The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center is creating a community quilt as part of Common Threads: Quilters of West Alabama Meet Mud Cloth Makers of West Africa, a residency from Nov. 7-11, 2011.
Everyone is invited to submit a square that tells a story from their life or life in Alabama. All the squares received will be combined into a one-of-a-kind “Our Alabama Stories” quilt during the week-long residency event.
To participate, create an 8x8-inch square that represents you or your family. The square should have a 1-inch border on all sides, so the squares can be sewed together to create the quilt. Deliver or mail your square to Kimberly Kirklin at ArtPlay, 1006 19th St. South, Birmingham, Ala., 35294, by Nov. 2. To schedule a time to drop off your square, email kkirklin@uab.edu.
“Common Threads” showcases the artistry of two of the world’s most vibrant contemporary textile traditions: the quilters of Gee’s Bend and Groupe Bogolon Kasobane, mud-cloth masters of Bamako, Mali, working simultaneously on their art pieces during the course of the week in the Alys Stephens Center lobby. Lunchtime discussions and special events will explore each art form and the artists that practice it, the similarities between the arts and cultural memory patterns included in both groups’ artistic expressions. Hands-on educational activities are planned during the week. The residency will be open 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11:30 a.m. until the closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday. Admission is free. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.