barack Obama.See More: Spelman Museum website + Spelman Museum IG @spelmanmuseum Follow us:StudioNoizePodcast.comIG: @studionoizepodcastJamaal Barber: @JBarberStudioSupport the podcast www.patreon.com/studionoizepodcast
This week on the DT Podcast we learn about the fiber artist Bisa Butler and use collage and drawing to create Bisa-inspired paper portraits of people we admire. Check out the DT newsletter to see Bisa's quilts and watch a video of her talking about her artwork. Get full access to DrawTogether with WendyMac at club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe
Washington Post senior critic-at-large Robin Givhan speaks with textile artist Bisa Butler about her work depicting historical and contemporary figures, her latest piece depicting an all-Black segregated infantry division during World War I and reckoning with history through art. Recorded on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/05/10/smithsonian-american-art-museum-acquires-more-than-200-artworks-for-its-craft-collection-including-major-works-by-bisa-butler-sonya-clark-roberto-lugo-preston-singletary-and-wanxin-zhang/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support
In this week's mini, we're exploring the work of contemporary fine artists Faith Ringgold and Bisa Butler, whose quilts are inspired by a rich African-American quilting tradition, and Adeline Harris Sears's 19th century signature quilt with autographs by notables including Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Today I'm speaking with Lauren Puckett. She's an artist with an adventurous spirit and a love of flying airplanes. She just recently returned to the states from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland where she was working on her PhD in glass and now, she's currently in a residency at the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The sky's the limit for this artist and pilot, but where she's currently gaining altitude is by intertwining feminine studies with glass in an unexpected and seamless way. Her pieces examine subculture, stereotypes and representation with contemporary power structures. Her work is powerful and thought provoking, and creates the start of conversations that need to be had. Everything she's doing will make a lasting impression, her efforts to modernize our traditional practice with her C&C plasma framing system included. It's the spark to a flame that may make the future of stained glass more safe and therefore more accessible. A lover of open knowledge, she shares today with us her process and her journey of growing and evolving along side her work. Join me as I crack it all wide open!To see more of Lauren's work, her instagram is @glassaeroplane and her website is laurenpuckett.com. Favorite artists:Bisa Butler bisabutler.comHarry Clarke harryclarke.netFrida kahlowww.fridakahlo.orgNeri Oxman linktr.ee/oxmanofficial Kara Walker - Tate London fountain walkerart.org Olafur Eliasson olafureliasson.netSally Mann photographer sallymann.com Where her piece Saint Disco Ruby Sioux is:National Museum of ScotlandNominations: Pinky McClure @pinkie.maclurelinktr.ee/PinkieMaclureBooty Glass Girls@bootyglassgirlsBooks:We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichiehttps://amzn.to/3rSHjmfAll About Loveby Bell Hookshttps://amzn.to/3HRZLATMakingby Tim Ingoldhttps://amzn.to/3rPYkgxMan Made Constellations by Misha Lazzarahttps://amzn.to/3uP5pjzFor episodic sponsorship opportunities please email hello@runaglassworks.com*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Canfield Technologies Canfield sets the standard for the Stained Glass industry. Oceanside Glass & Tile Oceanside Glass & Tile is a leading manufacturer of specialty sheet glass for art and architecture.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/runaglassworks)
Cultivating Genius, One Stitch at a Time: Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad In this episode, we celebrate Women's History Month and the power of women to transform our world, one stitch at a time. Host Suzanne McCabe talks with Scholastic Kid Reporter Camille Fallen, 13, about a recent interview she conducted with acclaimed textile artist Bisa Butler and Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, an educator and the author of the bestselling Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Bisa's textile portraits, which are inspired by black and white photographs that she collects, tell the story of both ordinary and notable Black Americans. She uses the medium of quilting to interrogate the historic marginalization of her subjects, while conveying the subjects' complex individuality. “My work is a recording of what life is like for me as a Black woman and the way I see things,” Bisa says. “By creating these portraits, I'm giving other people a window into how Black people see themselves. It's an insider's view of a community that is not always paid attention to, a community that has been mischaracterized deliberately, lied about, or ignored.” Bisa, who had a solo show in 2020-'21 at the Art Institute of Chicago, will be honored this spring at the 60th Anniversary Benefit Gala of the American Folk Art Museum. Bisa and Gholdy both approach their work as educators. Bisa is a former high school teacher, and Gholdy, an associate professor of language and literacy at Georgia State University, has served as a school district curriculum director and a middle school teacher. Camille, who lives in Virginia, is a member of the award-winning Scholastic Kids Press team.
