Background
Benberry, Cuesta Ray was born on September 8, 1923 in Cincinnati. Daughter of Walter and Marie (Jones) Ray.
( Arkansas is well known for its rich tradition of upland...)
Arkansas is well known for its rich tradition of upland folk arts. Little, however, has been reported from the lowland areas, particulary on African American contributions to the state's cultural heritage. A Piece of My Soul: Quilts by Black Arkansans seeks to rectify that oversight by drawing attention to the extensive, important collection of African American quilts in the Old State House Museum in Little Rock. Over seventy-five individual pieces of patchwork art are presented in this publication in full-color plates, each with a commentary by the exhibit's guest curator, Cuesta Benberry. The book details the importance of quilting to black Arkansans; the quilts' uses, materials and construction; and what each piece says about the artist and her beliefs. We are granted a glimpse into the living conditions and cultural mores of the quilters' lives. Regionalisms, such as the unusual custom of renaming traditional quilt patterns for things seen in the farmyard, such as Rooster Tail or Chicken Feet, and of piecing patchwork funerary cloths to decorate coffins are discussed. This impressive collection of cultural artifacts is placed in the larger context of the African American experience through an introduction by noted scholar Raymond Dobard (art history, Howard University), co-author, with Jacqueline Tobin, of the highly acclaimed book, Hidden in Plain View: The Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad (1999, Doubleday). All those interested in American folk art, the quilting craft, and black history will find this beautiful book fascinating and rewarding.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1557286205/?tag=2022091-20
(An anthology of twenty-eight delightful stories that intr...)
An anthology of twenty-eight delightful stories that introduces the reader into the fascinating world of quilters in other times and other places.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/089145800X/?tag=2022091-20
Benberry, Cuesta Ray was born on September 8, 1923 in Cincinnati. Daughter of Walter and Marie (Jones) Ray.
Bachelor, Stowe Teachers College, St. Louis, 1945. Postgraduate, St. Louis University, 1956. Certified Library Science, Harris-Stowe College, St. Louis, 1968.
Master of Education, University Missouri, St. Louis, 1974.
Reading specialist St. Louis public schools, 1945-1985. Independent scholar and lecturer quilt history St. Louis, 1969—2007. Consultant California Afro-American Museum, Los Angeles, 1985, Ferrero Films, San Francisco, 1985-1986, Williams College Museum Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1988-1989, Metropolitan Museum Art, New York City, 1990.
Curated quilt exhibition St. Louis Art Museum, 1992-1993.
(An anthology of twenty-eight delightful stories that intr...)
( Arkansas is well known for its rich tradition of upland...)
(Book by Benberry, Cuesta)
Established African-American Quilt Archive, Vaughn Cultural Center, Urban League, St. Louis, 1984. Board directors African-American Arts and Crafts Conference, Wilberforce U., since 1992. Member American Quilt Study Group (board directors 1983-1986), Elder Craftsmen of New York City (advising committee since 1990), National Quilting Association, Quilters Guild London, Afro-American History Genealogical Society.
Married George Lynn Benberry, March 25, 1951. 1 child, George Valdez Benberry.