Ora Clay
Ora Clay
About: In Alabama, as a young child, I observed my mother making quilts for our beds on a quilting frame made with two-by- fours. I watched her stretch the balls of cotton that we grew on the farm into a batting layer, and wash and soften flour sacks for backing fabric. The pieced top of the quilt was recycled from clothes we had outgrown.
Some years ago my daughter took me to a series of classes at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco (MOAD), which was taught by master quilter, Marion Coleman. This allowed me to continue the quilting tradition. Since those first quilts, I have done dozens of quilting projects. My quilts have been exhibited over two dozen times, with one being featured in the New York Times Art Section along with other quilts from the African American Quilting Guild of Oakland (AAQGO).
I am reminded of the utility of quilts when I think of my mother. But quilts are also beautiful art, and a great vehicles for storytelling. I enjoy the process of quilt making. We have moved from coverings for beds to public and private art depicting who we are.
Quilting not only allows me to create beautiful art, working with different colors and textures, but also to use the beauty of the quilting medium to draw the viewer into thinking about serious issues facing our world.
Website: www.quiltsbyora.com
More info: Please contact me through my web page.