In today's conversation, Dario sits with fiber artist and storyteller Bisa Butler. Bisa tells the stories of African heritage and American home through an artistry and craft we all know as quilts. Her use of vibrant color and fine fibers reminds us that intentionality, textile, and choice allows our spirits to be known and rendered as portraits suspended in time and stories never forgotten. In this episode we explore themes of investing in your artistry, the universal human spirit, how a successful artist stays grounded, and Dario's and Bisa's 90s R&B/Hip Hop inspired handmade teen wardrobe Things we mention Time as a function (and an illusion) of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar (gregorian calendar) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/negritude/ (Negritude) movement and who are we when ‘universal' seems to naturally mean white http://kalamu.com/neogriot/2017/05/25/info-the-doom-and-glory-of-knowing-who-you-are-james-baldwin/ (James Baldwin, Doom and Glory of Knowing Who You are, Dostoevsky) Bisa's time studying https://art.howard.edu/ (art at Howard University )included investigating the works and lives of https://americanart.si.edu/artist/alma-thomas-4778 (Alma Thomas) https://www.elizabethcatlettart.com/bio (Eizabeth Catlett ) https://americanart.si.edu/artist/jacob-lawrence-2828 (Jacob Lawrence) https://americanart.si.edu/artist/henry-ossawa-tanner-4742 (Henry Tanner ) https://americanart.si.edu/artist/edmonia-lewis-2914 (Edmonia Lewis ) https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/ (Gordon Parks ) https://americanart.si.edu/artist/james-vanderzee-6593 (James VanDerZee) The beauty and genius of https://jackshainman.com/artists/el_anatsui (El Anatsui) Episode Playlist and Film List https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O01knIMTEpY (A short film (aka video) about time travel as it appeared on Yo! MTV Raps: Here Comes the Hammer by MC Hammer ) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110186/ (Jason's Lyric ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL-pm-xRb40 (I'm so Into you by SWV) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIh07c_P4hc (Ordinary People by John legend) https://www.instagram.com/bisabutler/ (Bisa Butler on Instagram) All the latest news about Bisa can be found on https://linktr.ee/bisabutler (Bisa's Linktree ) This conversation was recorded on Jan 6, 2022 Host https://www.instagram.com/dario.studio/ (Dario Calmese) Producer https://www.instagram.com/carmendharris/ (Carmen D. Harris) Visual Art Direction and Designs: http://riverwildmen.com/ (River Wildmen), https://www.instagram.com/afrovisualism/ (AfroVisualism), https://www.instagram.com/stlab/?hl=en (Stephane Lab) Original Music composed by http://www.dariocalmese.com/ (Dario Calmese) Visit us at https://www.blackimagination.com/oral-history (blackimagination.com )
In this episode, author Andrea Davis Pinkney and her husband, illustrator Brian Pinkney, join host Suzanne McCabe to talk about their new picture book: Bright Brown Baby: A Treasury. Andrea and Brian have created dozens of acclaimed books for children, including Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America, Martin Rising: Requiem for a King, and illustrated biographies of Alvin Ailey, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Andrea, who is an executive editor and vice president at Scholastic, wrote the libretto for an operatic adaptation of Ezra Jack Keats's 1962 classic, The Snowy Day, which had its world premiere at the Houston Grand Opera in December 2021. In the episode, Andrea and Brian talk about their creative process, trends in children's literature, and the recent loss of Brian's father, Jerry Pinkney, an award-winning illustrator of more than 100 books for children. Resources: Books by Andrea Davis Pinkney (https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/teaching-tools/articles/authors/andrea-davis-pinkney.html): See more titles by the Coretta Scott King award-winning author. The Art of Brian Pinkney (https://www.writershouseart.com/brian-pinkney/): See more of Brian's illustrations. Share Black Stories (https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/share-black-stories-books.html): Scholastic has curated titles ranging from picture books to young adult novels that center around Black lives and Black joy. Remembering Jerry Pinkney (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/books/jerry-pinkney-dead.html): The New York Times calls the late children's book illustrator “one of the most revered artists in the genre.” Special Thanks: Producer: Bridget Benjamin Associate producer: Constance Gibbs Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl Coming Soon: Celebrating Women's History Month with Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad
Fiber artist Bisa Butler discusses the AfriCOBRA tradition, the artistic breakthrough that led to her finding her voice, and the process behind her amazing life-size works.
