• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CLARA NARTEY |Unlock Your Creative Potential

Creativity, Thread Sketching, Art Quilters, Fiber Artists

  • Start Here
    • The Artist
    • Artworks
    • Exhibitions
  • Work with Clara
    • Hire Clara
    • Take a Course
  • Media + Press
  • Blog
  • Contact

Exploring Judy Chicago’s Community Art Project

January 28, 2021 by Clara Nartey 5 Comments

Hey Creative Friend,

One of the things I love to do is read artist autobiographies and interviews. The other day, I was reading an interview of the feminist artist – Judy Chicago. I learned a ton about her from that interview. When I get the chance, I’m going to share a lot more of what I learned about her with you.

However, for now, I want to share just one thing about her work that I found really fascinating. It’s a community art project that she created called The International Honor Quilt.

5 steps to creating a community art project
5 Steps to creating your own community art project

I was thrilled to read about this. The thing is, I believe that a community art project is a really fun way for artists to get other people to experience art in their own personal way.

In 2019, I organized a community art project for the city of Milford, CT to go along with my solo exhibition Drawn with Threads. And I must say, to date, that’s the most meaningful exhibition I’ve hosted.

Community Art Project | International Honor Quilt | Judy Chicago
The International Honor Quilt: Capturing Women’s History: Quilts, Activism, and Storytelling. Image Source: Hite Art Institute

There’s something special that happens when you give everyday people the opportunity to express themselves and create something that is considered “art”. It just lights people up and brings out a part of themselves that they didn’t think existed.

The International Honor Quilt

So, what’s the International Honor Quilt all about? In the seventies, Judy Chicago had created a provocative feminist art installation called The Dinner Party. It is a ceremonial banquet arranged on a triangular table.

There were 39 place settings on the table. Each of them honored one artist. 999 women who didn’t make it on to the table had their names inscribed in gold on the white tile floor below the table.                                 

The purpose of the installation was to honor female artists because women are not given the recognition they deserve. The installation was both provocative and popular. It toured the world. Subsequently, The Dinner party was permanently installed at the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art.

One of the criticisms it had though, was that it didn’t include the names of enough female artists who all deserved to be honored.

Community Art Project | International Honor Quilt | Judy Chicago
The International Honor Quilt, (partial installation)

As a result, Judy Chicago decided to create this project – The International Honor Quilt. This project gave people an opportunity make their own quilts to honor someone of their choosing. That project also became wildly successful.

At the time of Judy Chicago’s interview, they had received a total of 700 quilts from around the world. You’ve got to take some time to explore them for yourself.

A wonderful scholar named Marilee Schmit Nason, from Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, decided to initiate an effort to catalogue information on each of the quilt makers. As a result, there’s an amazing wealth of information on each little quilt in the big piece. I got lost in there while reading the inspiration of several of the contributors. Here are two examples:

Laura Baker, a writer from California, wanted to honor Joy Adamson. Adamson who after decades of living in Kenya, raised an orphaned lion cub called Elsa and then set it free. Adamson also authored several books including the bestseller – “Born Free” which was later adapted into film. Here’s the quilt in her honor.

Individual Quilts in this Community Art Project

Community Art Project | International Honor Quilt | Judy Chicago
[Joy Adamson/Isiolo/Kenya, IQB-033], International Honor Quilt Collection, Hite Art Institute, University of Louisville.

Another woman, Susan Orange, from Ann Arbor, MI decided to honor all female artists. This is part of her statement:

 “Too often women are not taught or encouraged to take themselves, their lives, their dreams or their creations seriously”. 

Susan Orange

Then she continues to say, 

“Our image as serious artists needs to be strengthened, not only by society but by ourselves as well”.

Susan Orange

I loved it. This is exactly why I teach and coach women to make time for themselves, so that they can do their best creative work. There’s so much we can do. If we only believe that we’re worthy of investing the time and money in our own creative development.

Here’s the quilt by Susan Orange 

Community Art Project | International Honor Quilt | Judy Chicago
[Susan Orange/Michigan/America, IQB-014], International Honor Quilt Collection, Hite Art Institute, University of Louisville.

There are so many gems in that collection. I encourage you to explore the International Honor Quilt.

Furthermore, if you’re someone who shares your work, consider doing a community art project. Community art projects bring so much meaning to a community. They connect people together and leave a piece of artwork that is cherished by so many because they were involved in making it.

