FIBER ARTIST - ART QUILTER

ARTIST STATEMENT: MY INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF QUILTING CAME AFTER VIEWING THE "1990 JAPANESE FABRIC GARDEN INTERNATIONAL QUILT EXHIBITION " AT THE BROOKLYN BOTANICAL GARDENS. FOR ME, IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, AND WORTHY OF PURSUIT. ALTHOUGH AN AMATEUR ARTIST, INTERNATIONAL BANKING MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT WAS MY PROFESSION. I OPTED FOR EARLY RETIREMENT IN 1994 TO EMBARK ON A QUILTING ODESSY TO EXPLORE THIS MEDIUM - THE ART OF QUILTMAKING - WHERE I COULD BETTER INCORPORATE MY ARTISTIC ABILITIES IN CREATING ART QUILTS AND CLOTH DOLLS. IN 1994, I JOINED THREE QUILTING GUILDS IN NEW YORK CITY: EMPIRE QUILTERS, QUILTERS GUILD OF BROOKLYN, AND WOMEN OF COLOR NEW YORK CHAPTER. I WAS FOUNDER/ PRESIDENT (1996-May, 2000) OF QUILTERS OF COLOR NETWORK OF NEW YORK. IN 2000 CO-FOUNDED SEPIA RAINBOW QUILTERS. AS A HISTORY BUFF, MY QUILTS TEND TO DEPICT CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WHICH I INTERPRET INTO ORIGINAL DESIGNS. IN HAND QUILTING EACH QUILT BECOMES A PERSONAL SPIRITUAL EVOCATION CONTAINING THE ESSENCE OF MY INNER VOICE.

PUBLICATIONS - 2002 to 2006 "QUILTS ARE FOREVER" by Kathy Lamascusa. Mary Louise Smith's story of "MT. PELEE MARTINIQUE 1902" is featured - Spring 2002 - Simon & Schuster Publishers. "RETIRE IN NEW YORK - EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT RICH" by Janet Hays. ''MARY LOUISE SMITH - ART QUILTER - FIBER ARTIST" is featured. - Fall 2002 - Bonus Books, Chicago. FIBERARTS DIARY - "Weaving New Rhythms: Diary 2003" - Quilt "RITUAL" to appear in the October pages of FIBERARTS DIARY 2003 - Fall 2002 - Rubicon Publishing Canada "APPLE BROWN BETTY: REMEMBERING MALCOLM AND BETTY SHABAZZ" by Dr. Juollie Carroll - featuring poetry and prose dedicated to Dr. Betty Shabazz and 'THE APPLE BROWN BETTY QUILT" , a commissioned designed group quilt by MARY LOUISE SMITH. Winter - 2003 "JOURNAL QUILTS": "A PAGE FROM MY JOURNAL 2004" Int'l. Quilt Festival Houston and Chicago Exhibitions - article by Sylvia Landman. Spring Quilting Quarterly 2005 issue of NATIONAL QUILTING ASSOCIATION magazine (NQA) - Pictures of three "Muses" of the months April, May and July as Autum, Ocean and Sky, page 26. "CREATIVE QUILTING-THE JOURNAL QUILT PROJECT" book by Karey Bresenhan, Director of International Quilt Festival, Houston and Chicago. Inclusion of three of my journal quilts. Publisher Quilting Arts, October 2006.

COMMISSIONED QUILTS - BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY - 1998 : "WILLIAMSBURGH REGION QUILT" 100" x 100" BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY - 1998 : "KINGSBOROUGH REGION QUILT" 100"x100" MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE/NYCUNY, 1999: DR. BETTY SHABAZZ - "APPLE BROWN BETTY QUILT" 96" x 98" BEREAN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH - BROOKLYN -2000: "150 YEAR COMMEMORATIVE QUILT - IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE" 100"x100" MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE/NY CUNY, 2001: "THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE QUILT" 116"x116"

GALLERY OF COMMISSION QUILTS:

MEDGER EVERS COLLEGE/NYCUNY: 2001

"30TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE QUILT"
116" x116" - Hand and Machine Pieced - Hand Appliqued - Hand Quilted - Original Design & Copyrighted by Mary Louise Smith

There are 130 African fabrics from Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast and South Africa used. "Minkisi" (messages hidden in plain view) of Ghanian Adinkra symbols for "respect, truth, unity, wisdom, courage, peace and understanding" are hand quilted in gold metallic thread. The college logo in the center is hand appliqued. The entire quilt is hand quilted in ecru, black and gold metallic threads. The back of the quilt contains a center panel where leaders of the community, businesses and college patrons' signatures appear and is incorporated as part of the quilt design.

