ARTIST STATEMENT
This work is moved by a desire to capture the history of the President and provide the onlooker the opportunity to process their experience — to imagine how he reached for the strength to navigate the times of being in the White House.
As a historian, I believe in preserving history. As I pursue my research, I see parts of history being erased, overwritten, or removed from pages where I know they previously existed. I have catalogued history over the years, beginning with the Edward J. Williams Negrobilia collection at the Stony Island Arts Bank. The way President Barack Obama’s name often appears without the word “President” in front of it concerns me deeply — I feel it is a covert attempt to erase the fact that he served as President of the United States.
My proverbial soapbox is to preserve history through art. This is my personal journey for America.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Dorothy C. Straughter was introduced to quilting in November of 2015 by a dear neighbor who showed her Underground Railroad quilt. She then embarked on a historical journey woven through numerous works which include the Underground Railroad, Great Migration, Negrobilia and Piece of Peace quilts. This jaunt into the quilt community can be traced in a foundation of skills as an occupational therapist. She completed research projects which included assessment of line, color and form as it relates to the learning process and developed strategies of instruction to support the specialized population. Classes she taught in neuroscience, disease processes and research at Chicago State University helped to establish skills regarding human form and function. Mrs. Straughter’s continuous research beginning at the Stony Island Arts Bank and the world at large has equipped her with the historical perspective that is difficult to find in other venues. Mrs. Straughter’s quilts have been featured at the Art Institute of Chicago, Beverly Arts Center, Beverly art walk, (Beverly Arts Alliance), Bridgeport Art Center, Hyde Park Art Center, Museum of Science and Industry, Open House Chicago and Woman Made Gallery. Her quilts have been featured in the Beverly Review, DNA Info, the Villager, Quilt Arts Magazine and on WVON radio AM1690. The Midnight Sky themed quilt is now on permanent display at the Adler Planetarium. Dorothy’s multifaceted quilt architect evolution continues to sketch itself through the fabric of time.
© Dorothy C. Straughter