Quilters Advisory Board

Yvette Artis

Bessie Barnett

Aleathia Chisolm

Janice Daniels

Melba Hansen

Cathy Johnson Fowler

Elisa Lewis

Charlotte Lindsey

Peggy Martin

Maxine Moore

Nina Moore

Rosalind Newell

Laura Sorton

Marva Swanson

Brenda Wade

 

About O.V. Brantley

O.V. Brantley is a self-taught quilter who began quilting in 1999 as a way to reduce stress. After working her way through a book entitled “Teach Yourself To Quilt,” she realized she had found her passion. Since that time she has made over 200 quilts which have been given to friends, family, co-workers and charitable causes.

O.V. is a founding member of the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild. Her quilts have won awards at various quilt shows and been featured in several quilt publications. Two of her quilts are featured in the historical volume that documents Georgia quilts entitled “Georgia Quilts, Piecing Together a History.” Many of her quilts can be viewed at her Studio Website.

 

O.V. is also the Fulton County Attorney. She shares her quilts with all who visit Fulton County by displaying a quilt in each conference room, the library and in the reception area. She is the proud owner of eight of her grandmother’s quilts, which inspired her to found the Clara Ford Foundation. The Clara Ford Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of African American quilts. Visit the Clara Ford Foundation at www.clarafordfoundation.org.

 

For more information, contact O.V. at ovbrant@bellsouth.net.

 

O.V. Brantley, Founder and President

About Us

My grandmother Clara Ford was born December 12, 1892 and died May 20, 1966. She was a quilter. The most memorable thing about her small home in Crossett, Arkansas was the huge quilt frame that took up the entire living room. She always had some scraps around.

My sisters and I called her Big Mama.
Big Mama taught me how to sew. I had lots of feed sack skirts that we made on her Singer peddle sewing machine. I was glad she taught me to sew. When I got to high school I skipped the required home economics class and took French instead. No need to learn what you already know. I didn’t see the value in quilting at the time.

When my mother died in 2000, I inherited some of Big Mama’s quilts. They had been locked away in a trunk stored in the back of the closet. By then, I had become a quilter. I understood the value of my inheritance and knew I would forever be rich.

I created the Clara Ford Foundation so that my grandmother’s quilts can be preserved for future generations. I hope they live forever – just like the Declaration of Independence – just like Michelangelo's paintings.

I hope you enjoy Clara’s quilts and her legacy.

 

Clara Ford Foundation

Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of African American Quilting.