On Saturday, February 7th, the Marine Park Alliance (MPA) presented Dr. Myrah Brown Green in its Black History Month: Textile Arts Workshop at the Carmine Carro Community Center, 3000 Fillmore Avenue. With bone-chilling temperatures in the low single digits, a variety of guests — from high school students to senior citizens and representing multiple races and ethnicities — came from across the boroughs to attend the workshop.
At the event, Green, an adjunct professor of Art History at Medgar Evers College, demonstrated stitching techniques and spoke of the discipline that goes into quilting. There was a special moment in the teaching when she and her husband, Richard, presented her quilt, taking as much care to unfold the large piece as must’ve gone into its intricate stitching, color coordination, fabrics and design. “Quilting is something that can help keep the legacy of a generation alive,” she said, of the long held African-American tradition.
Executive Director Scott Middleton stated that MPA was in its second year of hosting the workshop. “We want to do more to welcome the Black community into Marine Park,” he said, alluding to the organization’s planned Juneteenth affair. “It’s Brooklyn’s biggest park.”
The event also boasted several student volunteers. Erin, 17, a senior and neuroscience major at Brooklyn Technical High School who’s planning to study nursing in college, completed a perfect stitch during the workshop. “Sewing, you get to learn some hand movement that you might need in nursing,” she said. The gathering also included Harlemites Kwolanne and Cat Lawrence. The couple, both 26, is into environmental preservation and saw the Textile Arts Workshop as an opportunity to add to their studies.
Green, an award-winning author, has an upcoming book, Keepers of a Movement: Black Collectors Who Preserve Art, Stories, and Legacies That Define Black Life, from Schiffer, debuting on May 28th. “I wanted to preserve this history,” she said. “It’s available now for preorder on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.”
When the festivities ended, attendees joined the MPA staff in celebrating the Textile Arts Workshop’s second anniversary. To volunteer, contact Carri@marineparkalliance.org.
