Vote for You

Therese May  

67 x 72 inches

2018

ARTIST STATEMENT

Sojourner Truth’s story is a metaphor for the lives of many women today, which is the reason I interpreted her as a vibrant contemporary figure. She found ways of “voting” for herself by walking away from slavery and finding a life of freedom, doing the work of a minister, and giving lectures about women’s suffrage. The “Vote for You” panels bordering this quilt convey the message of following the powerful inner guidance that Sojourner Truth inspired. The stitched words on her face are: Love, Women’s Rights, Save the Children, Loving Kindness, All One, Love One Another, and Speak Your Word; the latter stitched onto her lips, suggesting that anyone has this power.

Photo by Ian May