This week, we talk to visual artist and quilt maker Bisa Butler, weaving together her journey from teacher to master.IG @bisabutler~For more content, subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/smartfunnyandblack)!~Go to HelloFresh.com/doses16 and use code DOSES16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts!Right now, get 30% off your Betabrand order when you go to Betabrand.com/DOSES. It's time to reclaim your health and arm your immune system with convenient, daily nutrition. Athletic Greens is giving a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/DOSES. Fuzzy is offering our listeners a FREE 7-Day Trial membership. Go to YourFuzzy.com/DOSES today to sign up for your free trial of Fuzzy, with access to 24/7 personalized pet care, and vet-recommended products. And, for a limited time, Fuzzy is also offering a special discount of $20 off any of your pet's product needs - pet meds, supplements, food, and more with promo code DOSES.Stop wasting time going to the Post office and go to Stamps.com instead and use my promo code, DOSES, to get a special offer that includes a 4-week trial PLUS free postage and a digital scale. No long-term commitments or contracts. Just go to Stamps.com, click on the Microphone at the TOP of the homepage and type in DOSES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, we talk to visual artist and quilt maker Bisa Butler, weaving together her journey from teacher to master. ~ For more content, subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/smartfunnyandblack)! ~ Go to HelloFresh.com/doses16 and use code DOSES16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! Right now, get 30% off your Betabrand order when you go to Betabrand.com/DOSES. It's time to reclaim your health and arm your immune system with convenient, daily nutrition. Athletic Greens is giving a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/DOSES. Fuzzy is offering our listeners a FREE 7-Day Trial membership. Go to YourFuzzy.com/DOSES today to sign up for your free trial of Fuzzy, with access to 24/7 personalized pet care, and vet-recommended products. And, for a limited time, Fuzzy is also offering a special discount of $20 off any of your pet's product needs - pet meds, supplements, food, and more with promo code DOSES. Stop wasting time going to the Post office and go to Stamps.com instead and use my promo code, DOSES, to get a special offer that includes a 4-week trial PLUS free postage and a digital scale. No long-term commitments or contracts. Just go to Stamps.com, click on the Microphone at the TOP of the homepage and type in DOSES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we get ready for the new year, we thought we'd take some time to reflect on our favorite moments from this past season. We've been so lucky to have had such an incredible roster of artists come on the show in 2021, so this week on the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast, we're looking back at some of our favorite moments in a special "2021 Holiday Bonus" episode. You'll hear from our hosts Jessica, Sam, and Sara, as well as our podcast editor Alex, as they share the moments from this past year that inspired them. You'll hear short clips from some of your favorite guests Including legendary photographer Ami Vitale, quilter Bisa Butler, and Craig Dykers: cofounder of Snøhetta. In addition, you'll get a sneak peek at what's coming in next year, hearing from the Antarctic flag designers of True South, as well as how painter Brian Peterson uplifts those experiencing homelessness by painting their portraits and giving them the money earned from sales. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, a service that makes it easy to get set up with your own licensed professional therapist. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/listener. Did you know that we're on YouTube? Watch your favorite episode now! Follow us on Instagram to see some of the visuals we talked about in today's episode. We want to hear from you! Leave us a listener voicemail and subscribe to our newsletter so you can submit questions for upcoming interviews. You'll find everything on podcast.mymodernmet.com. Want to support the artists we feature and the podcast? Check out books by our guests on the Top Artist Bookstore. My Modern Met Store is offering a special discount for Top Artist listeners. Get a 10% discount on our entire curated selection of creative products when you enter the code TOPARTIST10 at checkout. Read more about some of the projects we discuss: Photographer Ami Vitale on Following your Heart and Documenting Stories of Hope [Podcast] Fiber Artist Bisa Butler on Her Vibrant Quilted Portraits That Share Black Stories [Podcast] Interview: Artist Changes the Lives of the Homeless by Painting their Portraits
Show Notes:1:23 - Los Angeles1:29 - Palm Springs2:41 - University of California [UC], Riverside3:37 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing4:36 - Memory quilts5:34 - QVC 6:26 - Alice in Wonderland 6:30 and 6:45 - YouTube6:47 - Fons and Porter6:51 - Fat Quarter Shop6:53 - Missouri Star Quilting 7:57 and 8:16 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing8:36 - Home Depot10:15, 10:41, 10:50, 11:18 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing11:01 - prideandjoyquilt.com11:10 - YouTube12:03 - Applique12:08 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing12:24 - Veruschka's FPP unicorn quilt12:44, and 13:32 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing13:45 - English Paper Piecing 14:05 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing15:26 - prideandjoyquilt.com15:45 - Veruschka's FPP unicorn quilt17:04 - Audrey Hepburn 17:08 - Audrey Hepburn movies17:16 - Puerto Reican 17:17 - Cuban17:38 - UNICEF18:45 - Veruschka's Audrey Hepburn quilt18:53 - LA [Los Angeles]19:04 - MLK [Martin Luther King]19:05 - Veruschka's MLK portrait quilt19:14 - Veruschka's Audrey Hepburn quilt19:35 - Bisa Butler 19:38 - Applique19:45 and 19:56 - Veruschka's MLK portrait quilt20:10 - Kona Cotton charm