The Bendolph Family of Gee's Bend, Alabama

Two generations of the same family of quilters, the Bendolphs of Gee's Bend, Alabama, gather to talk about their lives and their art. The Bendolphs - Mary Lee Bendolph, her daughter Essie Bendolph Pettway, and her son Russell Bendolph, came to the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the opening of Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South, on April 20, 2023.

[@l.turner8899]

Compelling stories and exquisite visual art created by generations of graceful women🖤

[@dorothyawo9086]

I love to hear the stories because that's history. The people are so humble & gentle. I would love to go there to meet the quilters. They all have been blessed with a talent for creativity. God bless the work of their hands.

[@pamfrank3962]

I sit here listening to these stories and you can hear the love and faith in God and in Life..regardless of how hard their life has been. This is what makes the Quilts so special. As they said they were singing praying and the soul of these quilters went into their stitches.❤

[@Westernwilson]

This interview really points up that the creative drive can be frustrated (no resources to work with and little time) but not extinguished. What these quiltmakers achieved with incredibly limited resources is not just inspiring and humbling, but tells us that it is the creative function that takes quilts to the next level. They had to push hard to transform those materials into something beautiful...a good lesson for every quiltmaker.

[@douglasudell3616]

I grew up in the times they are talking about and I have fond memories but I don't want to live that way anymore

[@starkravenwild791]

Nice to have their story recorded for the next generations.

[@iloveshaakah]

Resoursful❤❤❤❤ God bless The mothers of necessity.. these quilts are more beautiful than those made with “ pretty” stuff.

[@sandysmith6629]

Excellent discussion!

[@douglasudell3616]

I grew up in the times they are talking about and I have fond memories but I don't want to live that way anymore