Whole Cloth: The Art and Legacy of Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi
By Trelani Michelle
Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi introduces herself as an “elder African-American mother, wife and grandmother born in the Jim Crow segregated south,” a perspective that shapes how she moves through this world.
It’s why her parents joined the Great Migration and moved the family from South Louisiana to Los Angeles. It’s why she gave up her job as an aerospace engineer, where her colleagues were all white men, to become the historian, curator, author, lecturer, founder, and already-legendary quiltmaking artist that we know her as today. It’s why her quilts sometimes center children, usually her grandchildren, but mostly depict giants like Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, Henrietta Lacks, Congressman John Lewis, and Ruby Bridges, whom she refers to as heroes and sheroes.
Her current exhibition, Whole Cloth: Narratives in Black and White—on view at the Claire Oliver Gallery in NYC until November—showcases all of the above named game changers. True to the name of the exhibit, of the 16 quilts presented, most of them are black and white. Occasionally, there are pops of color. For example, in “Ode to a Native Son,” James Baldwin—a Harlem artivist who spent much of his time in France—steps out of the frame, holding a lit cigarette, with both the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty in the background. The piece is rendered in black and white, yet his scarf stands out in striking red.
“Ode to a Native Son,” 2024, 78.5" x 52.5,” poly-cotton fabric, cotton thread, cotton batting, fabric paint.
“Mother of Quilting” features a black-and-white portrait of Harriet Powers, set against Dr. Mazloomi’s distinctive spiral motif, also in black and white. In her hands, she holds a colored patch that appears to be a piece of the multicolored patchwork quilt behind her. “Rainy Day Twins in the Times of Covid” is another striking black-and-white piece that features two young girls sharing an umbrella while standing in a puddle. Their bright yellow boots provide the only bursts of color in the artwork. Dr. Mazloomi fondly recalled her own beloved rain boots from childhood, saying, “I wished it would rain every day. I could not wait, in Louisiana, for the rainy season to wear those yellow boots. So I wanted to put yellow boots on the twins.” In contrast, most of the other quilts in the exhibit remain strictly black and white.
Initially, Dr. Mazloomi opted for monochrome quilts to alleviate her problem of spending too much time auctioning colors. Then a deeper significance surfaced. Through the usage of this classic though simple color scheme, “there’s no obstruction between what I want to say to the viewer,” she explained, then went on, “everything is about black and white, especially in this country. Everything is about race, including the upcoming presidential election.”
In a world where race plays such a significant role, it's essential for people of color, who have been strategically undervalued, to cultivate a strong sense of identity. That requires embracing your culture and history, but, in order to do so, you have to first be properly educated on it. Using art to teach history and culture can transform complex concepts into narratives that are both sensual and accessible, enhancing understanding and engagement. “Each one of the quilts is a history lesson,” Dr. Mazloomi explained, “They are visual records, historic documents, and they should be treated no less.”
Harriet Powers caption: “Mother of Quilting,” 2024, 67” x 60.5,” cotton, India ink, textile paint, cotton thread, cotton batting
She wasn’t just referring to her own quilts. “Every quilt tells a story, even those patchwork quilts that you see. Don't think just because you're seeing little geometric pieces that the quilts don't tell a story. Every time a maker puts hand and needle to cloth, it's a story…Hundreds of years from now, people will be studying these quilts,” she predicted. Though quiltmakers are griots with much to say, access and opportunity is not equal among artists and storytellers. So intentionality has to be involved to ensure that quilts made by Black folk are part of the conversation, now and later, because museums and galleries, historically dominated by white men, haven’t always actively supported non-white and non-male artists. This means far less exhibition and funding opportunities for those affected by racism, sexism, ageism, and, especially, those sitting at the intersection of all three.
Since founding the African-American Quilt Guild of Los Angeles in 1981 and the Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) in 1985, Dr. Mazloomi has been a leading advocate for raising awareness about the diverse interpretations, styles, and techniques of African-American quilters. What stands out about WCQN, which continues to thrive, is its commitment to nurturing not just artistry, but also swaddling artists as individuals. It’s a safe space, a healing space, a clearing. “It goes beyond quilting,” Dr. Mazloomi said of the Network. “We're like family. I cannot envision my life without these women and men.” While WCQN has fostered a sacred community where members see each other as sisters and brothers rather than just colleagues, they've also significantly enhanced their professional credentials.
