PHYLLIS STEPHENS COLLECTING WITH LOVE
PHYLLIS STEPHENS COLLECTING WITH LOVE
The highly acclaimed artwork of story quilter Phyllis Stephens has graced the walls of collectors and major art galleries worldwide for forty-five years. Ms. Stephens said that art has been a presence in her life since childhood. She grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut, in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Her father, a no-nonsense person, had a penchant for drawing, and her mother, whom she described as "straight sugar," purchased art for their home that looked like them. Her mother and father set the standard for how Ms. Stephens came to see herself – as a strong woman who unapologetically loves her blackness and the natural beauty of other Black women around her.
Traveling to her mother's hometown in Athens, Georgia, during the summers, Ms. Stephens began sewing fabric pieces together alongside her grandmother at a very early age. Now a fifth-generation quilter, she has taken this inheritance to another level. She watched the women in her family create patchwork squares for what would become bed coverings. She, however, wanted to tell stories with the fabric she had sewn together. Over time, Ms. Stephens' quilts would tell stories of activism, the love and beauty of people from our culture, and those she had experienced from other parts of the world. She wanted to "paint" pictures with fabric that moved and inspired her, selecting fabrics with specific colors and textures that help tell a story with more color, detail, and clarity. Back in the day, her family used fabrics that were left over from previously used items, with little thought other than how it would cover a bed. Ms. Stephens wants her buyers to connect with her quilt stories in a way that touches them emotionally and meaningfully.
Art by Woodrow Nash
I learned from my conversation with Ms. Stephens that Athens, GA, was interestingly also the home of the renowned story quilter Harriet Powers. Ms. Powers, born into slavery in 1837, made quilts throughout her life, sewing colorful fabric together in the tradition of her African ancestry. With this fabric, she created images that reflected the life around her in Athens and drew inspiration from stories in the Bible. Following emancipation from slavery, Harriet Powers began to exhibit her quilts at local cotton fairs. The meaningful stories and beauty of her quilts caught the attention of affluent white women, who then wanted to buy her quilts. Her story quilts became a guidepost for other quilters to follow, making quilts not just for bed coverings, but as creative works of art.
Ms. Stephens emphasized that experience teaches you what to put together to create stories from fabric. Those decades of experience have led her to become a masterful story quilter. Along the way, she has connected with other master artists, many of whom have become close friends. This journey has also enabled her to amass a substantial collection of art pieces, which she has accumulated over many years. She has also found joy in mentoring young fabric artists, pouring inspiration into others, and passing the baton on to the next generation of artists who tell stories on fabric. That's a beautiful thing. We must continue to pay it forward.
Artworks top Kevin Williams, bottom Kimmy Cantrell
The three words that Ms. Stephens chose to describe her personal art collection are eclectic, rich (in beauty), and meaningful. To gain insight into the type of art that she has collected over the years, I was honored to be invited to her home to view a portion of her personal collection. "I buy art that speaks to me," she said. I found that has always been her philosophy about buying art. Upon walking into her house, I was immediately embraced by the colorful warmth of this exquisite and eclectic collection of masterful art pieces. The diverse art in this collection includes stately African wooden sculptures, majestic ceramic artwork, mixed media creations, eloquent dolls, treasured art pieces commissioned by Ms. Stephens' favorite artists, and magnificent contemporary sculptures. It was, for me, the ultimate "For Us by Us" experience. It was like walking into a village of ancestors, friends, and art masters. I felt as if I could almost hear the laughter of the gathered sisters and the strength of the strong brothers spoken quietly from this embracing mass of artwork.
Ms. Stephens noted that her favorite thing about being an artist is the people with whom she has connected through the years, who have transcended from artist comrades to family. She warmly said, "We love being with each other socially and professionally, and we come hard for each other!" She added, "It is one of the greatest gifts to have a group of friends and colleagues you not only love, with genuine love; nothing else matters."
There are many artists that Ms. Stephens says she holds in high esteem, including close friends Grace Kisa, Maurice Evans, and Woodrow Nash, among others. The artworks of close friends and colleagues are displayed prominently throughout her home. Just as she enjoys having the art of her many close artist friends adorn the many spaces throughout her home, she also thoroughly enjoys having them over for what she described as joyful family gatherings. Everybody wants an invitation, and nobody wants to leave.
When asked to whom she has been drawn as an emerging artist, she
Immediately mentioned Christopher Clark, of Jacksonville, Florida, known for his acrylic, oil, ink, and spray paint art representing Black life across the diaspora. She described his work as "Fire!" Ms. Stephens added that collectors should keep an eye on the son of prominent Atlanta artist Frank Morrison, T.J. Morrison. She admires the humanity of T.J.'s works of art, stating that "The art will make them look; the humanity will keep them coming back." Ms. Stephens advises that new art collectors start with what they can afford, beginning with quality prints and then building from there, adding, "Everything is growth." In addition to loving the art that one purchases, it is also essential, according to Ms. Stephens, to take care of each piece by keeping it away from direct sunlight and recognizing that changes in the artwork over time are a natural part of its evolution.
Artwork top Traci Mims, bottom Christopher Clark
Phyllis Stephens has a way of giving our culture its flowers, both as they recur repeatedly in her story quilts and in the way she continues to honor our people in such a beautiful manner. Her personal collection, which, as a part of her legacy, she plans to donate to a public institution, will be a gift that keeps on giving. Her unapologetic pride in the talent and rich beauty of African American artists, who hold an honorable space in her collection, serves to celebrate our culture, history, strength, and diverse artistic gifts.
The artwork of Phyllis Stephen has been displayed in prestigious galleries worldwide, including the Museum of the American Quilters Society in Paducah, Kentucky, the Richard Beavers Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, and the Fine Art Museum of Ghana, West Africa.
