Paper Silhouette of Quilter

In this paper silhouette cutting, a woman sits in a ladder-back chair, hand-sewing a nine-patch quilt that covers her lap like a full skirt. While the form obscures the quilter’s identity, the image may pay homage to artist Ira Blount’s mother, a seamstress who taught her sons to sew and made quilts to keep their family warm. The piece invites viewers to consider how the domestic arts have changed over time. In our current moment, when advances in technology and mass-production have eliminated the need for many traditional home crafts, these media are transformed into pleasurable hobbies.

After moving to Washington, DC following World War II, Ira Blount mastered dozens of artisanal crafts. His love for crafting, learning, and community engagement would endure over the course of his long life and career.