Also, more often than not, your community project will likely end up being preserved and protected because of what it stands for and what it means to the community. As an example, my community art project for the city of Milford, Connecticut is permanently installed in the town’s library.

The International Honor Quilt is Featured on PBS

Below, you can view a 5 minutes video interview and presentation of the honor quilts on the PBS show, “Sewing with Nancy”. Here’s the video

Sewing with Nancy Video | International Honor Quilt | Judy Chicago | Shelly Zegart
“Sewing with Nancy” featuring the International Honor Quilt – an interview with Shelly Zegart

Five Things to Do to Create Your Own Community Art Project

If you want to create your own community project, here are five things to do:

  1. Find a community partner, for example, the library, a youth center, the town, a special interest group like a women’s group, a sports team, etc.
  2. Come up with an interesting idea that focuses on the community or group you identified
  3. Draw out a plan with the specifics of how you envision the project will be carried out
  4. Present your plan to the stakeholders or community leaders and share your vision to get their approval and commitment. Be willing to tweak your plan to suit the stakeholders
  5. Deliver on your promise. Remember: you’ll need help from others to make this come together. Judy Chicago didn’t do it by herself. Don’t try to go it alone.
Milford Connecticut Art Project | Connecting Communities
Community Art project for the city of Milford, © Clara Nartey

Note, the better you’re able to paint a picture of your vision in your plan and your subsequent meeting, the more likely that you’ll get the support you need. As an artist, you can visualize what you want to create. Others can’t. So, you’ll have to paint that vision for them in order for them to buy in.

Finally, if you want to create art that’s not all about you, I hope you’ll consider creating a community art project for your community.

meaningful community projects
Save to your Pinterest board for later

Question: What apprehensions do you have about creating a community art project? Ask questions below and I’ll answer them.

Love,

Clara's Signature

Get behind the scenes and learn more about my art practice, events, exhibitions and release of new artworks


JUST ONE MORE STEP...... Success! Now you need to check your email to confirm your subscription. The subject will be [confirm your subscription] Once you click the link in this confirmation email, you will be on your way to receiving exclusive C-Letters meant for Clara's Friends only. Don't forget to confirm your email. Warmest Regards, Clara

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

I won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Comments

  1. Carney Judy says

    January 28, 2021 at 10:40 am

    I’m afraid I’ll start something that no one will interested in doing? Or maybe that it’s too wide in scope. By that I mean how to come up with a topic

    Reply
    • Luna says

      January 28, 2021 at 11:26 am

      Hi Judy,
      What do you want to start? Perhaps I can collaborate!
      Luna

      Reply
    • Clara Nartey says

      January 28, 2021 at 12:22 pm

      Judy, that’s not going to happen if you work with the community leaders on your idea.

      Fear can stop us from doing things outside our comfort zone. Don’t let it.

      You don’t have to figure everything out by yourself. Just come out with the outline and discuss it with the community leaders. Then between the two parties, you can come up with something that will be meaningful to the community as a whole. Also, like Luna suggested, you can collaborate on this with another artist if that will make you feel better. You’ve got this, Judy! Can’t wait to her about your project.

      Reply
    • Clara Nartey says

      January 28, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      Luna, You’re absolutely right. Collaborating with another artist is another way of doing it so that you don’t get overwhelmed.
      Find yourself a collaborator and do something for your community, Luna. You’ll be glad you did.

      Reply
    • Clara Nartey says

      January 28, 2021 at 12:39 pm

      Possible Topics:
      1. What is something in the community that has been lost and everyone will like to see come back?
      2. Who is someone in the community who’s done so much and needs to be honored?
      3. What are some under served groups in the community who can be helped?
      4. What’s a piece of history in the community that can be celebrated?
      5. What’s the community or team spirit?
      Create something around your answer to any one of these 5 questions.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Art trends | Craft figuration | fiber art | textile art
Next »
Return to menu
Quilt Folk
« Previous

Creativity

Professional Development

Creative Confidence Boost

Thread Sketching Videos

Thread Sketching Techniques

Surface Design

Textile Art Collector

Textile Art Business

 

Let's Connect on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · All images copyrighted by the artist, Clara Nartey,
and are not to be copied or reproduced in any manner.
Privacy Policy|Terms and Condition|Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Aspire Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in