I took a break from the watching the Olympics and from quilting to attend a concert at the House of Blues in Anaheim. The House of Blues venue is perfect for an intimate concert. The place is cozy, and probably very attractive for bands that really want to connect with the crowd.
What I was more interested in was the many quilts displayed on the walls—all contributing to the “cozy” atmosphere of the hall. ("Housetop" quilt, circa 1965) The stage curtain was perhaps the biggest “crazy quilt” I had every seen—being at least 40’ x 40’ big! Giant wood frames house the 15 or so full size quilts displayed on the walls.
I am a fan of the quilts from Gee’s Bend and thought perhaps some of the ones on display were from the Alabama town of Gee’s Bend. I asked around, but the staff did not know much about the quilts other than they thought they were from New Orleans and that they were “really old”.
In doing a bit more research I found out that they are in fact from Gee’s Bend. “The
House of Blues Folk Art collection includes a number of quilts that were made by African American women from a small rural community called Gee’s Bend, located in Alabama,” states the website for the International House of Blues Foundation. (This photo is of ladies sewing a quilt in 1937 in Gee's Bend, Alabama. Photo courtesy of the Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Prints and Photography Division, Library of Congress as shown on the npr website.)
For more information about these primitive quilts, the book “The Quilts of Gee’s
Bend” contains a history of this small, remote, black community in Alabama. According to the book, “Gee’s Bend quilts carry forward an old and proud tradition of textiles made for home and family. They represent only a part of the rich body of African American quilts.”
It was refreshing to see the quilts displayed at the concert hall. And score points for the House of Blues for working to preserve the history and culture of quilting. Next time you go to Disneyland, make sure and drop by this Downtown Disney hot spot and see these Gee’s Bend quilts up close and personal.
What I was more interested in was the many quilts displayed on the walls—all contributing to the “cozy” atmosphere of the hall. ("Housetop" quilt, circa 1965) The stage curtain was perhaps the biggest “crazy quilt” I had every seen—being at least 40’ x 40’ big! Giant wood frames house the 15 or so full size quilts displayed on the walls.
I am a fan of the quilts from Gee’s Bend and thought perhaps some of the ones on display were from the Alabama town of Gee’s Bend. I asked around, but the staff did not know much about the quilts other than they thought they were from New Orleans and that they were “really old”.
In doing a bit more research I found out that they are in fact from Gee’s Bend. “The
House of Blues Folk Art collection includes a number of quilts that were made by African American women from a small rural community called Gee’s Bend, located in Alabama,” states the website for the International House of Blues Foundation. (This photo is of ladies sewing a quilt in 1937 in Gee's Bend, Alabama. Photo courtesy of the Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Prints and Photography Division, Library of Congress as shown on the npr website.)For more information about these primitive quilts, the book “The Quilts of Gee’s
Bend” contains a history of this small, remote, black community in Alabama. According to the book, “Gee’s Bend quilts carry forward an old and proud tradition of textiles made for home and family. They represent only a part of the rich body of African American quilts.”It was refreshing to see the quilts displayed at the concert hall. And score points for the House of Blues for working to preserve the history and culture of quilting. Next time you go to Disneyland, make sure and drop by this Downtown Disney hot spot and see these Gee’s Bend quilts up close and personal.
