Goldie Richmond Exhibit

While we were visiting in Tucson recently we went to the Arizona History Museum with our friend Paulette.  I was happy to share the Goldie Richmond Quilt exhibit with her!  Goldie was the owner of a Trading Post in Sells, AZ near the Tohono O'Odham Reservation back in the 20s to 40s.  She hand-appliqued and quilted quilts while she waited for customers.  Most of her work represents life on the Reservation at that time, and are wonderful charming works.  She also appliqued floral designs.  Only about ten of her quilts have survived.

I love how she used fabric with pottery on it for the stripping!

One of my favorites...the rider being bucked off his horse!

 
Goldie was six feet tall and quite a fascinating person...she had to save her husband from a bobcat once and killed the very large bobcat with her bare hands!

I would love to make a Goldie Richmond homage quilt at some time...with my own scenes inspired by hers, of Indian life.  There are actually patterns of homage quilts for sale at Cactus Quilt Shop in Tucson, HERE, but I would like to do my own thing.  I have no idea WHEN I will get this one made, though!  So many quilts, so little time!

Goldie Richmond Quilt Found

I attended the Tucson Quilt Guild Tuesday night, which I always enjoy immensely.  Our speaker was Jane Sasseman, and her talk was so interesting.  There were a few items of show & tell, and the regular business.  Our guild does a lot of work for charities and there is always something going on.  But what thrilled me to no end was when Nancy Landon of Cactus Quilt Shop (I've featured Cactus Q S on here a couple of times...it's my favorite shop!) came forward and told about an amazing purchase for the Arizona History Museum.  Our Guild donated half the cost of this historic quilt, found after years of searching, and the Museum is raising the other half.  But the owner was moving to South America so they had to move fast and Nancy and another shop owner went in together to pay the other half so the quilt could be acquired immediately.  The Museum will reimburse them.

This is one of 6 "porthole"quilts, as Goldie called them, made by Goldie Richmond who documented Tohono O'odham life.  She and her husband tried prospecting but during the Depression decided to buy a Trading Post on the Reservation where they sold goods to Tohono O'Odham who came to love them.  After her husband died, Goldie continued to run the Trading Post.  She made and sold quilts for sale to supplement her income.  She was 6'4" tall, and learned the Tohono O'Odham language.  She died in 1971.  This quilt was one of two that were "missing" and has recently been re-discovered.  It will be displayed at the Arizona History Museum but for the time being will be on display at Cactus Quilt Shop.  I plan to go see it up close and get more photos!

Behind the quilt you can see some of Jane Sasseman's wonderful fabric designs.

This is Goldie standing in front of one of her quilts.

Goldie's Trading Post

A different Goldie "porthole" quilt.

She also made Baltimore Album Quilts and this is one of hers.

A book written about Goldie's life, by Carolyn O'Bagy Davis.

Arizona Centennial Quilts

A recent visit to the Arizona History Museum in Tucson gave me a chance to enjoy the wonderful Centennial Celebration quilts....(click on the photos to get a closer look!)

I really love the different aspects of Arizona represented in this one!

This is an agave quilt....to learn more about agave, and see my recent post on A Colorful World of one blooming, click HERE (also do you see the rattlesnake?)

Different ranching brands...I thought this was interesting

A great Arizona wall-hanging...it includes Kitt Peak Observatory and the Butterfield Stage Lines!

Wonderful!

This quilt uses Sunbonnet Sue in AZ scenes! 

A closeup of one of the squares in the Sunbonnet Sue quilt....

and another.

Lovely cactus quilt....

and another with a 3-D element!

closeup of above

Stunning landscape includes Casa Grande....

Indian Basket Designs

I didn't get a good angle on this one...it's really wonderful!

Watermelon Kachina

Arizona birds

Another stunner with a 3-D element

My grandson loved this one.  I decided even though it isn't my favorite AZ subject it is a wonderful quilt!