Ancestral Christmas, art quilt, by O.V. Brantley.
Filed under: Christmas, Quilt News | Tagged: African American quilter, Ancestral Chrisrmas, art quilter, fiber art, O.V. Brantley | Leave a comment »
Wishing You A Joyous Holiday Season
Posted on December 4, 2014 by ovbrantley
Merry Christmas, by O.V. Brantley
The Clara Ford Foundation wishes you a joyous holiday season. We look forward to seeing you at the 2015 Atlanta Quilt Festival in August. Click the donations button on the left to learn how you can support our programs.
Filed under: 2015 Atlanta Quilt Festival, Christmas | Tagged: 2015 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, fiber art, O.V. Brantley | Leave a comment »
Last Chance to See the Quilts of the 2013 Atlanta Quilt Festival
Posted on August 10, 2013 by ovbrantley
Choose to Bloom by O.V. Brantley
Today is the last day to see the quilts of the 2013 Atlanta Quilt Festival. The Festival exhibit ends at 5 p.m. today. The exhibit is at South Fulton Arts Center, 4645 Butner Road, College Park, GA. Be sure to vote for Best of Show while you are there.
Thank you for your support of the 2013 Atlanta Quilt Festival. The Festival is held each year during the first two weeks in August.
Filed under: 2013 Atlanta Quilt Festival | Tagged: 2013 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, Choose to Bloom, fiber art, O.V. Brantley, quilt exhibit, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Red and White Quilt Exhibit Continues Through August 11
Posted on August 6, 2012 by ovbrantley
Roses are Red by O.V. Brantley
The Atlanta Quilt Festival Exhibit continues through August 11, 2012 at South Fulton Arts Center. You will not want to miss the beautiful collection of red and white quilts.
The South Fulton Arts Center is located at 4645 Butner Road, College Park, GA. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
See you at the Festival!
Filed under: Quilt Exhibits | Tagged: 2012 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, O.V. Brantley, red and white quilt, Roses are Red, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Happy Mother’s Day from the Clara Ford Foundation!
Posted on May 13, 2012 by ovbrantley
Clara’s Scrap Bag, 70 x 89 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2001.
Clara Ford
Clara Ford was the mother of six children: Allen, Ray, Matthew, Emma, Evora and Ruth. Her legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her quilts. Eight of her quilts remain, stored in treasured status, ready to inspire future generations. These quilts will be available for viewing at the 2012 Atlanta Arts Festival which opens at noon July 29, 2012 at the South Fulton Arts Center, 4645 Butner Road, College Park, GA.
Shown above is a quilt that honors Clara. It was made by O.V. Brantley, her granddaughter. The quilt is called Clara’s Scrap Bag.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: 2012 Atlanta Quilt Festival, Clara Ford, Clara's Scrap Bag, O.V. Brantley, quilts, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Posted on February 12, 2012 by ovbrantley
Roses are Red by O.V. Brantley
O.V. Brantley
For those who may not receive real flowers for Valentine’s Day, O.V. Brantley shares her quilt Roses are Red. This quilt features many shades of red in pieced blocks that are borderd by a needle turn applique floral border. The exquisite machine quilting was done by Sylvia Davis.
Happy Valentine’s Day From the Clara Ford Foundation!
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: African American quilter, applique quilt, fiber art, O.V. Brantley, red and white quilt, Roses are Red, Sylvia Davis, Valentine's Day quilt | Leave a comment »
Complicated Christmas Star
Posted on December 11, 2011 by ovbrantley
Complicated Christmas Star, 57 x 57 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2011. For sale at http://www.ovbrant.etsy.com
Life gets complicated right about now. Family on the way. House not clean. Christmas cards not mailed. Tree not up. Only two weeks left to get everything done!
Don’t panic. Breathe deeply and try to enjoy the journey.
O.V. Brantley
Complicated Christmas Star is a traditional quilt with a twist. The pattern is called labyrinth. The beautiful longarm quilting in a holly leaf pattern with variegated thread was done by Maxine Moore.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: African American quilter, Christmas quilt, Complicated Christmas Star, longarm quilting, Maxine Moore, O.V. Brantley | Leave a comment »
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted on November 24, 2011 by ovbrantley
Life is Good, 72 x 84 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2002.
From all of us at the Clara Ford Foundation, we wish you a joyous and safe Thanksgiving!
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: African American quilter, Life is Good! Be Thankful!, O.V. Brantley, Thanksgiving quilt | Leave a comment »
Uncommon Legacy
Posted on November 12, 2011 by ovbrantley
Uncommon Legacy by O.V. Brantley
Uncommon Legacy by O.V. Brantley is currently on loan to the H.J.C. Bowden Multi-Purpose Senior Center in East Point, GA. It is part of the Clara Ford Foundation’s program of sharing quilts with seniors.
