Quilting Arts

OURStory

by Susanne Miller Jones

“Colorblind” • Mary Jane Sneyd

Dunedin, New Zealand

Th e stories behind the exhibit

w

hen emotions run

high and words fail,

artists are motivated to create

meaningful work. Such was the

case with “OURstory: Human

Rights Stories in Fabric.” At the

end of 2016, artists involved

in my other two curated

collections—“HERstory” and

“Fly Me to the Moon”—wanted

to know, ‘what now?’ I had no

intention of putting out another

exhibit. I was looking forward to

time in my studio.

And then Wendy Starn contacted

me, expressing concern for people’s

rights and suggesting we artists should

consider that theme. She convinced

me and I issued the “OURstory” call

in January 2017. Artists were asked to

make a 25" x 40" quilt telling stories

of disenfranchised people and their

fi ghts for equal rights. All groups and

issues were welcome in this collection.

Suggested subjects and categories

ranged from honoring human rights

activists to telling the stories of

disenfranchised groups.

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