Embarrassing mothers – aren’t all mothers embarrassing?

Well, yes, but some really go above and beyond. The biographies of the women I have used as inspiration have one thing in common: they were regarded as embarrassing either by society or by their own children because of their sometimes extravagant, sometimes socially unacceptable behavior. And yet the children of all these women have become successful personalities despite – or perhaps because of – their mothers. A consolation for all mothers today who think they dropped the ball being role model for their children.

This series has been with me for about five years now. The quilts provide me with a playground where I can try out different techniques.

Fang Zhongmou – mother of Zhang Hongbing, victim of the Cultural Revolution
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – first democratically elected female president of a country (Iceland)
Taj al-Saltana – Princess of Persion and first Persian women’s rights activist
Christina Wilhelmine May – mother of Karl May, author
Pilitrud – Duchess of the Agilolfinger and adversary of St. Korbinian
The tightrope walker – homage to all mothers
Gladys Pearl Baker – mother of Marilyn Monroe, actress
Elinor Powell – mother of Chris Albert, jazz musician and Ruth Mc Bride – mother of James McBride, author
Jane Elizabeth Digby – mother of Heribert Ludwig von Venningen
Jais Barymore – Mother of Drew Barrymaore, actress
Haenyo von Jeje – The pearl divers of South Korea
Komalatammal Srinivasa – Mother of Srinivasa Ramanujan, Indian mathematical genius
Katharina Keppler – Mother of Johannes Keppler
Joan Browne – mother of Alan Alda, actor
Giulia di Cosimo Ammannati – mother of Gallileo Gallilei, Italian polymath
Molly Weaslex – mother of Ron and Ginnie Weasley (Harry Potter)
Lady Emma Hamilton mother Horatia Nelson, daughter of Lord Nelson and mother of 10 children
Sandy LaVonda – mother of Tonya Harding, figure skater