pack (5 inch precut squares) 20:54 - Veruschka's MLK portrait quilt21:05 - Adobe Illustrator 22:41 and 23:19 - QuiltCon27:00 - Agatha Raisin 27:21 - Sour Patch Kids27:30 - Bella Solids by Moda Fabrics 27:52 - Bella Solids in Terrain Iris 28:04 - Tula Pink 28:06 - Vanessa Christenson of V & Co28:16 and 28:42 - V & Co's Ombres29:10 - [FPP] Foundation paper piecing29:28 - Adobe Illustrator 29:43 - Mary Fons30:04 - Jitka of Jitka Design (@jitkadesign)30:05 - Czech Republic 30:07 - Canada 30:26 - Allie McCathren of Exhausted Octopus (@exhaustedoctopus)30:47 - Erika Bea of Hello Erika Bea (@hello.erikabea)31:39 - Pride and Joy Quilting Etsy shop33:06 and 33:11 - Joan of Arc 33:15 - LightsaberFollow Erin: Instagram - @prideandjoyquiltinghttps://prideandjoyquilting.com/Follow us:Amanda: @broadclothstudio https://broadclothstudio.com/Wendy: @the.weekendquilter https://the-weekendquilter.com/Anna: @waxandwanestudiohttps://www.waxandwanestudio.com/Quilt Buzz: @quilt.buzzhttps://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/Intro/Outro Music:Golden Hour by Vlad Gluschenko
In episode 77 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews the fantastic artist, BISA BUTLER!!! [This episode is brought to you by Alighieri jewellery: www.alighieri.co.uk | use the code TGWA at checkout for 10% off!] One of the leading artists working today, Butler uses the medium of textile for her vivid and vibrant portraits of subjects that weave personal and historical narratives of Black life. From integrating members of her own family derived from old photographs to immortalising celebrated figures from Chadwick Boseman to Frederick Douglass, or those unknown from depression-era photographs, Butler's oeuvre aims to, in her words, “tell the story – the African American side – of American life”. Born and raised in New Jersey, where she still resides today, Butler studied for her BA at the prestigious Howard University – where she was taught under the AfriCobra group – and for an MA at Montclair State University, it was here when she first began using the medium of textiles after assembling together a portrait quilt for her grandmother. Working as a high art teacher for more than a decade, Butler worked on her fibre creations in school holidays and at the weekend, exhibiting at churches and community centres. And it is this medium which she has come to pioneer – not only by integrating portraits in such meticulous ways, but by fusing a range of fabrics in her work – from her father's homeland of Ghana, batiks from Nigeria, and prints from South Africa. Butler's rise has been astronomical. Having had her first solo exhibition in 2017, within just a few years she has had solo exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Katonah Museum of Art; made two covers for TIME Magazine, as well as a cover for New York Magazine featuring Questlove, and for those in Los Angeles, her work is currently and prominently on view at LACMA's hotly anticipated exhibition, Black American Portraits. LISTEN NOW + ENJOY!!! Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by Nada Smiljanic Research assistant: Viva Ruggi Artwork by @thisisaliceskinner Music by Ben Wetherfield https://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/
In this episode Sherri has the pleasure to speak with Jeniffer Swope, curator of the "Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories" exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Jennifer shares information about the exhibition (which is currently up and running now) as well as a publication that can be purchased from the MFA's website. She then shares 8 different quilts that are being featured in the exhibition and speaks on the cultural and historical significance of each quilt. More information on this exhibition can be found below.Show Notes Blog Post: https://www.aquiltinglife.com/2021/10/a-quilting-life-podcast-episode-40-show-notes.html/Under the Tree (Quilt on the Wall): https://tidd.ly/3m4ZCBuPlaza (Quilt on the Table): https://tidd.ly/3prRvkyFabric of a Nation Exhibition Website (Where tickets can be purchased): https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/fabric-of-a-nationFabric of a Nation Publication: https://www.mfa.org/publication/fabric-of-a-nationFabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories InformationQuilts and coverlets, used in North America since the 17th century, have a unique capacity to tell stories. Their tactile making by hand and their traditional use in the home impart deeply personal narratives of their creators, and the many histories they express reveal a complex record of America. Upending expectations about quilt displays—traditionally organized by region, form or motif—Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories is a loosely chronological presentation that is divided into seven thematic sections and incorporates the perspectives of artists, educators, academics and activists.More than 50 works on view include remarkable examples by an under-recognized diversity of artistic hands and minds from the 17th century to today, including female and male, known and unidentified, urban and rural makers; immigrants; and Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian and LGBTQ+ Americans. Standouts include Pictorial Quilt (1895–98), an icon of the MFA's collection and one of only two known surviving quilts by Harriet Powers, an exceptional artist and storyteller born into slavery in 1837, and the recently acquired To God and Truth (2019), a vibrantly colorful and elaborately patterned work by contemporary artist Bisa Butler. While celebrating the artistry and intricacy of quilts and coverlets and the lives they document, the exhibition also invites visitors to consider the complicated legacies ingrained in the fabric of American life.Visit the A Quilting Life YouTube channel for more great video content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmSR-jDR956ATQe30JHX87wEnjoy what you heard? Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and your review could be read on the show!
