ORA CLAY

Ora was born in Alabama, the oldest of six siblings where her mother made quilts to keep the family warm in the cold winters. She moved to California as part of the “Great Migration” to go to college. 

  When Ora retired after over 30 years as a school librarian in the public schools, she had a collection of quilting books but no quilts. Her daughter took her to a series of quilting classes at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco (MOAD). The classes were taught by master quilter, Marion Coleman.  Meeting Marion changed her life. This led to an apprenticeship program with Marion, funded by Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), which Ora studied the tradition of African American Quilting.

Today Ora uses quilts to tell a story by using photos, sayings, and events from her cultural background. Ora’s quilts have been exhibited dozens of times, nationally and internationally, with one being included in the New York Times Art Section along with other quilts from the African American Quilting Guild of Oakland. Many of her quilts have been in exhibits curated by Dr. Mazloomi and included in several of Dr. Mazloomi’s books

Ora is active in the quilting community. She serves as exhibits co-chair for the African American Quilting Guild of Oakland. Some of her other activities include presenting trunk shows to quilt guilds, teaching postcard classes, and serving on panels discussing art quilts.

Ora has moved from quilts coverings for our beds to public and private art depicting who she is. Quilting not only allows her to create art, but also to use the quilting medium to draw the viewer into thinking about issues facing our world. 

I observed my mother making quilts for our beds on a quilting frame made with two-by-fours. I watched her stretch the balls of cotton that we grew on the farm into a batting layer. The pieced top of the quilt was recycled from clothes we had outgrown. Years later, my daughter took me to a series of classes taught by master quilter, Marion Coleman. Marion and I were funded by ACTA (the Alliance for California Traditional Arts) under their Apprenticeship program for me to do a year of intense work with her. This allowed me to learn and continue the quilting tradition. Since then my quilts have been exhibited many times, with one being featured in the New York Times Art Section along with other quilts from the African American Quilting Guild of Oakland (AAQGO). I am reminded of the utility of quilts when I think of my mother. But quilts are also beautiful art, and a great vehicles for storytelling. We have moved from coverings for beds to public art depicting who we are. Quilting allows me to create art using the quilting medium to draw the viewer into thinking about serious issues facing our world. 

CA

United States