Federation Gertie

Size: 57”(H) x 51”(W)

Technique: Hand dye-painted, machine quilted

Materials: 100% cotton fabric, polyester/wool batting, polyester threads

Statement: Gertrude Weil was a mover and shaker her entire life. Unafraid to voice her opinion, she followed in her mother’s footsteps in fighting for social welfare at an early age. She continued working for change until she died. Educated in the north at progressive schools, she chose to return south to her beloved Goldsboro, NC after finishing college. Once home, Gertrude earned the nickname “Federation Gertie” for her passion for civic reform. She fought tirelessly for women’s rights, labor reform, and desegregation. Gertrude inspired me because she was a bold challenger and a natural organizer who loved discussion and debate. As I worked on this piece, I grew to feel that I knew her personally. She physically resembled my grandmother who also attended college in the same era. Her activities were also very similar to my own mother’s crusades for the ERA and social reform. Gertrude was from an affluent Jewish family that allowed her to have a privileged white lifestyle. She was quite striking physically and the pictures I could find often showed her beautifully dressed. Even though she was quite humble, her natural leadership impulses always put her in the center of organizing and speaking, so I chose to have her front and center, looking directly at the audience. The women in the piece are from her graduating class at Smith College, and the “Votes for Women” button is based on a real brass button from the era. This piece is dye-painted on cotton with thickened dyes and then machine quilted with hundreds of different colors of thread. I created a warm black & white color as the base because it looked like the old photos that inspired me.

Private collection