In the Fall of 2022 I created a quilt. The women on my father’s side have carried on a quilting tradition for generations, with this craft being passed down, practiced and preserved.

Currently my father — Brett Pulley

has a quilt in his possession that was passed down from his aunts which their mother — Ma Fannie

made for his father — Charles Pulley

in his infancy. To continue this ancestral practice while also considering the curious tension between the quotidian and the precious, I created a 70’’ x 70’’ “quilt” as a commemorative “thank you” to the matriarchs of both the Pulley and Wade families. A Quilt For — utilized plastic “thank you” bags, a material intended to question — can the ephemeral become precious? Each square of the piece features embroidered names of the women who have carried on this tradition placed alongside graphics that reference the iconic design of the bygone plastic bag.

Documentation photography by Dougal Henken with support by Sadia Quddas and Ian Keller.