- O.V. Brantley
For those who enjoy traditional quilts, this quilt is an example of needle turn hand appliqué.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: African American quilter, fiber art, H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multi-purpose Facility, O.V. Brantley, South Fulton Arts Center, Uncommon Legacy | Leave a comment »
Manage Your Quilt Collection
Posted on October 1, 2011 by ovbrantley
Whether you are a collector of quilts or a maker of quilts, it is helpful to have all the information about your quilts in one place. My Art Collection is a software program that easily captures all of this information. You can catalog and sort your quilts by several categories including name, quilt artist, date, etc. You can also import pictures of your quilts and record purchase and sale information. If you have your quilt appraised, you can capture that information as well.
If you decide to buy My Art Collection, as a follower of the Clara Ford Foundation, you can receive a 10% discount on your purchase. Just type ovbrantley in the coupon code. Every serious quilt collector or quilt maker will find My Art Collection a great tool for staying organized.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: My Art Collection, O.V. Brantley, quilt software | Leave a comment »
Clara Ford Foundation Donates Quilt to YWCA
Posted on September 13, 2011 by ovbrantley
Open Your Purse 2011, 54 x 65 inches, pieced by O.V. Brantley, machine quilted by Maxine Moore, 2011. Donated to the YWCA
The Clara Ford Foundation is pleased to support the works of theGreater Atlanta YWCA by donating an original quilt to the organization. Open Your Purse 2011 (shown above) will be auctioned at the YWCA’s Open Your Purse event September 21, 2011 at the Georgia Aquarium.
Justine Boyd
Open Your Purse to the YWCA is a silent and live auction with proceeds benefiting the YWCA of Greater Atlanta and its Women in Transition (WIT) program — an 18-month program that helps homeless women regain self-sufficiency. It is the brain child of executive director Justine Boyd.
Open Your Purse 2011 measures 54 x 65 inches and consists of 16 unique purse blocks on happy yellow backgrounds. The quilt was pieced by O.V. Brantley and machine quilted by Maxine Moore. There is a hanging sleeve on the back so that the quilt can easily be hung, or it can be used as a lap quilt.
If you are attending this event, bid high and bid often!
Filed under: Quilt News | Tagged: African American quilter, fiber art, Georgia Aquarium, Maxine Moore, O.V. Brantley, Open Your Purse, Open Your Purse 2011, purse quilt, YWCA Greater Atlanta | Leave a comment »
Forever Friends
Posted on September 11, 2011 by ovbrantley
Forever Friends, by O.V. Brantley, 2009. Photo by India Brantley
Forever Friends was part of a group of four friendship quilts featured at the 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival exhibit which was held at the South Fulton Arts Center. It was created by O.V. Brantley.
O.V. Brantley
Each quilter shared information about herself, and each quilter made two blocks for each of the other quilters in the group. Aleathia Chisolm, Nina Moore and Rosalind Newell were the other quilters featured.
Filed under: Quilt Exhibits, Quilt Features | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, Aleathia Chisolm, Forever Friends, Hammonds House Museum, India Brantley, Nina Moore, O.V. Brantley, quilt exhibit, Rosalind Newell, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Just Friends
Posted on September 10, 2011 by ovbrantley
Just Friends by Nina Moore, 2011. Photo by India Brantley
Just Friends was part of a group of four friendship quilts featured at the 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival exhibit held at the South Fulton Arts Center. It was created by Nina Moore, who also taught the Beginning Quilting class during The Festival.
Nina Moore
Each quilter shared information about herself, and each quilter made two blocks for each of the other quilters in the group. Aleathia Chisolm, Rosalind Newell and O.V. Brantley were the other quilters featured.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, Aleathia Chisolm, friendship quilt, India Brantley, Just Friends, Nina Moore, O.V. Brantley, quilt exhibit, Rosalind Newell, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Keep An Eye On Your Blocks
Posted on September 9, 2011 by ovbrantley
Keep An Eye On Your Blocks, by Aleathia Chisolm, 2010. Photo by India Brantley
Keep An Eye On Your Blocks was part of a group of four friendship quilts featured at the 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival exhibit held at the South Fulton Arts Center. It was created by Aleathia Chisolm.
Aleathia Chisolm
Each quilter shared information about herself, and each quilter made two blocks for each of the other quilters in the group. Rosalind Newell, Nina Moore and O.V. Brantley were the other quilters featured.
