Grand Champion An Oklahoma Patchwork: Quilting our Hometowns The quilt pattern that provides the design for my collage is symbolic of Oklahoma's culture and history. The pattern was used by Mary Ann Scott Bass, who lived in the Oklahoma territory in the late 1800s. I found a photo of her quilt in a book titled "Quilts from the Collection of the Oklahoma Historical Society." My collage is an adaptation of this quilt. The pattern, called "Circle Saw," caught my eye because the spiral design looked similar to wagon wheels, which would have brought some of the first hopeful settlers to Oklahoma. The Land Run of 1889 is an historical event unique to our state. It marks the establishment of towns in Oklahoma. Quilting itself brought families, friends, church groups, school groups, even whole towns together for fun and fellowship in the past. Today, people still enjoy quilting. All of the pictures on the collage are strictly from Oklahoma magazines and brochures. I collected them from different places, such as Oklahoma Visitors Centers, the Norman Chamber of Commerce, and the Norman Visitors Bureau. There are nearly 450 tiny, triangular pictures of smiling Oklahomans that radiate from the center of each square. People are what make our towns. I love this great state, and the friendly people with whom I share it. I chose not to focus on just one town for my collage, because each town is special and unique. I incorporated the theme, "Our Towns: Where we Live, Learn, Work, Pray and Play," into my collage. To show how we "live," I chose pictures that displayed people going about their daily lives, people celebrating their culture, and just having a good time. Pictures that depict "learning" show teachers and students in a classroom; museums and university buildings also represent the learning theme. Another aspect of the theme, "work," was a little harder. One image I included was of the "National Severe Storms Lab" logo. My dad is a meteorologist who works there, and he and his co-workers help to warn us when severe weather affects Oklahomans. "Praying" is something important in the lives of many Oklahomans. A photograph of a church built in 1896 shows historical quality, and also displays a place of worship for Oklahomans today. The Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial is a place for people to reflect on and honor those who died. "Play" is something all Oklahomans can enjoy! One image in my collage shows Adventure Quest, in Enid, OK. It is one of the largest community-built playgrounds in the world. It doubles as an outdoor science and learning center. Creating my collage has been, a fun and rewarding experience. I spent my spring break week doing the majority of the gluing, but the entire process has spanned over 3 months. I have not only learned a lot about Oklahoma, but have met lots of friendly people willing to provide me with magazines, brochures, and moral support! I am proud to be a preserving Oklahoma's history as a part of Collage 2004. |