Sewing Seams to Create Stories

Title: Art by .E Lewis Studio

Location:

"As a dynamic Art Quilter and Certified National Storyteller, she weaves narratives through the artistry of fabric and performance. Her creative process is an innovative alchemy, transforming materials into narratives that engage the senses and intellect alike. Her artworks, be they art quilts, abstracts, or panels, are intricate tapestries featuring musical notes, adinkra symbols, feathers, beads, and diverse prints and patterns on mediums like denim and 2D surfaces. These pieces are crafted from paper, traditional African or cotton fabrics, all set against backdrops of canvas or wood panels.


Embarking on a 21-day creative journey, she enters a state of deep focus to conceive and frame her pieces. Revealing the layout, KE meticulously choose prints, patterns, and threads to weave my textiles. Her artistic expression is diverse, including black outline drawings, digital designs, photographic elements, and crayon sketches on poster board, all converging through the meditative act of sewing—whether by machine or hand—on paper, canvas, or cotton.


This process is a tranquil pilgrimage, guiding my hands to tell a story—a narrative of my ancestors' odyssey to and within America. The exhibition was crafted to enlighten all ages about the journey of the enslaved in their quest for freedom within America. The creation of such textiles, embedded with stories, can span months from inception to exhibition. They are not merely decorative but are vessels carrying the legacy of African Americans, designed to engage, enlighten, and educate onlookers about their rich history.


Her work is an educational journey, a tribute to the African-American experience, which she is privileged to share through her art and storytelling. KE’s inaugural solo exhibition was more than a display; it was a historical landscape, with textiles hanging on clotheslines stretched between posts, framed by burlap, buckets, and concrete—each element a chapter in the pursuit of freedom.


The essence of her artistic hope is encapsulated in this reflection: ""Words may not always penetrate the heart, but the language of art bypasses barriers, inviting connection and understanding."" - Art by .E Lewis 2022. This is the impact she aspires to make—art as a bridge to history, emotion, and shared human experience.

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