Legacy Quilt Project Workshop at the Lillian E. Smith Center

What can happen when we build our racial equity commitment through a collaborative community art project? Can tactile textile processes support dismantling white supremacy culture? And what does racial equity work mean anyway? Whose footsteps are we following as white-bodied individuals who are committed to ending racism? 

The Legacy Quilt Project is a creative collaboration that combines storytelling, art, and intuition to build community and sustain our individual and collective commitments to racial equity. Join me, Aaron McMullin, for an all-day, all-skills-level workshop that explores how creating art supports racial equity work. You are invited to create a quilt block for the Legacy Quilt using a portrait pre-printed on fabric. We will each learn about a white woman from history who boldly opposed racism. As we share these stories, I will teach some basic textile processes - embroidery, fabric collage, etc. Throughout the day, we will explore how to use visual art to represent and celebrate the legacies of these powerful women. All materials will be provided, although I suggest bringing a textile or two that holds some meaning for you, especially if it relates to racial equity work or your family heritage.

This workshop will be held at the Lillian E. Smith Center. This is a unique opportunity to literally follow in the footsteps of one of the amazing women featured in the quilt, Lillian Smith! You can learn more about Lillian Smith and the LES Center here. 

Workshop Timeline:

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM - introductions (group and project), portrait selections, textile tutorials, individual research time
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch break. Lunch is not provided. The LES Center is a truly magical place. I suggest bringing a lunch and eating it at the LES Center so you can soak it all in. There is access to a full kitchen. Alternatively, the town of Clayton is just a short drive and offers many dining options. 
1:00 - 4:00 PM - The remainder of the workshop will be time for us to share the incredible stories we've uncovered about our chosen ancestors while we sit and work on our pieces. Participants may not finish their pieces in one workshop. You are invited to continue at home on your own or organize with other participants to find times to stitch together.

The LES Center offers bunkhouse lodging for $25/night. The bunkhouse sleeps 12 and is within walking distance from a full kitchen in the Common Room Cottage. If you want to stay the night at the Center, please visit https://www.piedmont.edu/lilli... to arrange lodgings. 

About Aaron:

I am a conceptually driven multimedia artist and activist working primarily in textiles and photography. I live at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers on land stolen from the Missouri, Osage, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia peoples, now known as St. Louis, MO. I received my BA from Sarah Lawrence College in 2009 and my MFA in Textiles from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2024. I have worked as a community arts organizer and Teaching Artist with organizations like the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Springboard to Learning, and the Regional Arts Commission. In 2011, I received a Fulbright Grant to study cotton farming in India. This experience was deeply meaningful, and I continue to work with cotton farmers in Maharashtra. I was the 2023 Emily Pierce Graduate Student Residency Award recipient at the Lillian E. Smith Center in Clayton, GA. 

I am dedicated to nurturing collaboration, creativity, compassion, and connection at the intersection of art and social justice. My artwork asks viewers to reflect on their identities and privileges in proximity to the subjects and issues in my work, uncovering the past so that we can heal the present and actualize a more equitable and joyous future together.