Front This year’s quilt, Roman Mosaic, was handcrafted by Getty Sew & Sews Prima Casetta, Margaret Combs-Brookes, Sheila Cummins, Nancy Enneking, Melissa Piper, Wendy Radford, Leslie Rainer, and Sabine Schlosser, for the Getty Quilt Raffle, December 2022.
The Getty Sew & Sews have been ardently crafting and raffling off their fundraising quilts since early 2003. What started as a group of Getty staff gathering to learn quilting technique from then GRI cataloguer and resident quilting expert Prima Casetta, evolved quickly into an enthusiastic fundraising endeavor. In the years since, the Sew & Sews have created 22 quilts [twice creating two quilts in one year] and have raised over $52,000, which has each year been divided between two service organizations: Westside Food Bank and Sojourn Services. Using donated materials, and with the infrastructure provided by the Getty, we are able to donate 100% of our net proceeds to benefit these special organizations, which provide much needed assistance to our local community.
In January 2022, the GSS decided to honor the Getty Conservation Institute with a pattern and color story for our quilt that reflects the brilliantly meticulous work they have accomplished preserving and conserving ancient mosaics. We found that the classic designs and earth tones of stone mosaics were a natural fit that beautifully translated into the block patterns and techniques used in traditional quilt designs.
Already in our collection of donated fabrics we found that the earth tones and naturally occurring irregular shadings of some of our batiks and prints simulated that of stone tiles. Measuring 61 inches square, Roman Mosaic is constructed of over 835 individual pieces of 100% cotton fabrics, sourced completely from donations. The front features nine large blocks inspired by mosaic designs enclosed within a three-dimensional border rendered directly from an ancient mosaic border motif. On the back, a simple arrangement of the rich earth tone fabrics used on the front highlights the intricate quilting.
Special thanks to Nancy Enneking who kindly donated fabrics from her personal collection for this quilt, and, as always, to John Landau of the Getty Volunteer staff for his generous fabric donations over the years. We also thank Getty Staff and Volunteers for their gracious and giving spirit, making possible…
Left to right above: Getty Sew & Sews Melissa Piper, Nancy Enneking, Leslie Rainer, Prima Casetta, Wendy Radford, and Sheila Cummins. Not pictured: Sabine Schlosser, Margaret Combs-Brookes.
