Amelia D'Onofrio
Artist Statement
This is an exploration of the spaces my family and I share. My maternal family has always felt distant to me: physically, because they live in Ohio, but also emotionally, as I never formed a solid connection to them. I have tried to bridge this gap through photography and other
art making, studying the space and people around me, and focusing on how to create a stronger, enduring relationship with my family.
A large part of this process involved quilting, a skill that was passed down through my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mom, and then to me. The preservation of this skill and is, in a sense, the preservation of my family across generations. The quilts included in my thesis project were created in collaboration with my mother, Nancy; my mother’s sister, Auntie Diana; and my grandmother; Grandma Murri. The individual squares were made in the 1950s by my great-grandmother, Grandma Ursul. Among other things, quilting allowed space for me and my grandmother to communicate through a shared admiration that
we never had before.
Skills like quilting are only secure if the person receiving them is prepared to pass
them down as well. I have no intention of having children, meaning this familial
artistry will die with me. To counteract this loss, I planned small workshops during the week of my thesis show to teach sewing and embroidery to whoever was interested in learning. This was a way for me to continue preserving this skill and allow a piece of my show to hold a place outside the gallery.
art making, studying the space and people around me, and focusing on how to create a stronger, enduring relationship with my family.
A large part of this process involved quilting, a skill that was passed down through my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mom, and then to me. The preservation of this skill and is, in a sense, the preservation of my family across generations. The quilts included in my thesis project were created in collaboration with my mother, Nancy; my mother’s sister, Auntie Diana; and my grandmother; Grandma Murri. The individual squares were made in the 1950s by my great-grandmother, Grandma Ursul. Among other things, quilting allowed space for me and my grandmother to communicate through a shared admiration that
we never had before.
Skills like quilting are only secure if the person receiving them is prepared to pass
them down as well. I have no intention of having children, meaning this familial
artistry will die with me. To counteract this loss, I planned small workshops during the week of my thesis show to teach sewing and embroidery to whoever was interested in learning. This was a way for me to continue preserving this skill and allow a piece of my show to hold a place outside the gallery.