Sarah Mary Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Mary Taylor
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Taylor in 1997
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| Born | August 12, 1916 |
| Died | 2000 |
| Occupation | Artist/Quilter |
| Known for | Fabric Artist & Designer |
Sarah Mary Taylor (born August 12, 1916 – died 2000) was an amazing African American artist from Mississippi. She was especially known for her beautiful quilts, which started getting a lot of attention in the 1970s.
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Who Was Sarah Mary Taylor?
Sarah Mary Taylor was born in a place called Anding, Mississippi, on August 12, 1916. She learned how to make quilts when she was young, taught by her mother, Pearlie Posey.
Early Life and Work
Sarah grew up and lived on large farms in the Mississippi Delta area. She worked hard, doing jobs like housekeeping, cooking, and helping in the fields. Later in her life, she had to stop working because she wasn't feeling well.
Quilting as a Career
After she retired, Sarah started making money by creating quilts. She would even use old skirts from dresses to make her unique "pieced quilts." People became very interested in her special appliquéd quilts. This happened especially after professors at the University of Mississippi started studying the quilts of another artist, Pecolia Warner, in the 1970s.
What Makes Her Quilts Special?
Sarah Mary Taylor and her mother created quilt and pillow designs that were very unique. They often used red figures that looked a bit like dolls.
Symbols and Meanings in Her Art
One of Sarah's famous quilts, called Mermaid (also known as Rabbit), has blue hands next to red squares. These images reminded people of certain cultural symbols. An art expert named Maude Southwell Wahlman said that Sarah "made many quilts that used the hand image in a special way." Wahlman also thought that Sarah's Cross quilt might be connected to an old Kongo religious symbol. Sarah's quilts also stood out because she used bright, sometimes clashing, color combinations.
Quilts for Movies and Collections
Sarah was even asked to make a special hand quilt for the movie The Color Purple. This quilt, along with another one of her word quilts, is now part of the Ella King Torrey Collection of African American Quilts.
Later Life and Legacy
Sarah Mary Taylor was married five times and had one child named Willie, who sadly passed away before her. Sarah herself passed away on July 10, 2000.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Sarah Taylor's amazing quilts have been shown in many cities across America. You could see them in places like Naperville, Illinois, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A famous poet named Marilyn Nelson even wrote a poem called "The Century Quilt" in her honor.