Today my guest is Jennifer Swope, a David and Roberta Logie Associate Curator, Textiles and Fashion Arts Department at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. We talk about a new exhibition opening October 10th at the MFA, Boston. The exhibit is called Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories. There are 50 quilts in the exhibit spanning the past 300 years, including current quilts by artists like Bisa Butler.Jennifer shares fascinating stories behind some of the quilts in the exhibit along with history of the fabrics and textiles used from the era the quilt were made.There is an accompanying book written for the exhibit by Jennifer Swope, Jennifer Parmal and Lauren Whitley. The book title is the same as the exhibit title Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories. This book is beautiful with a Bisa Butler quilt on the cover, and photographs of the quilts that are in the exhibit with their stories. For photos and links to what we talked about in this episode, visit my podcast blog https://stephaniesochadesign.com/podcast-make-and-decorateMake and Decorate Friends, Mighty Networks group - free to join!INSTAGRAM: @stephanie.socha.designWEBSITE: http://stephaniesochadesign.comEMAIL: info@makeanddecorate.comYOUTUBE: Stephanie Socha DesignSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/makeanddecorate)
Show Notes:0:57 - David and Roberta Logie Department of Textile and Fashion Arts1:01 - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston1:07 - Boston 3:08 - Winterthur Program, American Material Culture 5:29 - MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)5:36 - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories5:46 - Grab tickets to visit the Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibition 5:48 - MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)6:14 - Logan International Airport7:30 - Quilts and Color. The Pilgrim / Roy Collection 7:40 - Quilts and Color. The Pilgrim / Roy Collection catalogue 7:52 - MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)7:57 - Quilts of Gee's Bend8:26 and 8:44 - The Pilgrim / Roy collection 8:47, 8:51 and 9:33 - Gerald Roy8:48, 8:56 and 9:38 - Paul Pilgrim9:06 - Josef Albers9:48 - Brimfield10:02 and 10:05 - Amish12:11- Quilt and craft revival 12:23 - Studio craft movement14:24 - Carla Hemlock14:26 - Kahnawake Mohawk14:33 - Beading work 15:39 - Ivy league school17:46 - The Ann and Graham Gund Gallery19:17 - Foam core galleries19:29 - Quilts and Color. The Pilgrim / Roy Collection 19:44 - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibition 20:09 - Foam core galleries20:15 - Kyla Hygysician22:48 - Poston Internment Camp22:50 - Arizona22:52 - World War II22:52 - Masako Hirata22:53 - Quilt by Japanese American kids in the Poston Internment Camp22:56 - Masako Hirata's fourth grade class 23:04 - National Japanese American Historical Society 23:05 - San Francisco23:35 - Harriet Powers's Bible Quilt23:39 - MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)23:40 - Harriet Powers's Pictorial quilt23:49 - Harriet Powers24:30 - Michael Thorpe (@iversonsdurag)24:21 - New York 24:23 - Newton, Massachusetts24:31 - Longarm quilting machine 24:37 - George Floyd24:46 - Michael Thorpe's quilt and poem 25:00 - Applique26:48 - Poston Internment Camp fourth grade class quilt 26:56 - World War II27:03 - Civil War27:10 - Applique 28:12 - Civil War29:10 - Harriet Powers29:53 - Harriet Powers's Pictorial quilt29:55 - Memphis World Fair of 189731:07 - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston32:43 - Steely Dead32:46 - Denver33:24 - John and Hank Green 33:34 - Indiana33:47 - Quilt Buzz34:10 - Log Cabin traditional quilt block 34:14 - Four-Patch traditional quilt block 34:16 - Nine-Patch traditional quilt block34:30 - Gerald Roy34:34 - Paul Pilgrim34:57 - Resist-dyed textile techniques 36:22 - Wholecloth quilts 36:23 - Victorian Crazy quilts 36:25 - Traditional sampler quilts 36:53 - Harriet Powers36:59 - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibition 37:05 - Quilts and Color. The Pilgrim / Roy Collection exhibition 37:11 - Faith Ringgold's quilt, Dream 2: King of the Sisterhood (1988)37:36 - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibition 37:38 - Applique37:47 - Tie dye37:53 - Faith Ringgold37:54 - Sharpie28:05 - Dr Martin Luther King 38:09 - Fannie Lou Hamer38L10 - Rosa Parks38:16 - Civil Rights movement38:25 - Sylvia Hernández38:26 - Williamsburg, Brooklyn38:44 and 38:54 - Connecticut 39:42 - Faith Ringgold39:45 - Harriet Powers39:55 - Susan Hoffman 40:02 - Bisa Butler 40:08 - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibition 40:56 - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website41:21 - MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)Click here for more information on Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories and how to visit the museumFollow us:Amanda: @broadclothstudio https://broadclothstudio.com/Wendy: @the.weekendquilter https://the-weekendquilter.com/Anna: @waxandwanestudiohttps://www.waxandwanestudio.com/Quilt Buzz: @quilt.buzzhttps://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/Intro/Outro Music:Golden Hour by Vlad Gluschenko
On the Butterfly Forecast today, we are joined with the beautiful, extraordinarily gifted artist, quilter, and educator Bisa Butler.
