Storytellers in Cloth Presented at Red Bank Public Library

Storytellers in Cloth, the quilting cadre created by Michelle Lewis and Gloria Douglas, held their celebration of the art of quilting at the Red Bank Public Library on Saturday. The event was presented by Gilda Rogers of Frank Talk, the art bistro and book store on Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank. 

Collaborating on the event was the Two River Theater Company who organized and performed, along with Rogers, a dramatic reading of Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s play, Gee’s Bend, a generational play that examines the life of a family of women whose triumphs and tragedies are all stitched together through the art of quilting.

“Steeped in black cultural tradition is hope and faith and the same can be said for the art of quilting,” said Rogers, who hosted and moderated the event. “When we understand that it dates back to slavery...it seems to me like it can be viewed as a fusion of saving grace and determination; that saving grace that these women were able, in that time, to create such fine work, considering the conditions that they were under.”

Rogers said the “determination,” is evident in the useful language of the art. Apart from expressing their conditions, quilts used a visual verbiage during the days of the Underground Railroad, expressing, through aesthetic and imagery, signals, directions for wayward, escaping slaves. “A bird pointing in a certain direction,” Rogers said, “would tell them to go this way or that.”

Rogers said that Black History Month is a perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on how gallant and beautiful this artform was and is. Rogers quoting Phillis Wheatly, the first published African-American poet, said, “in every human breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance.” Rogers called the quote the “spiritual foundation beholden to quilting.” 

The event included a Q&A with Storyteller’s founders Lewis and Douglas, that touched on their personal history of quilting and the development of their organization. Both were born out of a mutual interest in the art form from early exposure and a curiosity in the tradition that spans generations of their families.  Indeed, Douglas’ mother was in attendance at the event and explained her participation in the tradition during the Q&A with audience members. 

Calling herself a “needle girl,” the elder Douglas, recounted how, in her youth, she would sit beneath the quilt in progress and pass needles back up to the family quilters on the topside of the fabric. This facilitation helped speed the process and this story helped fuel her daughter’s interest in the artform. 

“Quilting is very important aspect of black culture and history and today that history is being preserved by Storytellers in Cloth,” Rogers said. The organization holds an annual event, with some of the countries finest quilting artists, including Faith Ringgold, best known for her painted story quilts. 

Concluding the enlightening, moving and even funny event was the reading of Gee’s Bend. John Dias, Artistic Director of the Two River Theater Company was on hand to introduce the reading. Dias, new to the theater and town, expressed admiration for art and the tradition of quilting, as well as Rogers’ attitude and her fostering of art in the area.  “If Gilda wants to do something,” he said “we do something.” It was Dias who suggested incorporating the play into the event. “I thought if there’s some way we can tie in what the quilters do and what we do in theater that would be great and then I remembered the story of this play about the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama.” 

The 90 minute reading included the talents of Sherise Pruitt, David Crownson, Rashonda Farrell and Gilda Rogers.