ARTIST STATEMENT
For this artwork, I hand-stitched call-to-action phrases on forty-two, vintage quilt blocks and presented them in 10” diameter wooden embroidery hoops. The work was inspired by the early Suffragists and the centennial celebration of the 19th amendment. The use of decades-old Sun Bonnet Sue quilt blocks recalls the years of struggle before women were granted the right to vote and serves as a reminder that gender equality is still an ongoing issue.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
As a visual artist using found objects and digital images for self-expression, I work in partnership with my materials, their purposes, values, and familiar associations. I generally use a needle and thread to articulate memory, mortality, and the desire for the last legacy. Meticulous hand embroidery and self-guided, free-motion stitching are my approaches. Because time is short and days are numbered, I work with the hope that one little piece of my art might be kept through coming generations, cherished, admired, remembered, and regarded for its quality, marking my existence on this planet. This is a race to the final day. I am drawn to textiles for their tactile qualities and often make work that is meant to touch and be touched.
© Susan Lenz