Fiber artist Bisa Butler uses the traditional craft of quilting to create incredible portraits of Black stories. This week on the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast, we interview Bisa about the meaning behind her portraits and how she brings lost histories back to life. We think you'll really enjoy hearing about these unexpected narratives that Bisa represents in colorful textures and bright patterns. See some of the artwork we discuss on the Top Artist Instagram Follow Bisa's work on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Want to see your work on a billboard? Enter our sponsor Fine Art America's 2021 Billboard Contest by August 31 and you might just see your art on a large scale. Read more about Bisa's work and the projects we discuss: Quilted Portraits Honor the Stories of Black Men and Women Who Are Forgotten by History Vibrant Quilts Honor Black Men and Women Whose Stories Were Forgotten or Overlooked Colorful Quilts Crafted from African Fabrics Tell Stories of Artist's Ancestral Homeland 5 Contemporary Textile Artists to Celebrate During Women's History Month Want to support the artists we feature and the podcast? Check out books by our guests on the Top Artist Bookstore. And remember, we want to hear from you! Leave us a listener voicemail and subscribe to our newsletter so you can submit questions for upcoming interviews. You'll find everything on podcast.mymodernmet.com.
Reset talks with visual artist Bisa Butler about her must-see show Portraits, which is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago until Sept. 6. Visitors can take in the quilts with their eyes and ears by following along with an accompanying soundtrack produced by Butler's husband.
Roots of Cultural ExpressionMaria and Julio talk with fiber artist and teacher, Bisa Butler, about her quilted portraits that celebrate Black life. They also get into the history of Juneteenth and the push by Republican lawmakers to take critical race theory out of classrooms. And, they dive into the significance of textile art and quilting as a medium for storytelling. Bisa Butler's portraits are on exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago through September 6, 2021.ITT Staff Picks:In this piece for Smithsonian Magazine, Liz Logan writes about artist Bisa Butler's journey to quilting, and how her portraits are recreating vibrant depictions of lost identities.In this column for the Los Angeles Times, LZ Granderson writes about the whitewashing of American history, and what it will take to have an honest conversation about Juneteenth. “Whenever I am trying to decide whether or not a particular movement, policy or person benefits Black America, I wait and see what white people think. While that might sound racist, there has never been a movement, policy or person that benefitted Black America who was simultaneously embraced by white America,” writes Michael Harriot for The Root.Photo credit: A detail shot of the Harlem Hellfighters,( Sgt. Storms), 202. Cotton, silk, wool and velvet. This is a work in progress. Courtesy of Bisa Butler. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
I recently viewed the "Bisa Butler: Portraits" exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago. Butler's use of vibrant colors, patterns, textiles, stitches, and stitching techniques take quilting to another dimension. This beautifully powerful exhibit continues until September 6, 2021. Butler's work illuminates U.S. history through the lens of the African American diaspora. Her portrait work is personal, communal, global, and is accompanied by works from fellow genius artists: Romare Bearden, Charles Harris, Gordon Parks, Barbara Jones-Hogu, and Prof. Nelson Stevens. Both Hogu and Stevens are founding members of Africobra (The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists). Their work, along with photos documenting Black life, the work of other artists, and Bisa Butler's family photo albums, serve as reference for her magnificent portraiture work. The exhibition's accompanying playlist has been curated by her husband, John, a long-time DJ. This playlist can be found on Spotify (see link below.) FREE ADMISSION to The Art Institute of Chicago: Just a quick heads up, if you are an Illinois resident, the Art Institute of Chicago's general admission tickets are FREE, June 18-25, 2021, which means that you can view “Bisa Butler: Portraits” AND “The Obama Portraits” for free. These are the same Obama Portraits that reside in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, but are on a national tour (see link below.) If you're in Chicago, this is one of many ways to celebrate Juneteenth. And, while you're here, don't forget to like and subscribe, then share Full Body Frequency with others. #BisaButler #TheObamaPortraits #FullBodyFrequency VIDEO LINK: "Bisa Butler: Portraits" & "The Obama Portraits," FREE Admission...: https://youtu.be/fvmrQnix3hQ LINKS TO EXHIBITS and PLAYLIST: Bisa Butler: In the Studio (Quilting for the Culture): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w8TYRQrBlo Bisa ButIer: Portraits: https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9324/bisa-butler-portraits Bisa Butler: The Playlist: https://www.artic.edu/highlights/31/bisa-butler-the-playlist The Obama Portraits (The Art Institute of Chicago): https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9507/the-obama-portraits FULL BODY FREQUENCY: watch via: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTHCrtqp1t2s-gSWTh2aBPw listen via: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/full-body-frequency/id1103767628 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fullbodyfrequency Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IG9pCh6tMZKkzodKrE8pz Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/full-body-frequency connect via: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullbodyfrequency/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FULLBODYFREQUENCY/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FullBodyFre
