M’CHIGEENG—From treasured quilts made when there were births in a family to those who made quilts in memory of a loved one, the Zaagidowin gii-dgowngaade (made with love) quilt display at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation (OCF) in M’Chigeeng will be enjoyed by all those who love quilts. This is a community-focused exhibition showcasing the treasured quilts made by Anishinaabe artists, community members and their families on Manitoulin Island.
“Today’s opening of this quilt exhibition Zaagidowin gii-dgowngaade (made with love) is made up of the works of quilters in four communities on the Island, Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, M’Chigeeng First Nation, Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, and Birch Island,” said OCF curator Shaelynn Recollet. “The majority of the 17 quilts are hand made and not using a machine.” The list of quilts includes quilts from OCF’s permanent collection.
“This exhibition is meant to showcase artists who don’t normally get much recognition for these works and have had the quilts at home,” said Ms. Recollet. “They are secret treasures that the artists have been hiding at home. They are colourful, bright and creative.”
“Quilting has always been a communal activity, an occasion for grandmothers, mothers and many generations of Anishinaabe men and women to gather, socialize and work together to create blankets for loved ones or to provide for their families,” said Ms. Recollet.
Georgina Toulouse told the gathering, “through laughter and stories shared while sitting around the frame and hand-sewing pieces together, many hands come together to complete quilts that remain within a family for years to come. To receive a blanket through inheritance or as a gift to celebrate life and one’s accomplishments, is always an honour and it connects us to family and community members who may no longer be physically with us.”
“A quilt is an expression of the makers’ time, talents and skills,” said Ms. Toulouse. “A meditative and slow process that sees the quilter putting love in every stitch and giving prayer from start to finish; honouring those that came before them and blessing the many generations to come.”
“These quilts can be elaborate in their design, through their use of printed/colour fabric and the stitching itself,” continued Ms. Toulouse. “Other embellishments such as applique and the inclusion of ties and buttons come together to create a united piece that depicts a narrative of personal and cultural significance.”
“The ingenuity of and the resilience in the act of being able to take scraps of fabric and create intricate designs and whole quilts that tell stories and represent generations of love is a tradition that all Anishinaabe artists and crafters seek to continue: to create something meaningful, out of what we have available, for others to enjoy,” continued Ms. Toulouse.
“Such quilts are pulled out occasionally. Either for the purpose of ceremony or unfolded from the closet and placed on beds come the cold of fall and winter,” said Ms. Toulouse. “They are seldom shown beyond a family home.”
“Zaagidowin gii-dgowngaade (made with love) seeks to showcase the talent and love of our grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, aunts, uncles and community members through a community-focused exhibition of these beautifully patterned and humble quilts. We hope to create an exhibit that honours their memory, provides a similar sense of comfort, and inspires a new generation of crafters,” read Ms. Toulouse.
The list of quilters whose works are now being show at OCF includes Rita L. Corbiere, Rose Toulouse, Marion McGregor, Linda Lewis, Barbara Ann Riley, Georgina Toulouse, Evelyn Toulouse, Louise Bebonang, Josephine Eshkibok, Lillian Debassige, Nora Debassige, Cheryl L. Mishibinijima, Georgina R. Toulouse, Kara Peltier, Isadora and Bonita Bebamash, Donna Roy, Theresa Wabegijig, and Marie Eshkibok-Trudeau.
Marion McGregor told The Expositor the baby blanket quilt she made “was done in 2013, when my great granddaughter Delia, who turns 10 this year, was born.”
Georgina Toulouse, a graduate of the Ontario College of Art, made framed applique wall hangings and she said family members who were quilters formed the basis of her interest in quilting from a very young age.
The quilt exhibition is on display at OCF until May 31.
