The Quilts of Gee's Bend

While reading some posts from the Getty listerv I came across a comment made by a fellow art teacher based on, as she put it, 'the quilts of Gee's Bend'. Immediately my interest was peaked because I am currently planning a lesson based on Faith Ringgold's 'Tar Beach' so I've been thinking of different ways of creating a patchwork quilt effect with my first graders. After reading the post, I googled 'Gees Bend', thinking it was a person. As a matter of fact it isn't a person at all, but a group of women from southern Alabama who create beautiful abstract quilt designs. They have a pretty interesting history as well. Here's an image from their site:
1.) Allie Pettway | Housetop, 1970-1975 2.) Annie Mae Young | Bars, 2003 3.) Annie Mae Young | Blocks, 2003 4.) Annie Mae Young | Housetop, 2002 5.) Annie Mae Young | Housetop Center Medalion, 1970-1979 6.) Katie Mae Pettway | Housetop Variation, 2002 7.) Linda Pettway | Blocks and Strips, 2003 8.) Lola Pettway | Housetop Variation, 2002 9.) Louisiana Bendolph | Blocks and Strips Medallion, 2003 10.) Lucy Witherspoon | Housetop, 1985 11.) Mary Lee Bendolph | Bars and Blocks, 2003 12.) Mary Lee Bendolph and Ruth P. Mosely | Bricklayer

Here's the site itself:
http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/quiltmakers/index.shtml

Yes, another site to visit

http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/

A fellow blogger's site with loads of information and lesson plan ideas for elementary grade art projects

2 sites to share

The first site is one that I originally wanted to post in conjunction with a sculpture lesson I was planning on doing, but the lesson never materialized (due to various time constraints and materials) but here's the link anyways. It basically discusses the importance of clay and children. It isn' t scholarly material, but it's interesting nonetheless.

http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/clay&kids.htm

The second is a great site for art lesson ideas when you are on a budget. It gives a huge list of projects you can create from recycled materials (a.k.a garbage) it has everything from tinfoil, to toilet paper roles. I LOVE IT!

http://www.kid-at-art.com/