Jo-Ann Morgan

I began sewing during the pandemic. Quilting with applique’ seemed a perfect art medium to offer comfort during trying times. I created a female figure, Lady Corona, who wears face mask, gloves, and small crown. Like a deity or favorite doll, she offers respite and hope. The artworks are constructed in layered cotton fabric. Because quilted comforters are familiar and approachable, the medium is ideal for addressing provocative topics related to social justice and inequality. Despite unsettling themes, the medium offers a soothing counterpoint to the harsh themes of contemporary reality. Topics include police killings, separation of families at the U.S. southern border, and gun violence. I am currently doing a series about the nineteen children killed at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, TX. The individualized portraits are meant to be universal. They celebrate the short lives of the ten-year-old victims and are meant to evoke our collective outrage. Artmaking is my form of activism.