Commissioned: October, 2001
Permanent Exhibit at Charles Innis Memorial Library, Medgar Evers College/NYCUNY, Brooklyn, N.Y. - 2002

BEREAN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

150th COMMEMORATIVE QUILT: IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE - 2000
100"x100"
Hand Pieced, Hand Appliqued, Hand Embrodiered, Hand Quilted, Designed and Copyrighted by Mary Louise Smith

Photo Transfers of the Church taken in 1850, 1900, 1950 and 2000 are the four corner blocks. Six of the pieced blocks were done by Church members. Although not original designs, these patterns were selected because, for the members, they convey a religious context. Five of the originally designed appliqued blocks represents the various community groups sponsored by the church.. The two end panels represents the stainglass entrance to the church. The large center appliqued and embroidered is the church's logo.

(Photo shown prior to blocking of quilt)

SPECTRE DE LA ROSE - (Spirit of the Rose)

56"x76" - Original Design, Hand Appliqued, Embroidery and Hand Quilted

At the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is the Cranford Rose Garden. One only has to walk down the rose garden paths to enjoy the magnificent roses and catch the wisp of rose scent in the air. To me, it envisions a rose spirit fairy dancing for my pleasure, just as in the ballet, "Spectre de la Rose".

Each "rose petal" in various shades of pink are individually placed and appliqued. The "fairy" body is hand quilted in a green leaf design.

Spectre de la Rose

Close-up of figure

MT. PELEE, MARTINIQUE 1902

69"x46" Original Design, Hand Appliqued and Hand Quilted

On May 8, 1902, the volcano, Mt. Pelee in Martinique erupted and destroyed the homes and lives of 35,000 inhabitants of St.Pierre, my paternal parents hometown.

This quilt contains four original designed panels depicting the people, fauna, flora, and homes lost. The fifth is the "fleur- de- lis" (France's symbol) and the sixth, the "hawaiian lei" for rememberance of both loss and renewal. The echo stitches on the orange background is a facimile of the molten lava flow, which brings destruction, yet life.

This quilt was created as a reminder of my paternal family's loss and of our history on an island in the Caribbeans...least we forget!

Mt.Pelee Martinique 1902

Close-up of Fleur-de-lis block

RITUAL

46 1/2"x48 1/2" - Original Design, Reverse Hand Applique, Puff Work, Beads and Gold Thread Embellishment, Hand Quilted, African fabrics from Senegal and Ivory Coast.

The African Deity, OSHUN, also known in Ancient Egypt as HET-HERU, represents Joy, Laughter, Music, Dance and Love, hence the five dancing figures.

The echo stitching, gold metallic thread and red seed crystal beads catches the light, bringing added vibrancy and movement to the three- dimensional dancing figures.

RITUAL

Close-up of figures

ON BENDED KNEES

37"x70"
Hand Appliqued, Hand Quilted, Tear Drop Beads, Hand Embroidered, Seed Beads. Original Design. Original poem by Mary Louise Smith in script on the bottom border, embrodiered in red floss and red beads embellishments.

"ON BENDED KNEES, HEAR MY PLEA, LET ME BE THE WOMAN, I AM MEANT TO BE"

Dedicated to all the abused and oppressed women in the world who are denied their civil rights through the apathy of government, religion and cultural customs.

ON BENDED KNEES

Close Up

One heart whole, The other heart broken.

LITTLE BO PEEP

31"X31" Original Design, Reverse Appliqued, Hand Quilted

Using the same method used by the Kuna Indians of San Blas Island for their traditional Molas (which we call "reverse applique", this is one of two wall hangings of children nursery rhymes done in silhouette.. The other is "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB", both have prairie point corner borders on two opposite sides. There is additional hand quilted designs on Little Bo Peep's dress and body features.

Little Bo Peep

Close-up of reverse appliqued figure

YUKATA OPTICAL ILLUSION

45"X28" - Original Design, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted

The imported Japanese 18" width Yukata cotton fabric in a geometric design - used in the border - inspired this piece. The varying size and placement of the Yakata (dark) and Yellow (light) fabrics in the center creates an optical illusion.

It is on display - as a loan (with two others until 2001) - in an senior executive's office at InterFaith Hospital Medical Center Brooklyn, New York.

