Two of Charlene Hughes Quilts will be on Exhibit in Celebration of the Inauguration of our 44th President Barack Obama

Community website by MBC/Ernest Abrams. Call 808-739-9797 for advertising/sponsorship. Community website by MBC/Ernest Abrams. Call 808-739-9797 for advertising/sponsorship.

First Friday Hawaii
News Item
Powered by MBC NewsMaker
Two of Charlene Hughes Quilts will be on Exhibit in Celebration of the Inauguration of our 44th President Barack Obama
Tweet

LOCAL PRESS RELEASE

Quilts for Obama: An Exhibit
Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President
(View quilts below)

Roland L. Freeman, Guest Curator

January 11 - January 31, 2009 at The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. 801 K Street, NW (at Mount Vernon Square); Washington, DC 20001 202.882.7764

Charlene Hughes of Honolulu, Hawaii is one of the Master Quilters whose work is included in this special celebratory exhibit at The Historical Society of Washington, DC.

The Historical Society and the Women of Color Quilters Network have partnered with The Group for Cultural Documentation (TGCD) to present Quilts for Obama: An Exhibit Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President, opening Sunday, January 11 and continuing through January 31, 2009.

Ms Hughes has two quilts in this exhibit, representing Hawaii: "Kapa Apana" and "Kuu Maui Aloha".

The exhibit contains approximately 60 art and interpretive quilts made to celebrate the inauguration and welcome the Obama family to Washington: 44 by master quilt makers from across the US, along with others honoring the Obama family from Kenya, Hawaii, Kansas, and South Carolina

Guest curator Roland L. Freeman is a folklorist and photo-documenter whose career began during the Civil Rights movement.

This first quilt is an example of what is considered true Hawaiian-style quilting. Two colors only, strong value difference (red and yellow) , echo quilting, symbolic.

PROVENANCE for KUU MAUI ALOHA ([from] Maui with LOVE)
This is an adaptaion of an old (1880s) quilt design, the coat of arms of King Kalakaua. The colors of red and gold are considered the "royal colors" and were worn by the alii (the kings and queens) of Hawaii at formal functions. There is much symbolism in this piece. The leaves represent the fragrant maile lei. The King's crown is present. The red, white and blue stripes represent each of the eight major islands of Hawaii, and the rounded objects in the central medallion are "taboo" balls. The entire piece is hand appliqued and hand quilted. The quilting, done Hawaiian contour stryle, is also known as echo quilting. Size 52" X 42".

The second quilt demonstrates what Hawaii is all about ,showing the ethnic and cultural differences of the quilting ladies---all working together in harmony.

PROVENANCE for KAPA APANA
This quilt is a tribute all quilters. It is a welcoming piece which says in Hawaiian ""e komo mai" , welcome or please come in. The other Hawaiian writing on the quilt says "Na Po'e Humukuiki O'Hawaii" which is the motto of the Hawaii Quilt Guild on Oahu and it means "The people of Hawaii who quilt" (actually, who cut out patterns and sew them). Kapa Apana, the title of the quilt, means "hand-appliqued quilt."

This piece is hand-appliqued and shows the different ethnic cultures working together. They are hand-quilting a traditional ULU pattern, Hawaiian quilt. This pattern is usually done in green and it is advised that a beginning quilter use this pattern for her first Hawaiian quilt. Legend has it that if she does this, she will always be a quilter and also, that she will never go hungry for she will always have food, the breadfruit (ULU) on her table.

Each quilter is dressed in a Hawaiian fabric muumuu..Wallpaper-looking fabric was chosen for the wall. The inner border is pieced. There is Hawaiian style, echo, hand-quilting on the quilt and also machine quilting. Embellishments added. Size (lateral) 34 1/2 " X (horizontal) 32". There is a sleeve for hanging on the back of the quilt.

Charlene Hughes, Honolulu, Hawaii

Photo Credits Roy Okano of Association of Hawaii Artist

Questions? Ready for an appointment?

Like Our Facebook

First Friday Hawaii News Item

Two of Charlene Hughes Quilts will be on Exhibit in Celebration of the Inauguration of our 44th President Barack Obama

First Friday Hawaii
News Item