DATE AND TIME CHANGE:

MONDAY, FEB 3, 11 AM

Artist Talk with Carol Williams: “The Craftivist”

My work with fabrics and buttons is a repurposing of the traditionally feminine art form of sewing and quilting, which has been historically classified as craft.  But I believe that quilting, depicted as folk art associated with the activity of rural women, both Black and white, has been underrated as the true art form that it is. My exhibit uses “women’s work” of sewing to make political commentary.   I began using the term “Craftivist” last year, which describes how art and activism converge as a unique vehicle of social messaging.

I compare my pieces to political cartoons, but with textiles and buttons rather than pen and paper. Each of my hangings tells a story, describes an experience, or illustrates the double standards of which we are all guilty.  The framing I use for mounting is black fencing wire, with the edges twisted into decorative designs that often expand on the theme of the artwork itself.