Filed under: Quilt Exhibits, Quilt Features | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, Aleathia Chisolm, India Brantley, Keep An Eye On Your Blocks, Nina Moore, O.V. Brantley, quilt exhibit, Rosalind Newell | Leave a comment »
Friendship Quilts Make Great Heirlooms
Posted on September 7, 2011 by ovbrantley
My Purple Cure, by O.V. Brantley, 2002
A friendship quilt is a generic term for a quilt made up of blocks exchanged between friends. Sometimes a particular fabric is chosen, and each quilter makes a block that includes that fabric. Sometimes a particular block is chosen, and each quilter makes that block from the fabric of her choice. These quilts take many forms, but what they all have in common is that they become priceless heirlooms.
O.V. Brantley
Shown here is one of my earliest friendship quilts called My Purple Cure. Each quilter used the purple breast cancer awareness fabric in her block. This 2002 quilt, which hangs in my home, becomes more special as the years go by, as I remember the friends who participated in the block exchange and the circumstances that brought us together.
The 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival exhibit held at the South Fulton Arts Center, featured four friendship quilts that turned out to be the stars of the show. The block exchange was organized by Rosalind Newell. Each quilter shared information about herself, and each quilter made two blocks for each of the other quilters in the group.
In case you missed them at The Festival, each quilt will be featured on this site.
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, breast cancer quilt, My Purple Cure, O.V. Brantley, quilt exhibit, Rosalind Newell, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Do You Want to See This Quilt in Person?
Posted on August 11, 2011 by ovbrantley
BB King by Lola Jenkins
Lola Jenkins and O.V. Brantley at Brown Sugar Stitchers Tea
There are only three days left to see the quilts in the Atlanta Quilt Festival exhibit. In addition to the juried quilt exhibit, several guest quilt artists have quilts in the exhibit. One of them is Lola Jenkins.
Ms. Jenkins is an exception quilt artist best know for her portraits. She was recently the featured speaker at the Brown Sugar Stitchers Annual Tea. While in town she left BB King (shown above) behind to share with Atlanta’s quilt-loving public.
If you want to see this quilt in person, visit the exhibit at the South Fulton Arts Center, 4645 Butner Road, College Park, GA. The exhibit closes at 4 p.m.
Filed under: Quilt Exhibits, Quilt News | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, BB King, Brown Sugar Stitchers, Lola Jenkins, O.V. Brantley, South Fulton Arts Center | 1 Comment »
Learn to Quilt Saturday
Posted on August 10, 2011 by ovbrantley
Nina Moore
Have you always wanted to learn to quilt? Saturday is your chance. Nina Moore will teach Beginning Quilting at Hammonds House Museum Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. A sewing machine is required.
This class is free, but you must register. To register, contact Hammonds House Museum or email O.V. Brantley at ovbrant@gmail.com. Class size is limited, so sign up today.
This event is part of the activities of the 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival. The quilt exhibit will remain at South Fulton Arts Center, 4645 Butner Road until August 13, 2011. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. There is still time to go by and vote for your favorite quilt.
Filed under: Quilt News | Tagged: 2011 Atlanta Quilt Festival, African American quilter, Beginning quilting class, Hammonds House Museum, Nina Moore, O.V. Brantley, quilts, South Fulton Arts Center | Leave a comment »
Start Your Week With a Quilt Newsletter is On Vacation
Posted on April 10, 2011 by ovbrantley
O.V. Brantley
The Start Your Week With a Quilt newsletter is on vacation. Look for it again in May. Quilters, if you enjoy the newsletter, please resolve to help the editor. Send lots of quilt pictures and quilt stories to ovbrant@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, continue to live your best life and always stay on the high road.
Filed under: Quilt News | Tagged: African American quilter, O.V. Brantley, Start Your Week with a Quilt | Leave a comment »
Happy New Year!
Posted on January 1, 2011 by ovbrantley
Jazzy Stars by O.V. Brantley
Jazzy Stars by O.V. Brantley
Hoping your new year includes lots of quilts!
Filed under: Quilt Features | Tagged: African American quilter, Jazzy Stars, O.V. Brantley | Leave a comment »
Happy Birthday Clara!
Posted on December 12, 2010 by ovbrantley
- Stars in My Heaven, 83 x 97 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2008.
Today is my grandmother Clara Ford’s birthday. We called her Big Mama. She lived and quilted in Crossett, Arkansas from 1892 until 1966. Eight of her quilts survived her, and her spirit lives on through the Clara Ford Foundation.
Happy birthday, Big Mama!
Filed under: Quilt News | Tagged: African American quilter, Clara Ford, Crossett Arkansas, O.V. Brantley, Stars in My Heaven | 1 Comment »
Clara Ford Foundation 