Sometimes it is hard to imagine the journey a textile has been on. When was it made, who was it made by, when it was gifted to someone else? Sometimes a special piece is passed down for generations other times it ends up in a pile of unknown. It is sad to see a beautiful handcrafted piece sitting in a thrift store, but sometimes these pieces find new lives. In the Heirloom Textile and the Lifecycle of Memories exhibit, the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum is celebrating fond memories and the creation of new. Whether you find a connection to a person or a textile piece reminds you of another time and place, the works in this show will surely invoke memories.

Susan Lenz - General Artist Statement

Generally using needle and thread for self-expression, I work to articulate the accumulated memory inherent in discarded things. I seek a partnership with my materials, their purposes, values, and familiar associations. Memory, universal mortality, and personal legacy are central themes. Vintage and recycled materials are combined with meticulous handwork and self-guided, free-motion machine embroidery. I am drawn to textiles for their tactile qualities and often make work that is meant to touch and be touched.

The Cocoon is a large-scale fiber installation that transforms a gallery space into a temporary, site specific haven for storytelling. It challenges viewers to make a plan for their family's precious textile possessions. To create The Cocoon, Susan Lenz turned an enormous stash of vintage textiles, buttons, lace, doilies, and household linens into this double-sided enclosure. The soft installation functions as a public point of engagement, a safe environment for sharing family stories. The comfortable interior is a place to share common threads between people of all ages, races, and cultural backgrounds. It is a location for narratives from one generation to be handed to the next. The work pays homage to all anonymous makers who filled their homes with comfort. The work was created during a five-week art residency at the Rensing Center outside Pickens, South Carolina and was funded in part by the SC Arts Commission.

The Clothesline Installation (2020)

Bess Miller Memorial Embroidery Exhibit -  September 30 – October 28

Bess Zellars Miller was a woman with many interests with the love of family, friends, collecting, gardening, and the textile arts. She went through many phases of interest from quilting to embroidery and many in between. Her hands were always busy. In the 1970s, she became fascinated with embroidery, producing many samplers and scenes. She loved Williamsburg, Virginia and made several Williamsburg images. Her kitchen held several kitchen inspired embroidery panels and her hallway had a proud row of samplers. She worked with embroidery for several years, until her interests changed and she moved on to new hobbies. After her passing, Bess’s family divided her treasures with several generations, now having her hand made art to remind them of the great times they spent together. A reception for this show will be held on October 5, from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Heirloom Textiles and the Lifecycle of Memories will be on display from September 30th- December 16th at the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum located at 306 Bradley St. in Carrollton. The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00 a person.