Freedom Gone: Patterns by Lolita Newman
Featured Artist: Lolita Newman
Featured Artist: Lolita Newman
"Living in the present, stitchin' the past, for our future."
During her ancestral search to find her own connection with slavery, Lolita Newman was moved to create heirloom embroidery patterns that document slave life during the Civil War, linking her family’s past to the present. Like other works in Redwork: The Emperor of Atlantis, Lolita’s patterns are based on historical drawings and photographs. Her project, Stitchin' by the River Studio, is a nod to her Cane River, Louisiana, roots.
Lolita Newman is a self-taught teacher and embroiderer who has been sewing for over 25 years. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two children.
See more of Lolita’s work at: www.stitchinbytheriver.blogspot.com
Lolita Newman’s work is shared with the artist’s permission and the artist has been paid fees for the inclusion of her patterns in this project. Paying artists for their work is recognition of the central cultural work that they perform. Texts accompanying the images are from Lolita Newman’s book, Freedom Gone: Embroidered Quilts of Slave Life in the Civil War and from her descriptions of her patterns at Stitchin’ by the River.
The Slave Auction
“This embroidery depicts a slave auction during the 1800's.”
Slave Quarters
“Slave Quarters were fairly rough, to say the least, compared to the main house. No all were lucky enough to have chimney’s either. Back then, that was a luxury.”
Henry House Hill
“This hill was an important site for both the First and Second Battles of Bull Run. The hill was named for the occupants of the home on the hill, Dr. Isaac Henry and his family”.
Henry “Box” Brown
Henry “Box” Brown became famous for escaping slavery by mailing himself to Philadelphia in March 1849. Once free, Brown became a speaker against slavery and was forced to move to England after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850.
Protecting Home
This pattern depicts a slave protecting her home while her husband is away fighting in the Civil War.
Respect Among Men
“This pattern depicts a black soldier and white officer shaking hands, showing respect to one another for their efforts in the war.”
Brother Fighting Brother
“Soldiers of the North fighting the Soldiers of the South in the Civil War.”
Praise House
“Normally, Sunday was a day off and slaves were allowed to worship and go to church.”
Preacher
“Worship Played a strong part in a slave’s life as depicted in the hymns sung in the fields.”