HAWAIIAN PARADISE

59x89" - Hand Appliqued, Machine Borders, Hand Quilted

The Hawaiian Applique is a style created by native Hawaiians, similar to the making of their tapa cloth, when missionery wives introduced them to quilting. Each design is an original and never copied as it holds spiritual meaning to the Hawaiian quiltmaker. Patterns by Elizabeth Root.

A JAPANESE FABLE -THE GEISHA, DRAGON AND SAMURAI

67"X37"- Original Design, Hand Applique, Fabric Painted, Sashiko Thread Embroidery, Broderie Perse, Puff Works, Embellished, Beads and Hand Quilted. Japanese cotton and antique silk obi used for the Geisha and Samurai costumes.

An original short story ( poetry ) was also created by me to convey the meaning of this wall hanging. It is on the back of the quilt.

"Sweet were the notes the Geisha sang. It brought forth a Dragon with its fiery fangs. From the Geisha's lips sprang a cry, When she saw the Dragon slither by. Lo and behold, a brave Samurai did appear, To do battle and alleviate the Geisha's fears. The Samurai fought with his sword, Until the Dragon was no more. The grateful Geisha placed on the Samurai's lips, A Kiss, And Together they lived in eternal Bliss."

A Japanese Fable: The Geisha, Dragon and Samurai

Close-up of Geisha

The Geisha, Dragon and Samurai

Close-up of Samurai

The Geisha, Dragon and Samurai

Close-up of Dragon

BILLIE'S BLUES

45X36" - Original Design, Reverse Hand Appliqued, Puff Works, Machine Borders, Hand Quilted.

After telling my daughter Suzanne of my meeting Billie Holiday many years ago and listening to Billie's music, inspired her to create a poem called, "Billie's Blues". I created this wall hanging, using the Kuna Indian of San Blas' mola applique method, and incorporated her poem as a lasting memory of a great artist not forgotten.

"A shade of enlightened grace, she worn the face of life's most bitter taste. The blues which she sang was filled with the depth of her pain. It touched the souls of all that care to hear Billie do her thang. She sang of life's good morning heartaches, about being nobody's business. Because whatever she did, She was forever his. She sang about the strange fruits of the South. How God bless the child that gots its own. In the end, she was left abandoned, broken and alone. A shell of the woman that once was. Used up in the living of the life she sang. Now gone are her blues, gone is her pain. For in our souls her voice echoes on. Forever is Billie's Blues."

"Billie's Blues" - Copyright, 1998- Suzanne M. Smith

Billie's Blues

Close-up of reverse (mola) applique

WE ARE: AFRICAN BOYS AND GIRLS

"We search for what was stolen, Our homeland, our ancestors, our roots. We reach with open arms to embrace Our African brothers and sisters. We stand proudly, radiant in barefeet to symbolize our survival, our struggles, our determination, to overcome man's atrocities. Yet, despite all our splendor, all our glory, We are still barefooted kaffirs. Like you, Amadou, the final chapter is yet to be written."

In memory of Amadou Diallo, murdered in 2000

Poem by Mary Louise Smith, copyrighted 2000,

WE ARE: AFRICAN BOYS AND GIRLS

Close-up

Imported African Fabrics, Three Dimensional: Hand Appliqued, Embellishments, Fabric Paint, and Hand Quilted

RISING SUN ON AFRICA'S ENDANGERED SPECIES

50"x32" Hand and Machined Pieced, Hand Quilted, African fabrics from Benin and Ivory Coast.

The fruit of Africa's greatest harvest is its people. The continent's violent warfare, poverty, disease, slavery of women and girls, and ethnic strife have caused the decimation of its people, land and wildlife. The sun does not rise on Africa. Only with intervention, we may again see the rising sun on Africa's endangered species.

RISING SUN ON AFRICA'S ENDANGERED SPECIES

Close-Up of Center Design

ARABESQUE

50"x50" Original Design, Hand and Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted

The Middle East is well known for its magnificent and intricate tile designs on its architectual structures. In order to master the design technique, I took classes given by the wonderfully talented quilt teacher, the late Margrit Echols, who taught quilting workshops on how to master and translate these Middle Eastern designs to fabric.

FILANKRA

52"x58" Original Design, Hand Pieced, Hand Quilted

"Filankra", the Ghanian Adrinka symbol for security and peace was chosen to "surrounds the Asian Tiger", who is one of the most endangered species of the world. Adrinka symbols for unity, law and harmony are hand quilted throughout this quilt.

