Interview with Cathy Fussell, February 18, 2021

Partial Transcript: I am Emma Parker, and I am conducting a QSOS interview with Cathy Fussell, and it is 2:04 PM. And I'm just going to start by saying welcome Cathy, thank you so much, I really appreciate. And would you tell me about the quilt that you have with you today?

Segment Synopsis: The quilt Fussell shares is entitled "Possum up a Simmon Tree." The ninety-nine inch tall quilt is inspired by a folk song that's special to Fussell's family. It was created as a collaboration between her daughter, Coulter Fussell, and herself. Fussell says that it represents a turning point in her quilting career as one of the first art quilts she ever made.

Keywords: Art quiltmaking; Daughters; Fabric stash; Family; Hand quilting; Quilt history

Subjects: Art quilts; Machine quilting; Quiltmakers--United States

Partial Transcript: You started quilting at nineteen. Did you have quiltmakers in your family? How did you get started?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell comes from a long line of sewers and started sewing and doing embroidery at four years old. In the 1970's, her high school librarian started quilting as a way to revitalize the craft. She was the person who introduced Fussell to quiltmaking.

Keywords: Embroidery; Learning quiltmaking

Subjects: Sewing

Partial Transcript: What kinds of strokes of luck? Do you want to talk about those?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell was invited to offer her quilts for sale by American painter Bo Bartlett and his wife Betsy Eby. This invitation lead to the sale of many of Fussell's pieces and the launch of Fussell's career.

Keywords: Betsy Eby; Professional artists; Professional quiltmakers; Quilt Purpose - Personal income; Selling quilts

Subjects: Bartlett, Bo, 1955-

Partial Transcript: And a second stroke of luck is when I was invited to make the quilt for First Lady Michelle Obama. That was just a surreal experience in every way -- the most pleasant experience without a hitch, without a bobble. The way that happened is that-- there's this entity in Washington D.C. called the Congressional Club. It use to be the Congressional Wives Club.

Segment Synopsis: In 2016, Fussell was commissioned by Vivian Creighton Bishop, the wife of Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop, to make a quilt inspired by Alma Thomas to be gifted to Michelle Obama. Fussell spent more than a month planning and crafting the piece, and then she attended the First Lady's Luncheon, where Michelle Obama was in attendance.

Keywords: Alma Thomas; Columbus; Florene Dawkins; Georgia; Quilt Purpose - Gift or presentation; Sanford Bishop; Vivian Creighton Bishop

Subjects: Art--Commissioning.; Congressional Club (Washington, D.C.); Obama, Michelle, 1964-; United States. President (2009- : Obama)

Partial Transcript: Would you describe -- how, when people ask you, and they don't know you, "what kind of quilts do you make now," -- how do you describe that? What are your inspirations?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell is continually inspired by the topography of the southern United States and literature based on the same topic. Fussell discusses working with her husband, Fred, to create illustrative quilts based on stories they enjoy, including As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner and works by Carson McCullers and Flannery O'Connor. Fussell is also inspired by abstract painters from the 20th Century, like Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, and Ad Reinhardt. She found herself observing the work of these abstract artists and trying to recreate their styles with fabric.

Keywords: Fabric - Hand-dyed; Hand quilting; Map Quilts; Rivers; Topography

Subjects: Art, Abstract; Faulkner, William, 1897-1962. As I lay dying; Fussell, Fred; Machine quilting; McCullers, Carson, 1917-1967; Motherwell, Robert; O'Connor, Flannery; Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967; Rothko, Mark, 1903-1970

Partial Transcript: I really like it. It's hanging in the new Sloane Kettering Hospital in New York. That was the third stroke of luck.

Segment Synopsis: Fussell calls selling twelve pieces to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan as the third stroke of luck in her career. Fussell's pieces were put on display right before the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions in the United States. She received a message from a patient's family member saying that they enjoyed seeing her work displayed in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Keywords: Art quilts; Quilt Purpose - Exhibition; Quilt Purpose - Personal income

Subjects: Art--Commissioning.; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Partial Transcript: Do you do other collaborative work, or are you members of any groups, or do you feel like you work primarily alone?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell describes herself as a "lone wolf quilter," and says she doesn't collaborate with anyone other than her family. However, Fussell is a dues-paying member of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). She sometimes meets with a small group of 6-10 quilters in Central Georgia and enjoys the social aspects, but Fussell finds quilting by herself to be meditative.

Keywords: Quilt guild; Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA); collaboration

Partial Transcript: The last person I did a QSOS interview with was a quiltmaker named Zak Foster who lives in Brooklyn, and he's a high school teacher.

Segment Synopsis: Fussell contemplates the overlap of quilting and teaching. As a teacher, she sometimes took her quiltmaking into the classroom, and several of her students began quilting. Fussell loved teaching the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, because it discussed quilts.

