Andrea Jones

Andrea Jones was born to Walter Jones and Marion Lewis Jones. She is the sole survivor of the children featured on this quilt. Andrea is a very creative person. She makes beautiful soft sculpture dolls and other miniature items. She made countless Cabbage Patch dolls at the height of the Cabbage Patch craze. Andrea has also made many Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls.  Her favorite thing is to work with children.

I am proud to present Andrea Jones as the final face on this quilt. I know it has been a long time coming but I have gotten swept up by Life. Forgive me. Trust that I have been squeezing the most gusto out of it though.

Vendya A. Little

Vendya Albertyne Lewis Little was born August 3, 1941 to James Andrew Lewis (Chief) and Albertha Hunt Lewis in Newnan, Coweta County, GA. The family later moved to Midway, Liberty County, GA.
       After graduating from Liberty County High School she attended Fort Valley State College, Fort Valley, GA. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education. She moved to Milledgeville, GA and began her career as a High School Health and Physical Education Teacher. In, 1971, she became the Recreation Director with the Georgia Department of Corrections at the Women’s State Prison. While working at the Prison, she became the first black female Deputy Warden in the Georgia Prison System statewide. She also trained two of the three female Wardens in the Georgia Department of Corrections to date. She worked for the Department of Corrections for 31 years. She retired in 2002.
         She met and married Eddie Frank Little of Detroit, Michigan in 1985, who preceded her in death.. Also preceding her in death were her parents, and her granddaughter Ashley Nicole Lewis.
       She was an active member of Flagg Chapel Baptist Church, in Milledgeville, GA. She loved to sing and was a member of the Choir. She sang in numerous weddings and her rendition of the “The Lord’s Prayer” would bring tears to your eyes.
      Vendya was a wonderful free flowing fun-loving spirit. I loved that she lived her life to the fullest. I have to say that I had a very hard time with Vendya's face. This is the version I am finally accepting after many attempts. I'd like to see a little more joy in the face since the original picture had a softness, but I promise to get better with more and more attempts. NEXT TIME.

Juan A. Ponder

Juan A. Ponder was the first born to Mattie Lewis Ponder and Joe Davis Ponder in McDonough, Georgia on August 17, 1938. He graduated from Henry County Training School in 1956. He then attended Correspondence School at Albany State Military Academy.

Senior Master Sergeant, Juan Ponder enlisted in the United States Air Force in October 1956 and retired October 1976, after serving 20 years. He did his basic training in 1956 at Lackland Air force Base in Texas. Juan went on to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for his technical training. He studied to become an aircraft mechanic at NCO Preparatory School and graduated second in his class. Juan served in Vietnam for three and one half years as a helicopter mechanic. In addition, he worked as a Para rescue trooper saving many lives in the jungle. He fell behind enemy lines once to be rescued by Korean soldiers. His unit only lost one helicopter and was honored with the Purple Heart Medal. During his service, Juan traveled extensively throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. In 1960 as flight crew chief, his aircraft escorted the Russian Prime Minister Khrushchev to the United States.

Juan worked for the Henry County Board of Education as an Auto and Bus Mechanic from 1980 until his retirement on August 17, 2006. He was a member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church all his life. Juan faithfully served in several leadership positions until his health began to fail which included President of the Usher Board, Chairman of Trustees, Secretary of the Administrative Counsel, President of United Methodist Men and served on the District and Conference level. He was also a member of the Locust Grove Masonic Lodge #573 and an Adjutant of American Legion Post 516. Juan will be remembered for his bravery, dedication, commitment, and true walk as a spiritual soldier.

He was a great family man and the father of 12 children. I can truly say the little boy on the picture grew to be a magnificent man and I am honored to share his story with the world.

Randall Ponder

I am so excited to finally to on the faces. I have already mentioned that this picture was taken in 1943, so I want to fast forward to tell you what became of all four of the children on this picture.

Randall Ponder was the first face that I tackled on the quilt. He was born on August 24, 1940. As you can see from the picture, he was very tall for his age. He was the second born of Mattie Ruth Lewis Ponder and Joe Davis Ponder. He graduated from Henry County Training School in 1957. He was a 1961 graduate of Clark College and went on to earn his Masters of Education from the University of Georgia in 1968.

He joined Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in his youth. While attending Clark College, he was an active member of Flipper Temple AME in Atlanta. He was an active member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity after pledging at Clark College. When he returned home from college, he joined Mount Olive Baptist Church.

Randall began his professional educational career in 1961 as a classroom teacher at Henry County School System as Adult Education Teacher, School Social Worker/Visiting Teacher, FTE Coordinator, Facilities Assistant, Coordinator of Adult and Community Education, High School Principal, Special Eduation Coordinator, Federal Programs Director, Personnel Coordinator, and Athletic Director/Head Coach for Football, Basketball, and Track.

Of the many jobs he held in the school system, I think the Principal position was the most controversial. It was the year 1971, and Henry County was on the brink of being integrated. Henry County claimed to not have enough money to build a new school. The school on the black side of town proved to be large enough to accommodate the size of the merged schools. The two schools were merged and the white children were bused to our side of town.  It was amazing how fast Henry County found the land and the money to build a new school back across town in the white neighborhood.

I said all that to say that Randall Ponder was the first African-American principal to lead the newly integrated Henry County Senior High School in McDonough. He served as Principal for about 15 years.
He was the father of three sons and G-Daddy to a host of grandchildren.