The background fabric is of weapon- bearing warriors who represents "Man". He has the choice of either destroying the tiger - into extinction, or live in harmony with this magnificent creature.

FILANKRA

Close-Up

THE JAPANESE GARDEN

19" x 19" Hand Pieced, Embellished, Hand Quilted

The beauty and tranquility of the Japanese Garden complex at the Brooklyn Botanica Garden is one of my favorite places to visit and quilt. It is a place I wanted to capture in a quilt. The oriental design border enhances the theme of this piece.

THE JAPANESE GARDEN

Close-Up of ducks and turtles

FIREWORKS USA SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

52"x43" - Hand and Machined Pieced - Hand Quilted - Original Design

The quilt depicts the colors of the flag and the pride and vitality of our country. Each burst represents the vibrancy and diversity of the American people and symbolizes our American Independence. One of the hand quilted stars in the background blue sky has the date, " 09-11-01 " . "Glow thread" is used, which absorbs the light to shine in the dark, to always remind us of this tragic event.

FIREWORKS USA SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

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QUILTART QUILT CHALLENGES - 2002 to 2008

As an on-line member participant, the following pages are of original quilts created by me for the various quilt challenges for the forum's QUILTART members, who are contemporary art quilters, to challenge and expand our creativity and technical skills in the art of quiltmaking.

Some of these "challenges
" became part of various larger well-known quilting festivals as "Invitational Exhibitions" at International Quilt Festival, in Houston and Illinois, etc.

SWAPS: Where members create individual minature creations (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") and exchange them. See: http://www.quiltart.com/apc.html

Quiltart @ http://www.quiltart.com

PAGE FROM MY BOOK:QUILT JOURNAL 2002: An QUILTART members on-line quilt challenge project developed.A nine month challenge in creating a quilt journal/diary and 8 1/2" X 11" quilts from January to September. QUILTART members who joined were asked to explore quilting techniques , and experimentation to expand ones creativity. Theme optional. Karen Bresenhan, Director of Houston, Texas International Quilt Festival, hosted the challenge. She arranged for the quilts to be shown at IQF in Oct-Nov. and again the following year in April at Spring IQF, Rosemont, Ill. My 2002 Journal quilts were one of the forty selected to be exhibited at NYQUILTS! Troy, NY in June 2003. Other exhibitions followed. The Journal Quilt Project ended in 2007 with a single quilt measuring 17" x 22". Go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISES/MARYLOUISESMITH "CREATIVE QUILTING: The Journal Quilt Project" book was edited and published by Karey Bresenhan which is an extensive colorful illustration of the Journal quilts from 2002 to 2006 created by members of QUILTART. ( Can be purchased at QUILT ART Magazine). IQF also exhibited those selected journal quilts from the book at an exhibit at their Houston, Rosemont and Long Beach festivals for 2007-2008. See my QUILT JOURNAL 2002, Go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISESMITH/QUILTJOURNAL2002 Go to " Links " listing to see other quilt artists journals. For QUILT JOURNAL 2003, go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISESMITH/QUILTJOURNAL2003 and everyone's journals: http://www.quiltart.com/journals/html For QUILT JOURNAL 2004, go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISESMITH/QUILTJOURNAL2004 and everyone's journals: http://www.quiltart.com/2004journals For QUILT JOURNAL 2007, final project, go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISES/MARYLOUISESMITH

FABLED FIBERS: ART QUILT ENHANCEMENTS The challenge was to create our own interpretaton of a children fairy tale in fabric. I chose the story of "CINDRELLA". Go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/MARYLOUISES/MARYLOUISESMITH FABLED FIBERS: ART QUILTS ENHANCEMENTS are on display at: International Quilt Festival special exhibits at Houston, Rosemont, and Long Beach, 2007-2008; The Rosenthal Gallery, Fayetteville 2008; Vermont Quilt Festival 2008. Harnett County Art Council, Lillington. N.C. Nov.2008 2008 Calendars and postcards are also available.

