Quilts Interactive

Listen to Marquetta Johnson read a visual description of this interactive.

This interactive space invites visitors to touch and examine three sample quilt blocks that each measure eleven by eleven inches in size. Each quilt block is based on a prominent quilt pattern featured in the exhibition Patterns in Abstraction.

The Birds in the Air quilt block is constructed with solid color, patterned triangular patches, and stitched together with light green thread. The triangles—which represent birds in flight—are arranged in various directions and contained within a thick polka dot border, framed by a thinner patterned fabric. The back of this quilt block exposes the intricate needle work and stitching techniques used to attach the quilt’s front to its backing.

The Housetop quilt block is made of blue, green, and orange fabrics. The central medallion is flanked by rectangular strips, creating concentric squares that extend out to the border. The squares represent the structure of a log cabin viewed from above. Blue and orange running stitches punctuate the various strips of cloth, adding to the visual balance of this block.

The patterns and unique embellishments of the abstract portrait quilt block allude to Marquetta Johnson’s beginnings in quilt making. The circular forms, described as yoyos, are a foundational pattern Marquetta learned from her grandmother. Each yoyo is adorned with a variety of buttons, beads, and semiprecious stones, a personal innovation on the tradition Marquetta was taught. Unlike the other quilt blocks made using all-purpose thread, Johnson’s abstracted quilt portrait is embroidered with a shimmering green thread. The different weights, density, and temperature of the crystals and beads add an extra tactile element to Marquetta’s portrait, introducing visitors to the artist through these personally significant materials.