The honor is all mine. This quilt will be a treasure for a long time to come.

New Dresses

The time is moving along smoothly. I have suffered every frustration with the speed or lack-there-of of this project. I finally finished the leaves and other greenery to my satisfaction.

The picture is from 1943. It seems to be full summer and a time of gathering for cousins at their grandmother's house.

I was there last week at that same house for our annual family renuion. Our family has been gathering there for more than seventy years. It looks pretty much the same. The house is sinking and the shutters have been updated. It also needs a new paint job, but the joy and memories we all share at that house are astonishing.  My grandmother used to tell us she was born there in that front bedroom in 1886. She lived in that house all her life and died in that same room in 1974. It was a good life. It was full of family and love. She and my grandfather had ten children and a hell of a lot of grand-children. The land the house sits on had two major pecan trees, several volunteer pecan trees, a peach tree, and several pear trees. We all played on the big rock under the pecan tree and picked pears from the tree nearest the back porch. Most of all there is a big open field that we all played on and my children played there and now my grandchildren are playing there.

I am very much aware that it is a blessing to be able to share that kind of longevity with my family. Many of us (African Americans) do not know our family history. My family works very hard to keep that knowledge alive and pass it along to our children and grandchildren. This quilt is going to be an important part of that legacy that we pass along. I'll tell you a little story about what/who each child on this quilt grew up to be. 

Can hardly wait.

                                                                                                                     

The Yellow Brick Road

Just as Dorothy made it down the yellow brick road, I too have been making my way to the Wizard. This journey has  arduous at best. I love how it is shaping up. The shirt on the second outfit may need a little more detailing. Can't wait to do their faces and a picture of what they are eating. Feeling like skipping ahead but that wouldn't be right. I must stay the course. Next I have to make two little girl dresses. That should go fast.

I must confess that when I started with the picture and the image in my head, I wasn't so sure how it would go. I told myself that if I followed the yellow brick road, I would make it. Then it started to take shape. The colors are coming in and bringing it to life.

Last week I launched my first ever campaign on www.indiegogo.com. I am pretty excited about it.

This campaign gives me an opportunity to bring you a quality calendar for 2014 and gives you the opportunity to own several Art Quilt pictures for your collection. I am always so grateful to all the people who have and continue to support my efforts. Your contribution will help make the calendar a worldwide success and help me continue my quest to explore the art of quilting.

This quilting thing is in my genes. It started a long time ago with my ancestors, primarily with my Great Grandmother Emma. I have been told many times about her great quilting skills. Yes my cousin tells me often that I am carrying on Grand Emma's tradition. I am sure she too was carrying on a tradtion from her grandmother and a grandmother before that. I'm proud to be able to carry the tradition on and thankful to you supporting my journey.

All I need you to do is go to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jazzy-blues/x/3399451 and contribute.
I have set up some wonderful perks with you in mind. Just $5-$10 will go a long way in making it happen. You will get a calendar either way you go.

Pledge $10.00 and get one Jazzy Blues 2014 Art Quilt Calendar, a 2014 Art Quilt Calendar Magnet, and a shoutout on OBA Quilts Facebook page. That is exciting!
The campaign goal is $6000.00, it will be used to publish, print and ship the calendars. Growing up in the rural south, I rarely saw artwork that reflected the soul of my community and people. I decided to create the kind of art that I craved. It is my dream that I contribute to the visions of young people who are newly introduced to art as well as adult art lovers. I choose a calendar as the vehicle because it is a great way to collect art that everyone can afford. Contributors to this project will help me spread my love of art to a vast audience.
I am so excited about this fourth calendar. As you may know, I made my very first calendar in 2009-Two Step; in 2011 I followed with Laughter, Lessons and Triumphs; and in 2012 Metamorphosis was born. Now I am happy to top it all off with Jazzy Blues. It is a journey into Improvisation.


If you can't contribute, there are other ways you can help. You can help me make some noise. Spread the word to everyone you know.

Multi Tasking

I can say for sure that I am a lover of multi tasking. Yesterday, I found myself saying, "multi tasking is for the birds." Shame on me, but I do wonder sometimes if doing a lot of things at once is really a good thing. I am sure my parents watched us as more external stimuli held our attention less and less. We no longer had time to curl up with a good book. "Just watch the book made into a movie on tv; or worse yet get the Cliff notes so you will know enough to pass the test," we would say. I would have missed some really good books if I had held to that philosophy. Now I look at my grandchildren's generation and it is moving even faster. Who has time for tv, watch it on your phone or the computer and fast forward past the commercials. If the world keeps going faster and faster with each generation, where will it end up? I also wonder what my grandmother thought about the world she was leaving me in.

Well anyway, I have been multi tasking like crazy. I feel bad that I haven't gotten to my newsletter but it is getting higher on the list. I started making the outfits for the children on the quilt.

I'm really pleased with the way this one turned out. I had to stop myself from getting too detailed. Afterall, it is just a quilt. I used several different white fabrics in this quilt so that difference between things could be noted easily. I used some kona white on the house. Then I found some white linen in my stash and used that on outfit number one. I had another piece of white that I used on his shirt. Can't wait to find more different ones for the other outfits. The leaves are finally almost finished. Nothing has moved as fast as I wanted it to but it's coming along.

I have to admit that I am getting a little antsy. I catch myself thinking about the next project a lot. I need to be thinking about this one A LOT. I will get it done though because I've got multi tasking on my side.