Keywords: Teaching; Zak Foster

Subjects: Male quiltmakers; Quilts in literature; Walker, Alice

Partial Transcript: And you mentioned too when you step into your studio, do you have a discrete room that's your quilting domain, and what is that like for you?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell describes the studio in her loft where she quilts. It is the first time in her life that she has had a dedicated space for working on her quilts. The studio has two sewing machines, a cutting table, ironing station, and a design wall. Fussell's favorite part of quiltmaking is the quilting and stitching, whether it is done by hand or machine. She doesn't dislike any part of the quiltmaking process. Fussell discusses a quiltmaking acquaintance whose favorite part of quiltmaking is the piecing, but she enjoys quilting more than piecing. Fussell primarily does machine quilting now, but she is always working on at least one hand quilting project as well.

Keywords: Design walls; Fabric stash; Hand quilting; Home studio; Machine quilting; Piecing; Quilt design; Work or Studio space

Subjects: Quiltmakers--United States

Partial Transcript: The next questions are sort of big and broad questions, but I'm curious too if there are either quiltmaking artist or artists in general -- you talked about a few already, abstract expressionists -- whose work you admire or have been interested in lately?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell discusses a diverse list of quiltmakers whose work she admires including Paula Kovarik, Bisa Butler, Valerie Goodwin, Chawne Kimber and Betty Busby. Fussell has also been inspired by the Gee's Bend quilters. Parker and Fussell discuss the large number of good art quiltmakers who are currently making quilts and the ability to see their work on social media.

Keywords: Busby, Betty; Butler, Bisa; Gee's Bend quilts; Goodwin, Valerie; Kimber, Chawne; Kovarik, Paula; Quiltmaking inspiration

Subjects: Art quilts; Quiltmakers--United States

Partial Transcript: What do you think makes a great quilt?

Segment Synopsis: For Fussell a great quilt is one that has visual impact, is original and unique, and has historical context. Freedom Quilt by Jesse Teflair and the Kentucky Coffin Quilt are quilts Fussell cites as being great quilts that fulfill those requirements.

Keywords: Aesthetics; Freedom Quilt; Kentucky Coffin Quilt; Telfair, Jessie

Subjects: Quilts--United States

Partial Transcript: How do you think, you talked a little about this, quiltmaking is important to your life as a refuge but also, is it an outlet, is it a boredom saver? What do you think it offers you?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell describes quiltmaking as a means of expression. Fussell finds a particular joy in exhibiting and sharing her work with others and compelling them to consider the subject of her work. She enjoys receiving positive feedback about her work and finds connecting with viewers to be especially rewarding.

Keywords: Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression; Quilt Purpose - Exhibition; Quilt purpose - Art or personal expression

Partial Transcript: Do you, I mean obviously it sounds like a lot of your work is place based. Are there other ways that you feel like your work represents your community or region?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell has a strong connection with cotton, as her family has a long history with the fiber. All of her pieces are made with cotton, and the fabric is the strongest connection her works have to the South. The tactile part of quiltmaking is important to Fussell, and she loves how cotton feels. Fussell is passionate about making pieces that are very local and directly related to a particular place or community. She references her landscape and river quilts, as well as quilts based on Southern literature. Fussell discusses a quilt she made for the Chattahoochee River Conservancy that was auctioned as a fundraiser. It features a particular location on the river near her home that has a rich local history.

Keywords: Chattahoochee River; Chattahoochee River Conservancy; Fiber - Cotton; Quilt Purpose - Fundraising

Partial Transcript: What's next for you? What do think you're going to continue to work on?

Segment Synopsis: At the time of this interview, Fussell is working on a series of ten 24x24 art quilts entitled "Portals" inspired by the Pasaquan visionary art environment. Fussell is also embracing new techniques that will give her more freedom in the quilting process and put less pressure on designing. She learned the technique through a member of her local Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) group, which has members from Georgia and South Carolina.

Keywords: Georgia; Pasaquan; Quilt series; South Carolina; Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA); Techniques; Visionary art

Partial Transcript: Well let's see, we've got time for just one or two more questions. I'm curious, some of your quilts are commissions. Where do the rest of your quilts end up? Do you live with them at home, and what future do you hope your quilts have even after you're gone?

Segment Synopsis: Fussell says that she doesn't have many of her quilts. Most of them are being displayed somewhere else, including a show at her son-in-law's gallery in Oxford, Mississippi. She plans to pass her quilts onto her children in the future. Fussell wonders if some of her quilts that have been purchased by regional collectors will ever be donated to museums. She has two pieces in the Fulton County Public Arts collection in Atlanta. Fussell says it's fun to see her work displayed in other places.

Keywords: Family; Georgia; Mississippi; Oxford; Quilt Purpose - Exhibition; Quilt shows/exhibitions

Subjects: Fulton County (Ga.)

Partial Transcript: I was thinking about that, and I think there are a number of challenges -- opportunities -- lots of opportunities, with the internet, and zooming, and all that.

Segment Synopsis: A challenge Fussell sees quilters confronting is a continual misunderstanding of what a quilt is, and particularly what an art quilt is. Fussell provides some ideas to help with this, including providing more education about quilts. She thinks the programs being done by the Quilt Alliance are part of the solution.

Keywords: Art education; Modern quiltmaking; Quilt Alliance; Teaching quiltmaking

Subjects: Art quilts