I’ve been obsessed with Ms. Bisa Butler from the moment I first saw her art and it is “ART” with all caps. So colorful, so intricate, so powerful and moving. Some people refer to them as quilts, but she takes the original art form of quilting and lifts it up an infinite number of notches. I’d never seen anything like it and in honor of Black History Month, I wanted to pay tribute to this incredible artist.
Born in Orange, New Jersey Ms. Butler grew up watching her Mother and Grandmother sew. She majored in fine art at Howard University but never really connected with painting. She then went on to earn her Masters in Art Education at Montclair State University. While there she started working with fabric in a Fiber Art class and for her final project she turned her Grandmother’s wedding photo into a quilt. She realized, with the help of her Professor, that she had merged the craft of quilting with fine art.
She was at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2021 and I fully intended to go, but Covid was still raging in my part of the country and other personal things got in the way. I really do regret it and will definitely make it my mission to see some of her art in person.
She takes pieces of fabric and turns them into a tapestry of features and clothes all on backgrounds of vibrant fabrics. It’s almost like magic, but it’s her talented eye that can see what others can’t. She has works portraying famous people, but I think the everyday people are my favorites.
Below are her portraits of Frederick Douglas, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nina Simone, Chadwick Boseman and even one for Questlove.
I think Frederick Douglas might have been the first one that caught my eye and led me down the rabbit hole that is Ms. Butler. It’s pure perfection from the colors down to his distinctive hairstyle.
Basquiat has his distinctive hair also and she also caught the cheeky expression on his face.
Next is the regalness and commanding presence of Ms. Nina Simone.
I included Chadwick Boseman because it was a fitting tribute to one of the greats who will be sorely missed.
Questlove is one of my favorite people and I follow him on Instagram so when I saw this, I just laughed because I was filled with so much joy!
My ultimate favorites, like I said, are the portraits of everyday people. It captures the style and coolness of the black people I grew up with like my Aunts and Uncles and their friends. They grew up in the 40’s at a time when you dressed up for everything. Of course you never think your parents are cool.
All images are from bisabutler.com.
Well, there you have it. I could go on and on about this fabulous artist, but I want to know what you think about her. Have you ever heard of her, what do you like about her quilting art, etc. Let me know in the comments!
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