Laverne Brackens
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Laverne Brackens | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1927 (age 98–99) |
| Style | Quiltmaking, textile arts |
| Awards | National Heritage Fellowship |
| Website | quiltsofcolorbylaverne |
Laverne Brackens (born 1927) is an American quilt maker and textile artist from Fairfield, Texas. Brackens is noted for her work in the tradition of African-American improvisational quilt making. In 2011 she was recognized with a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Technique
Brackens was born in 1927.[1] She grew up in Fairfield, Texas, the oldest daughter of eight children.[2] She learned quilt making from her mother, and whom she helped by tacking quilts.
Brackens married at age 18 and she and her husband shared eight children.[2] Brackens worked to support her family as a restaurant cook. Brackens did not start making quilts for herself until 1987, when she retired from her restaurant career after an accident with a food cart.[1][3]
Brackens is known for her use of color and distinctive shapes in her quilts, such as dogs, cowboy boots, and elephants.[1] She does not use patterns in her designs, instead improvising the design as she quilts.[4] Brackens has described the inspiration for her quilts as coming to her in her dreams.[3]
Brackens has taught her distinctive quilt making to her daughters and grandchildren.[1]
Honors
In 2011, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Brackens with a National Heritage Fellowship for her craftwork.[1] That year, Michelle Obama commissioned Brackens to create a quilted shawl to be gifted to South Korea.[2][5]
Brackens quilts were collected in abundance by Eli Leon.[6][7] After Leon's death, more than 300 quilts by Brackens were donated from his collection to the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.[8][9]
Collections
- "Strip", 2019, Los Angeles County Museum of Art[10]
- "Roman stripe medallion quilt", 1992, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco[11]