Laverne Brackens (born 1927) is an American quilt maker and textile artist from Fairfield, Texas. Brackens is noted for her work in the tradition of African-American improvisational quilt making. In 2011 she was recognized with a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Brackens was born in 1927. [1] She grew up in Fairfield, Texas, the oldest daughter of eight children. [2] She learned quilt making from her mother, and whom she helped by tacking quilts.
Brackens married at age 18 and she and her husband shared eight children. [2] Brackens worked to support her family as a restaurant cook. Brackens did not start making quilts for herself until 1987, when she retired from her restaurant career after an accident with a food cart. [1] [3]
Brackens is known for her use of color and distinctive shapes in her quilts, such as dogs, cowboy boots, and elephants. [1] She does not use patterns in her designs, instead improvising the design as she quilts. [4] Brackens has described the inspiration for her quilts as coming to her in her dreams. [3]
Brackens has taught her distinctive quilt making to her daughters and grandchildren. [1]
In 2011, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Brackens with a National Heritage Fellowship for her craftwork. [1] That year, Michelle Obama commissioned Brackens to create a quilted shawl to be gifted to South Korea. [2] [5]
Brackens quilts were collected in abundance by Eli Leon. [6] [7] After Leon's death, more than 300 quilts by Brackens were donated from his collection to the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. [8] [9]