Dr. Mazloomi curated 21 exhibits for quilts made by WCQN members in Japan, England, South Africa, Italy, and Australia, including Spirits of the Cloth: Contemporary African American Quilts, organized by the Museum of Art and Design in New York City; Threads of Faith, hosted by the Museum of Biblical Art; Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition; Quilting African American History: Our Challenges, Creativity, and Champions; And Still We Rise: Race, Culture, and Visual Conversation; and Human Rights in the New Millennium.
“Rainy Day Twins in the Time of Covid,” 2024, 80” x 79,” poly-cotton fabric, cotton thread, cotton batting, fabric paint
“Good Trouble in Honor of John Lewis,” 2024, 75.5” x 59.5,” poly-cotton fabric, cotton thread, cotton batting, fabric paint
In a 1993 commencement speech, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison remarked, “If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game.” Dr. Mazloomi embodies this ethos, actively uplifting her people. “It’s important to give artists that opportunity to show their work… So anything that I can do to help them, that’s my charge, that’s my duty. I feel responsible to help in any way I can,” she shared in a 2021 interview with her mentee, Bisa Butler, through the Toledo Museum of Art. “I was the recipient of such help,” Butler recalled. “Dr. Mazloomi was one of the first people to call me…[She] invited me to submit images for a quilt exhibit [she was] putting together. [Textural Rhythms] was a huge exhibit. It went to Japan and New York, and I was in grad school, just making quilts. So to get that phone call from [her], it was affirmation, saying ‘I see what you’re doing.’”
In addition to curating exhibits, Dr. Mazloomi does the same for books highlighting African-American quilts. To date, she’s published 12 books, including Visioning Human Rights in the New Millennium(2019), Yours for Race and Country: Reflections on the Life of Colonel Charles Young(2019), We Who Believe in Freedom (2020), We Are the Story: A Visual Response to Racism (2021), and Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West (2022). “Every exhibition I've ever done, there's a book to accompany that exhibition,” she expressed, “We as Black folk have to be responsible for leaving that footprint in the history of the canon of American Art.”
Her support for the village continues: “I’m starting a residency at the Textile Center in Minneapolis for Black quiltmakers. Most all the quilters I've worked with, I'd say 99% of them are self-taught. The residency program would allow the quiltmaker two to three weeks study with a master quilter from anywhere in the world. If the artist is making this extraordinary work and they're untrained, what the hell is going to happen when they work with a master artist and get that information and learn those techniques? What are they going to create? I mean, the sky is the limit!”
Dr. Mazloomi is the blueprint.
She took a bold step by pursuing her art, leaving behind a career that sounded better in conversation than it felt to her spirit. Despite lacking mentees or artist communities that felt like home, she forged her own path, becoming a mentor and creating inclusive spaces for both younger and older peers. She actively collects art as much as she creates and curates it. Throughout her career, she has often prioritized uplifting the work of others over her own recognition. Her commitment to education is unwavering—she informs the public about the cultural significance of African-American quilts; helps quilters understand the monetary value of their craft; teaches youth about their history through these quilts; and guides artists on essential practices like labeling, appraising, documenting, and estate planning.
She consistently cautions against giving everything away, reminding us that major institutions and affluent collectors already possess plenty. “You have to leave something for your family. You can't sell everything,” she advised. Perhaps, most importantly, Dr. Mazloomi returned to her roots in the quiltmaking world: circling back to the fundamental act of putting hand and needle to cloth. After decades of fulfilling her duty of empowering others, she’s back in the studio with renewed urgency.
Whole Cloth: Narratives in Black and White is the gallery’s first solo exhibition of work by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi and the artist’s first solo exhibition at an NYC gallery space. Fourteen of the sixteen quilts showcased were made in the last 15 months, and they’re on view at the Claire Oliver Gallery, a four-story brownstone in Central Harlem until November 2, 2024.
Catch her while you can. ‘Tween me and you, she’s retiring soon.
