QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6772

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Women of Color Quilters Network; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

15.0162

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2014:55.13

Essay:

Artist Statement about work:
African hair sculpture is an art form and requires tremendous manual dexterity, patience, and artistry as many styles are elaborate and time consuming. The center of this quilt is a hand painted African batik panel from Cameroun, the olive border is accentuated with quilted Adinkra symbols, and the Celtic applique resembles the intricate woven design of many hair styles.

Sewn onto the back of the quilt (with photo of the artist and also signed):
Vision of the fiber artist
Title: "Big Hair"

Artist Vision: The center of this quilt is a hand painted African batik panel from Cameroon. Machine trapunto was used to emphasize the beautiful twisted hair and stippling was utilized to create an embossed surface. The cracked ice cream border was given a quilted braid to strengthen the theme. The olive border is accentuated with quilted Adinkra symbols which represent the readiness to serve, valor, and bravery. The Celtic applique resembles the intricate woven design of many hair styles. African hair sculpture is an art form and requires tremendous manual dexterity, patience, and artistry as many styles are elaborate and time consuming.

Care instructions: The fabrics have not been pretreated and the quilt contains numerous types of fabric and fibers including the hand painted batik from Cameroon, cotton, Warm and Natural cotton batting, nylon thread and Sulky rayon thread. Clean this quilt with caution, be aware that washing, no matter how carefully done, contributes to the fading and wearing of fabrics. My recommendation is to gently vacuum on low power with a small hand vacuum cleaner that has a brush attachment. Another option is to air the quilt outside by hanging the quilt on a clean clothesline. Cover the quilt with a clean cotton sheet to protect it from ultraviolet sun rays and birds.

Dimensions and Techniques: 48" x 54" Machine Pieced and Machine Quilted by Cynthia Catlin
Completion Date and Place: October 8, 1995, Aurora, Colorado
Designer: Cynthia Denise Holliday-Catlin

Quilt's title:

Big Hair

Subject of the quilt:

Hair, Black woman

Who helped you fill out the form?

Aleia Brown

When was the form filled out?

2/27/2015

Quilt top made by:

Catlin, Cynthia H.

Quilted by:

Catlin, Cynthia H.

Where the quilt was made, city:

San Pedro

Where the quilt was made, state:

California (CA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1995

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Women of Color Quilters Network

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

48"

How long is the quilt?

54 3/8"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Black; Gold; Green

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Message; Single Inscription

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Property of WCQN Cynthia H. Catlin

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Handwritten

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe where the inscription was found:

Top left

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Number of borders:

5

Describe the borders:

Outer to inner border; green border- 4 1/4", beige border 4 3/8", burnt orange border- 1/8", yellow border- 3/4", black border- 3/4.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton; Rayon

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Batiks

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

less than a half inch

How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?

1/8"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting; Stuffed work

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Koelbel Public Library, Englewood, Colorado, February 1996 Aurora Central High School, Aurora, Colorado, March 1997 Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Golden Colorado, September/October 1998

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Spirits of the Cloth by Carolyn Mazloomi

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt collector

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

From the Collection of Carolyn Mazloomi

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum, all rights reserved