My quilt A Star Among Stars has been acquired by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA for their permanent collection. It is a part of a four quilt acquisition which included my donation of my quilt Purses of Plenty.
A Star Among Stars is the crown jewel of my red and white quilt collection. I hand pieced approximately 3000 pieces using the English Paper Piecing method. It took me over three years to create the center of the quilt. Searching for and fussy cutting the fabrics seemed to take as much time as the piecing. Plus, at the end of the piecing, the paper templates have to be removed! However, although the pieced design is intricate, I think viewers are drawn to the quilt because of the angels. I believe in heavenly and earthly angels, and I try to incorporate them in my quilts whenever possible.
A Star Among Stars was curated into my Long Time Coming: A Retrospective of O.V. Brantley’s Red and White Quilts exhibit and was always the star of the show. The exhibit, which was curated by Tisha Smith, premiered in Atlanta, GA in 2022 and later traveled to the 2023 International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX where it was again the star of the show. I posed for so many pictures in front of this quilt!😍
My quilts tend to be autobiographical, and A Star Among Stars is no exception. For me, A Star Among Stars represents my lifelong quest to always try to be the best at the things I care about. Like many African American Moms, my Mama constantly told me that I had to be twice as good to reach my goals. Also discipline is important to me. This quilt severely tested my discipline. Many days I thought about putting all the pieces in the trash!
A Star Among Stars was recently featured in The April 2024 issue Quiltfolk Magazine. The feature allowed even more people to experience her beauty.
I am thrilled and honored that A Star Among Stars will have a loving permanent home at the High Museum of Art so that future generations can enjoy her.
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