I recently viewed the "Bisa Butler: Portraits" exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago. Butler's use of vibrant colors, patterns, textiles, stitches, and stitching techniques take quilting to another dimension. This beautifully powerful exhibit continues until September 6, 2021. Butler's work illuminates U.S. history through the lens of the African American diaspora. Her portrait work is personal, communal, global, and is accompanied by works from fellow genius artists: Romare Bearden, Charles Harris, Gordon Parks, Barbara Jones-Hogu, and Prof. Nelson Stevens. Both Hogu and Stevens are founding members of Africobra (The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists). Their work, along with photos documenting Black life, the work of other artists, and Bisa Butler's family photo albums, serve as reference for her magnificent portraiture work. The exhibition's accompanying playlist has been curated by her husband, John, a long-time DJ. This playlist can be found on Spotify (see link below.) FREE ADMISSION to The Art Institute of Chicago: Just a quick heads up, if you are an Illinois resident, the Art Institute of Chicago's general admission tickets are FREE, June 18-25, 2021, which means that you can view “Bisa Butler: Portraits” AND “The Obama Portraits” for free. These are the same Obama Portraits that reside in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, but are on a national tour (see link below.) If you're in Chicago, this is one of many ways to celebrate Juneteenth. And, while you're here, don't forget to like and subscribe, then share Full Body Frequency with others. #BisaButler #TheObamaPortraits #FullBodyFrequency VIDEO LINK: "Bisa Butler: Portraits" & "The Obama Portraits," FREE Admission...: https://youtu.be/fvmrQnix3hQ LINKS TO EXHIBITS and PLAYLIST: Bisa Butler: In the Studio (Quilting for the Culture): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w8TYRQrBlo Bisa ButIer: Portraits: https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9324/bisa-butler-portraits Bisa Butler: The Playlist: https://www.artic.edu/highlights/31/bisa-butler-the-playlist The Obama Portraits (The Art Institute of Chicago): https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9507/the-obama-portraits FULL BODY FREQUENCY: watch via: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTHCrtqp1t2s-gSWTh2aBPw listen via: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/full-body-frequency/id1103767628 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fullbodyfrequency Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IG9pCh6tMZKkzodKrE8pz Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/full-body-frequency connect via: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullbodyfrequency/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FULLBODYFREQUENCY/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FullBodyFre
Artist Bisa Butler at the Art Institute of Chicago. phot: John J. Kim. Bisa Butler was born in Orange, NJ, the daughter of a college president and a French teacher. She was raised in South Orange and the youngest of four siblings. Butler's artistic talent was first recognized at the age of four, when she won a blue ribbon in an art competition. Formally trained , Butler graduated Cum Laude from Howard University with a Bachelor's in Fine Art degree. It was during her education at Howard that Butler was able to refine her natural talents under the tutelage of lecturers such as Lois Mailou Jones, Elizabeth Catlett, Jeff Donaldson and Ernie Barnes. She began to experiment with fabric as a medium and became interested in collage techniques. Butler then went on to earn a Masters in Art from Montclair State University in 2005. While in the process of obtaining her Masters degree Butler took a Fiber Arts class where she had an artistic epiphany and she finally realized how to express her art. "As a child, I was always watching my mother and grandmother sew, and they taught me. After that class, I made a portrait quilt for my grandmother on her deathbed, and I have been making art quilts ever since." Bisa Butler was a high school art teacher for 10 years in the Newark Public Schools and 3 years at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. In February 2021 Bisa was awarded a United States Artist fellowship.Butler's work is currently the focus of a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, the second stop of a traveling exhibit which began at the Katonah Museum of Art. She is represented by the Claire Oliver Gallery of New York. Butlers work has been acquired by many private and public collections including The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture,The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, The Nelson-Adkins Museum , 21cMuseum Hotels, The Kemper Museum of Art, The Orlando Museum of Art, The Newark Museum, The Toledo Museum of Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. *Don't Tread On Me , God Damn, Let's Go! ; The Harlem Hellfighters, 2021 Cotton, silk, wool and velvet * a work in progress, Photo by Bisa Butler I Go To Prepare A Place For You, Harriet Tubman's last words ,2021 Cotton, silk ,wool and velvet 120” x 120” Quilted and appliquéd Photo by John Butler
In this episode, Isabella interviews Bisa Butler, famous American fibre artist known for her vibrant quilts celebrating Black life, and Dr Erica Warren, associate curator of textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago. The trio discuss Bisa's artistic practice, the curation of her work, and its current display at the Art Institute of Chicago. As always, images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com, and a Patreon, patreon.com/sewwhatpodcast.
