Bold Improvisation: Searching for African-American Quilts

Freedom, freedom, freedom! The only rule in African-American quilt making is that there are no rules. Familiar quilt patterns are forcefully reinvented and pushed beyond the familiar to create complex works of modern art. This pattern improvisation is similar to jazz music where a simple melody is repeated with ever-changing interpretations creating an evolving syncopation. The vocabulary of this improvisation includes bright colors, clashing prints, balance and imbalance and – above all – visual motion.

Scott Heffley has been collecting African-American quilts for over 30 years as an outgrowth of his passion for American folk art. He has assembled a quilt collection spanning 120 years. Weekends at home in Kansas City, or elsewhere if traveling, Scott can be found in antique shops, antique shows or flea markets searching for treasure. 

Scott recently retired as head of the Painting Conservation department at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art after 34 years. He has brought back to life paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, El Greco and over 100 other masterpieces.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website