Severn students learn diversity by quilting

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Kristy Wallace

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EMC community - Grade 5 student Kimberly Clairin wanted to quilt a square that reflected her Haitian background.

Benni Evensen, a Grade 6 student, quilted a square showing soccer - a popular sport in his family's country, Denmark.

With this diversity, making quilts with students from Severn Avenue Public School was a joyful experience for Edna Patterson-Petty.

"One thing I loved about this is the diversity, and to work with kids from Pakistan, Denmark - all of these students in one classroom," she said.

Patterson-Petty was at the school on Friday, Feb. 10 to show off the finished product of various squares, created by students that expressed who each individual is and something about their background.

"Most of the time when you talk to kids about art, they think about drawing or painting and that's it," she said, adding it's important for her to show young people that fabric art is another way they can express themselves.

Patterson-Petty, who's from East St. Louis, Ill., hosts workshops on quilting to schools all over the United States. She's a recycler, who creates her art out of cotton and silk fabric, old clothing, organic and non-organic materials.

Crystal Meriwether, culture and education officer with the United States Embassy, said bringing Patterson-Petty's work to Severn Avenue Public School was an important part of sharing ideas and education between her country and Canada.

"We're really pleased to be having Edna do this project," she said, adding Patterson-Petty's husband recently spoke at Ridgemont High School, giving a lecture on black history in the United States.

While Patterson-Petty's work is described as depicting slavery and liberation, she said it's all about her audience's perception.

She added there's been a few times where her quilting has dealt with themes such as women's strength or jazz music.

"I don't set out to do it that way. It just unfolds that way," Patterson-Petty said.

She hopes her time at the west-end school shows students to be open to new things, and shows them a different way to express themselves.

"Whether it's writing, poetry or art, (I want young people to) be expressive and open themselves to new ideas," Patterson-Petty said.

The idea has stuck with some students at Severn.

"I learned that you can be creative when you quilt and even if you mess up, you can fix it," said student Khalid Omar. "And you can make it a good thing and make it anything you want."




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