Faith Ringgold: Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles

Faith Ringgold (American, b. 1930) Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles, 1996 With bold color, inventive composition, and words written straight from the heart, Faith Ringgold’s art speaks out in a clear voice. Her painted story quilt Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles, a version of which is reproduced on this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, honors eight powerful African American women in history: Madam C. J. Walker, Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Ella Baker. A ninth woman, on the lower left, is Willia Marie Simone, a fictional character created by the artist. Vincent van Gogh is pictured at the right. In Ringgold’s words, her quilt is “an international symbol of our dedication to change the world.”