Carolyn L. Mazloomi
 Carolyn L. Mazloomi is a fiber
artist, author, historian, and lecturer acknowledged to be one of the
most creative quiltmakers in the United States today. She has produced
an awe inspiring body of work, much of it containing references to
African American life and history, as well as harkening back to a
shared African ancestry. Widely exhibited in the United States and
internationally, her quilts have been included in five exhibitions at
the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery. Her quilts can be found in numerous
important museums and corporate collections, such as the Wadsworth
Museum, American Craft Museum, Bell Telephone, and Exxon. She has
appeared on television shows such as Reading Rainbow, CNN, and was the
subject of the award winning film documentary Uncommon Beauty.
In 1985 she founded the Women of Color Quilters’ Network, an
international organization with a membership of 1700, which has been a
major force in fostering the fiberart works of African American people.
Through Dr. Mazloomi’s effort WCQN members have had their quilts
presented in venues such as prominent museums and galleries, and in
nationally traveled exhibitions. Since founding the “Network” she has
collected a library of over 5000 quilt images of contemporary African
American quilts. She is a frequent consultant for quilt exhibitions,
authors, and historians.
 Beijing, China was the setting
for an international quilt exhibition curated by Dr. Mazloomi as part
of the United Nations Conference for Women held in 1995. This
exhibition resulted in the publication of the book Star Quilts
(Streelekha Press, Bangalore, India) which she co-edited. She is also
author of the book Spirits of the Cloth, given the “Best Non-Fiction
Book of the Year” award by the American Library Association.
Much of my work deals with music. Quilts connect my spirit and soul to
the music that has always been an element of my life. The words of a
song, the emotion in a singer's voice, or the rhythm of music can
inspire a new quilt. None of the quilts are planned, they just give
birth to themselves. Quilts are my equivalent to making music; I never
know the final result. Much like the jazz instrumentalist who
improvises his music with such radically eloquent rhythms, quilts have
vibes all their own. Quilts are visual soul food and I hope the viewer
can feel the spirit of the cloth."
Contemporary African American quilters create richly
narrative quilts because we are a people with many stories to tell,"
says Carolyn Mazloomi, author of Spirits Of The Cloth. Her stunning
book celebrates these stories in images and words, showcasing 150 of
the most beautiful contemporary African American quilts, with brilliant
full-color photographs and insightful text.
 Although the African American
quilting tradition dates back to colonial times, contemporary pieces by
black quilters are highly valued because of their astonishingly vibrant
creativity. The quilts made today in the African American community are
as diverse as the people themselves, encompassing a variety of
techniques and drawing upon imagery that ranges from vivid
African-inspired patterns to sweet childhood memories, from searing
social and political issues to the improvisational poetry of jazz.
Mazloomi, a renowned fiber artist herself, has captured the intimate
power of these works of art, interviewing their makers to gather the
personal narratives behind each piece. This remarkable collection also
includes a preface by award winning author and artist Faith Ringgold
and a thoughtful foreward by quilt expert Cuesta Benberry.
An extraordinarily important and beautiful book, Spirits Of The Cloth
reveals the talent and ingenuity of African American women and men
today, as they piece together fabric to create the stories of their
lives.
This book may be ordered directly from Carolyn Mazloomi.
The cost is $40 plus $4 for shipping and handling.
Email her at:
drmaz4wcqn@aol.com
Contact Information
Telephone: 513-755-3414
FAX: 513-755-0714
Postal address:
5481 Oldgate Dr.
West Chester, OH 45069
Email: DrMaz4WCQN@aol.com
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