A few weeks ago I attended a traveling exhibition of quilts made by residents of the Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center at The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative. The more I talked to participants in the program and their instructor Roy Mitchell, the more I could see why these young men, separated from their friends and families, would be drawn to quilting. It's not just an antiquated craft popular among women of a certain age. No, the practice of making quilts offers the opportunity to renew social bonds. They're strengthening ancestral bonds with their grandmothers and great aunts who first exposed them to the craft and reconnecting with their families to whom they regularly send their creations. They have become so well-versed in the art and technique that they're even donating quilts to homeless shelters. It's no wonder then that they spend 9 hours a day working on their quilts. They're sewing themselves a connection to the world they've been separated from.
Apologies for the crummy sound quality--it was my first proper field recording. But oh what a fun way to start!
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