Get a copy of Blocks and strips

One of the best known and most revered quiltmakers, Mary Lee Bendolph has spent many decades transforming scraps of old cloth into aesthetic marvels. To create her quilts, she tears worn and discarded clothing into simple strips and blocks of fabric, then assembles them into highly refined geometric abstractions. Her genius resides in her ability to invent a seemingly endless variety of complex compositions and astounding visual effects from a rudimentary vocabulary of shapes. Within this work, somber rectangles of brown wool and blue denim engage in a cubist struggle to subdue a rowdy assortment of brightly colored strips and squares.In the most basic sense, Bendolph’s geometric imagery is an ingenious elaboration on the common practice of strip quilting, a fundamental technique of piecing together bands of cloth that is widespread throughout the South and in many other patchwork traditions. Her gridlike forms also seem to play off the structural framework of the “Housetop

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Artist Biography

early life and inspiration

mary lee bendolph, an american quilt maker, was born in 1935 in gee's bend (boykin), alabama. growing up in a community known for its rich textile traditions, bendolph developed a deep appreciation for the art of quilting. her work is characterized by the use of fabric from used clothing, which she sees as a way to honor the "love and spirit" embodied in old cloth.

artistic contributions and influences

bendolph's quilts have been influential on subsequent quilters and artists, with her work exhibited in museums and galleries across the united states. notably, her pieces have been featured at the philadelphia museum of art and the minneapolis institute of art in minnesota. in 1999, she was highlighted in the pulitzer prize-winning article "crossing over," which explored efforts to reestablish ferry service across the alabama river.

key works and exhibitions

- **untitled (quilt)**: a seminal piece showcasing bendolph's use of repurposed fabric, now part of a private collection. - **quilts from gee's bend**: an exhibition at the WahooArt gallery, celebrating the collective's contributions to american textile art.

legacy and impact

through her innovative approach to quilting, mary lee bendolph has not only preserved the traditions of gee's bend but also inspired a new generation of artists. her dedication to honoring the stories and emotions embedded in used fabric has elevated the medium, positioning it as a powerful tool for storytelling and community building.

explore more of mary lee bendolph's work on WahooArt's artist page.
discover the gee's bend collective's history and influence at wikipedia.
learn about other textile artists and their contributions to art history on wahoo art timeline.

- for a deeper dive into the world of quilting and its cultural significance, visit the art of tapestry: a journey through time and culture on WahooArt. - explore the birmingham museum of art, a hidden gem in alabama, featuring an impressive collection of over 27,000 works of art, at the birmingham museum of art (united states) - a hidden gem.

mary lee bendolph

1935 - , United States of America

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Gee's Bend Quilts
Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['African American art']
Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Louisiana Bendolph']
Date Of Birth: 1935
Full Name: Mary Lee Bendolph
Nationality: American
Notable Artworks:
- Untitled (quilt)
- Work-clothes quilt
Place Of Birth: Georgetown, United States of America

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Blocks and strips

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Artist Biography

Giclée / Art Print

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White $1

Blurside $1

Extended $1

P118B $10

P118H $10

P118W $10

P438Z $10

P508JH $12

P508YH $12

P805H $10

P805Z $10

P919BZ $10

P919G $10

P919XJ $10

P959ZH $10

P968JZ $12

W106C $8

W218G $10

W218JH $8

W218Y $10

W307PJ $10

W316G $10

W316PJ $8

W316Y $10

W398PJ $8

W4111J $10

W500HY $15

W500JH $15

W692G $12

W849H $8

W940BG $15

W953PJ $8

H24-GOLD $30

H24-SILVER $30

H36-GOLD $45

H36-SILVER $45

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Total Price

$ 69

Summary

Giclée / Art Print

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Reproduction Frame

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Nameplate

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Protective Varnish

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Urgent

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Total Price

$ 69

Related Artworks

Artist Biography

**early life and inspiration**

**artistic contributions and influences**

early life and inspiration

artistic contributions and influences

key works and exhibitions

legacy and impact

further reading