This week, we start off with Lindsay's new piano variations on the tropical house beats, David (Lee's) invitation to audition for a reality TV show, Mac asking Lindsay and David to interpret his dream, and the Bloomberg article about The New York Times NFT. David Najib Kasir (and the only David reference in the rest of this paragraph, not to be confused with David Lee) joins the podcast at 14:27. Reconnecting after a year and sharing some love for the Bulls; going to see the Bisa Butler exhibit at Art Institute of Chicago (19:24); David's work and how it helps change the narrative for Arabs (23:29); how David has dealt with the last year (28:43); going to the studio every day during the pandemic (33:50); David's sculpture-turned-NFT made at our last in-person work group meeting (36:00); David's take on NFT's (41:30); and what would help make Milwaukee better for artists to create? (50:14) David Najib Kasir: https://www.instagram.com/davidnajibkasir/ (Instagram), https://davidnajibkasir.com/home.html (Website) Music Transitions: “Tropical House Variations,” Lindsay Sheridan E2 Ephemera https://www.npr.org/2021/03/12/976513031/the-69-million-jpeg (Beeple's $69 Million JPEG) (Planet Money) https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9324/bisa-butler-portraits (Bisa Butler) (Chicago Institute of Art) http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-park/ (David Park) https://davidnajibkasir.com/artwork/4811653_The_Ratio_of_Percents_in_Ghosts.html (The Ratio of Percents in Ghosts) (David Najib Kasir) https://rarible.com/token/0x60f80121c31a0d46b5279700f9df786054aa5ee5:513017 (Epstein Was Murdered) (Rarible) https://fstoppers.com/opinion/nfts-are-pyramid-scheme-and-people-are-already-losing-money-554869 (NFTs Are a Pyramid Scheme) (FStoppers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrNOYudaMAc (NFTs (SNL)) Support this podcast
This episode explores Bisa Butler's fascinating journey, which began with her getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting at Howard University. Realizing painting was not her passion, she went on to Montclair University to pursue a Master's in Teaching. It was there, while making a quilt in her first-ever fibers class, that she had an artistic epiphany; she realized she could do what she loved, express her creativity in a way that moved her deeply, and tell the countless untold stories of African Americans.Each pivotal step in her journey is described in fascinating detail. She talks about learning to sew from her grandmother; a black woman, and wife of an Emissary, who found herself transported to Morocco. She and her husband had to attend many formal events, and since they couldn't afford to buy the refined clothing one was required to wear, her grandmother would pore through fashion magazines and create replicas of designer outfits. The scraps of fibers and fabrics from those outfits can be seen in Bisa's portraits of her grandmother and grandfather. She explains how using little bits of their lives helped inform her work. Butler describes her work as “excavating the soul, where her own spirit has a conversation with someone who has long passed. The process begins with a portrait. By gazing into the eyes of her subject and really looking at the lines, creases, scars, and the expression in their eyes, she can ‘hear' their unspoken story. She spoke of the improvisational nature of private quilts and their ability to tell the personal experiences of her people (21:20 – 24:21). As she details her journey through galleries and museums, Butler recounts the bias that was shown towards artists who use cloth in their art. But through all the rejections and dismissals, she kept at it, slow and steady, until her work was exhibited at the Seraleli Gallery in New York. From that moment, her work began getting accepted at more galleries and museums. Her latest fiber and fabric creation, The Storm, the Whirlwind, and the Earthquake features a life-sized representation of abolitionist and social reformer Fredrick Douglass whose magnetic gaze pulled her in. This piece is a powerful example of how Butler's painterly textiles convey a sense of shared humanity. It is currently on exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art. Her textile creations are also being exhibited in the European Painting Gallery Space at the Art Institute of Chicago through September 6, 2021. This is the first time a living artist has been showcased in this space. Her work is also featured in Dress Up, Speak Up: Regalia and Resistance at the 21C Museum Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Bisa Butler is an art educator and award-winning American fiber artist, known for her life-sized quilts celebrating Black identity. Bisa has exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, amongst other venues; most recently, Bisa was selected as one of the 2021 United States Artist Fellows. In this episode, Bisa discusses the inspiration behind her art, her journey towards becoming an established Black artist, advice she would offer to young Black women, and more.
This week, we meet the craft makers and textile artists telling new stories through traditional techniques. Sewn in brightly coloured thread and African fabrics, artist Bisa Butler's stunning quilt portraits often focus on unknown African Americans. Creating her quilts from vintage photos found in the American National Archives, she pieces together their stories using carefully chosen textiles. Bisa talks to Chi Chi about her creative process, storytelling through her quilts and the portrait she'd like to stitch next. When master weaver Porfirio Gutierrez returned home to Mexico after years away, he found the traditional methods he'd grown up with were dying out and he was determined to do something about it. Porfirio Gutierrez tells our reporter Saskia Edwards how he has re-imagined Zapotec rug making to reflect both the ancient and modern world. South African artist Kimathi Mafafo explains how she uses embroidery to represent traditional women in her series, Voiceless and to empower local women by teaching them her craft. Plus: has a film, a book or an artwork ever changed the way you see the world? One of Britain's leading tailors, Sir Paul Smith tells us about an influential painting as he celebrates 50 years in the fashion industry. Presented by Chi Chi Izundu (Photo: Bisa Butler. Credit: John Butler, courtesy of Claire Oliver Gallery)
Ele Woods sits down with Matt for a great conversation. We talk about artistic families, Gardening and quiliting as fine art, and we discuss Bisa Butler's incredible "The Princess"
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