Art & Health

Health, diet, weight and obesity remain in the forefront of the national conversation. Many of us including our children aren't exercising or eating healthy foods.  Added to that are stress and anxiety that can contribute to overeating.  With that in mind, following are a series of quilts that were created in 2008-2009 as part of a health education program conducted by Bay Area  Black United Fund, www.babuf.org.  With the support of a Creative Work Fund grant,  www.creativeworkfund.org,  Dolores Presley, Julia Vitero and I participated in the Critical Mass Health Conductor program.  Thereafter 15 quilts were designed and fabricated to address ways to combat African American health disparities including our own. 

Welcome aboard the BABUF (Bay Area Black United Fund) Express

 

 

 

 Dolores Presley made the first five pieces shown.  All pieces are in the 50 to 55" range.

Get Tested

 

 

 

Get Tested Detail showing a bit of 3D embellishment

Good Medicine

Life Is Water in 3 segments

 

 

Step Down to Healthy Eating

Julia made the next five pieces.

Be Healthy for Your Family

Detail showing statements from program participants

Eating Right is a Day in the Park that has a oilcloth tablecloth and real flatware along with the appliqued food plates.  See the opening image for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stepping Stones to Good Health

Stepping Stones Detail showing felt footprints

Calm Spirit

I made the last five pieces.

Bulletins for Life

Bulletins Detail

Five A Day

Five A Day Detail

Thirsty?  Drink Water

Detail for Thirsty? Drink Water

What Would Harriet Do?

Detail for What Would Harriet Do?

In the Critical Mass Health Conductor program all participants who graduate are considered Health Conductors.  Harriet Tubman is Health Conductor #1.  I'm Health Conductor #422.

As you can see art can be a vital part of any health awareness campaign.  Many of you know about the AIDS quilts and the dynamic part they have played in AIDS education.  We Health Conductors hope these quilts can play an important part in getting our communities to take a more progressive role in changing their diets, practicing stress and relaxation techniques, exercising more and consistently and definitely drinking a lot more water.  Only we can do it.

Dolores, Julia and I send our thanks to BABUF staff, Critical Mass Health Conductor facilitators and all the participants who shared the training with us.  We extend a special thanks to Creative Work Fund for supporting us in this project.