"THE NAME OF THE GAME" CHALLENGE: This challenge represents a quilt showing the "essence" of ourselves and the name we felt best suited our personality. Members chose either a ya-ya name or a royalty name for their "alter ego" persona. Size was not larger than 36" and due Nov.15, 2002. At Mary Beth Goodman of NYQUILTS! in Troy, New York "Name of the Game" Invitational exhibition featured forty of the quilt artists at 2003 NYQUILTS! June 14-15, 2003. My quilt was included in this exhibition. It was also on display at Quilters Guild of Brooklyn Quilt Festival, April 26-27, 2003. To see the entire challenge collection, go to: http://www.quiltart.com/names/html

NAME OF THE GAME CHALLENGE: "DA CONTESSA TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT"

Hand Appliqued, Embroidered, Embellished with Sequins,Beads, and Gold Metallic Thread. Crochet Cotton Yarn hair, Hand Painted flames, Machine Quilted. An original design.

Exhibited at QUILTING GUILD OF BROOKLYN
Quilt Festival.

"DA CONTESSA TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT"

Close-up

"MAKE QUILTS NOT WAR" CHALLENGE: LET PEACE REIGN

Hand appliqued Trapunto,fusing, machine paper piecing, hand dyed fabrics, brodier perse, silver metallic thread. Hand quilted. 22 1/2"x24 1/2".

This quilt is made with red, white and blue fabrics. The five paper pieced hearts represents five Continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, South and North Americas.

As an American who proudly resides in the most powerful nation on earth, it behooves us to apply our vast knowledge and skills in the preservation of mankind through peaceful methods, rather than warfare and destruction of fellow human beings, if we hope for earth's future.

"Make Quilts, Not War; let Peace Reign" also exhibited at: Brooklyn Prospect Park Lefferts Homestead, 2004; Brooklyn Audubon Center 2004.

To see other "Make Quilts Not War" quilts go to:
http://www.quiltart.com/challenges/QNW

"LET PEACE REIGN"

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THREE DIMENSIONAL CHALLENGE: "SEE MY PRETTY QUILT"

An original designed African cloth doll hand crafted wearing wooden beads, holding a unattached 5" hand pieced and hand quilted strip quilt, embellished with cowrie shells and wooden beads. Doll has fabric painted face, wool yarn hair and is stuffed free standing 3 Dimensional. The background quilt is imported African fabrics from Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast and South Africa. Suede ribbon streamers and beads embellishment. Machine quilted. 15 1/2" x 18".

For more 3D quilts: www.quiltart.com/challenges/3D

"SEE MY PRETTY QUILT"

Close-up #1

"SEE MY PRETTY QUILT"

Close-up # 2; lower right hand bottom

THE SOUL/HOLE CHALLENGE: "THE JOURNEY TO THE SOUL":

"THE JOURNEY TO THE SOUL"
23 1/2"x23 1/2"
Batik, Broderie Perse,Hand Dyed Fabric,Mirror Embellisment, Machine Pieced, and Machine Quilted in Gold Metallic Threads.

The border is of an imported Australian fabric with aborigine motifs. The center background is hand dyed to resemble the hot outback desert sand and is quilted in a circular motif in gold metallic threads to resemble the journey to spiritual self realization. The abstract motifs surrounding the two figures (lizards) are the "shedding layers of ones outer self" as we travel towards our quest. At journey's end, at the center, is the black hole where the soul that we seek ...is reflected back in the mirror .

For more quilts: www.quiltart.com/challenges/soulhole

THE JOURNEY TO THE SOUL

Closeup

"DAY OF THE DEAD" CHALLENGE

LAST OF THE MARTINIQUECANS
34 1/4"W 43" L
Reversed and Needle Turned Hand Applique, Machine Pieced Border, Embroidered, Embellished, Machine Quilted

Due to the destruction of France during WW1 a small group of immigrants from Martinique came to America instead.Today, only two people remain and are represented by the two roses on the bottom of the quilt.The surnames of all the other deceased people are embroidered on the surrounding skulls. The intertwining red roses are for rememberance. The center figure, coming from the darkness to visit the living, is dressed in my grandmother's native costume which is over 75 years old. There is a hidden message (miniski) written in french to my grandmother. The descendants of this small group are few, so creating this quilt enables me to keep their memory alive.

To see others, go to www.quiltart/challenges/dod/

"DAY OF THE DEAD" (Fiesta de los Muertos)

Closeup 1

"DAY OF THE DEAD" (Fiesta de los Muertos)

Closeup 2

Original Design Quilts & Poetry by Mary Louise Smith ,(unless indicated otherwise.) Copyrighted, 1999- 2008. All rights reserved. Permission must first be obtained and granted in writing to use any image or text from this website. MY QUILT GALLERY is a revolving gallery and new quilts will continually be added. Check this site from time to time. ENJOY. Do let me hear from you via E-mail.