The African American Quilt Guild of Oakland celebrates its rich history over 25 years, emphasizing the connection between quilting and jazz improvisation. President Marie dePorres Taylor highlights how both arts rely on traditional foundations while encouraging creativity. Members like Dolores Vitero Presley share personal inspirations that influence their quilt designs. The guild's work is showcased across various venues, including significant exhibits like 'Neighborhoods Coming Together: Quilts Around Oakland,' which emphasize community importance. Their efforts not only beautify but also educate, bridging individual journeys through history.
With African American quilts, what I see is the same as what you see in jazz. Jazz artists for the most part have been trained in traditional classical music. What they do is having learned that tradition, they then improvise. It's how we interpret how to make a quilt.
People like to call them Black quilts, but I don't consider myself a Black quilter. I'm a quilter who's Black. My inspiration comes from travels.
We did a quilt exhibit that was called 'Neighborhoods Coming Together: Quilts Around Oakland.' The quilts were of things within the community of Oakland that were important to us, and it really put us on the map.
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