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 2015 by a dear neighbor who showed her an Underground Railroad quilt. She then embarked on a historical journey woven through numerous works, including the Underground Railroad, Great Migration, Negrobilia, and Piece of Peace quilts.
Her entry into the quilting community is rooted in her background as an occupational therapist. She completed research projects assessing line, color, and form as they relate to the learning process, and developed instructional strategies to support specialized populations. Classes she taught in neuroscience, disease processes, and research at Chicago State University further established her understanding of human form and function.
Dorothy’s ongoing research, beginning at the Stony Island Arts Bank and extending across the broader world, has equipped her with a historical perspective that is difficult to find elsewhere. This foundation informs the depth and authenticity that distinguish her work.
Her quilts have been featured at numerous prestigious venues, including 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 work has also been highlighted in the Beverly Review, DNA Info, the Villager, and Quilt Arts Magazine, as well as on WVON Radio AM1690. Her Midnight Sky quilt is now on permanent display at the Adler Planetarium.
Dorothy’s multifaceted evolution as a quilt artist continues to unfold through the fabric of time.
© Dorothy C. Straughter