JULIA TUTTLE - THE MURAL
The creative evolution in pictures and the media.
From conception in 2019 to reinvention, to process in 2020 while sheltering in place,
to completion, masked, at HistoryMiami, in 2021.
Julia Tuttle The Mural - A project by women for a woman,
made entirely by hand, using techniques traditionally attributed as "women's work."
Artburstmiami.com published a wonderful story about the evolution of
Julia Tuttle the Mural and her impending homelessness. By Gina Perez, on 01-25-22
https://www.artburstmiami.com/blog/julia-tuttle-the-mural-needs-a-home
Julia Tuttle the Mural and her impending homelessness. By Gina Perez, on 01-25-22
https://www.artburstmiami.com/blog/julia-tuttle-the-mural-needs-a-home
NBC 6 Miami interview of Pamela Palma by Constance Jones, 01-11-22
www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/julia-tuttle-the-mural-honors-accomplishments-of-miamis-founder/2657931/
www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/julia-tuttle-the-mural-honors-accomplishments-of-miamis-founder/2657931/
Julia Tuttle The Mural was conceived to honor the accomplishments of Julia Tuttle, a business woman from Ohio with the remarkable foresight to envision a city in a mosquito-ridden outpost on the Miami River. She overcame the challenges of 1896, and although unable to vote for its incorporation, being a woman, Julia Tuttle convinced a handful of men to incorporate the City of Miami. Her legacy as the only woman in the United States to found a city deserves to rise from obscurity with greater recognition than a causeway in her name, a statue in Bayfront Park, and a small brass plaque at the site of her former home. So we made a 12-foot by 10-foot textile art mural.
Back in the Spring/Summer of 2019, the members of PLY-Miami Fiber Art Collective, the textile arts guild I launched in 2015, brainstormed the logistics of creating a lasting testament to Julia Tuttle, a massive textile mural of her likeness, in her honor. Our target date was to coincide with the 125th anniversary of her founding of the City of Miami, July 28, 2021. HistoryMiami Museum came forward as a partner and we were off and running! Preliminary designs and community engagements began to take shape. Julia Tuttle The Mural - our dream - was becoming real.
When Covid hit in February 2020, the world came to a screaching halt. As uncertainty mounted we used our creative time to engage in smaller community projects, from the safety of our homes. (read my story HERE.) Julia remained foremost in our minds, knowing reinvention was necessary, community participation had ceased. What could we do from isloation?
Creatives that we are, by Summer 2020, we had redesigned the mural. Working from an old newspaper photo, our reinvented Julia emerges from a verdant jungle of tropical leaves, each created by hand by our members - knitted, crocheted, embroidered, sewn, quilted. I hand embroidered her facial features, painted her hair, and gave contours to her form. We cntinued to create in isolation, meeting over Zoom, creating parts and bits like a collage in cloth.
Finally, in February 2021, vaxxed and masked we met in person and arranged our components, pinned it all together. By April, 2021, HistoryMiami was able to offer us workspace in a gallery where we hand stitched Julia's likeness and leaves onto the 12' x 10' canvas. Julia's elegant Edwardian dress was designed and stitched on site using upcycled materials, embellished with hand crocheted flowers.
She sports a corsage of orange blossoms. When a hard frost killed the orange crops all the way to Palm Beach, Julia coaxed Henry Flagler with a gift of oranges and blossoms, "Come Henry, bring us your railroad." He did.
Julia Tuttle The Mural - one more month to see this incredible work of textile art by 9 South florida women at HistoryMiami Museum.
We continue to welcome donations on our GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/julia-tuttle-the-mural
Back in the Spring/Summer of 2019, the members of PLY-Miami Fiber Art Collective, the textile arts guild I launched in 2015, brainstormed the logistics of creating a lasting testament to Julia Tuttle, a massive textile mural of her likeness, in her honor. Our target date was to coincide with the 125th anniversary of her founding of the City of Miami, July 28, 2021. HistoryMiami Museum came forward as a partner and we were off and running! Preliminary designs and community engagements began to take shape. Julia Tuttle The Mural - our dream - was becoming real.
When Covid hit in February 2020, the world came to a screaching halt. As uncertainty mounted we used our creative time to engage in smaller community projects, from the safety of our homes. (read my story HERE.) Julia remained foremost in our minds, knowing reinvention was necessary, community participation had ceased. What could we do from isloation?
Creatives that we are, by Summer 2020, we had redesigned the mural. Working from an old newspaper photo, our reinvented Julia emerges from a verdant jungle of tropical leaves, each created by hand by our members - knitted, crocheted, embroidered, sewn, quilted. I hand embroidered her facial features, painted her hair, and gave contours to her form. We cntinued to create in isolation, meeting over Zoom, creating parts and bits like a collage in cloth.
Finally, in February 2021, vaxxed and masked we met in person and arranged our components, pinned it all together. By April, 2021, HistoryMiami was able to offer us workspace in a gallery where we hand stitched Julia's likeness and leaves onto the 12' x 10' canvas. Julia's elegant Edwardian dress was designed and stitched on site using upcycled materials, embellished with hand crocheted flowers.
She sports a corsage of orange blossoms. When a hard frost killed the orange crops all the way to Palm Beach, Julia coaxed Henry Flagler with a gift of oranges and blossoms, "Come Henry, bring us your railroad." He did.
Julia Tuttle The Mural - one more month to see this incredible work of textile art by 9 South florida women at HistoryMiami Museum.
We continue to welcome donations on our GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/julia-tuttle-the-mural
Julia Tuttle The Mural was made possible by the dedication and talent of our Active Members:
Alejandra Moreno, Bettina Blischke, Dana Yancoskie, Debbie Schwiep, Gina Jeffries, Irene Munroe, Marilyn Ludolph, Stephanie Bickle, and Pamela Palma - Director.
Contributions of more leaves and flowers came from Needles Knitting Group of Doral, museum visitor Brandi Olmos, and Cindy Michael of Harps and Thistles Yarn Emporium of Akron, Ohio who encouraged me to undertake this project.
We thank our generous donors: Alejandra Moreno, Alexander Navarro, Aileen Phelan, Amy Burlarley-Hyland, Debbie Schwiep, Debra Chase, Debra Cortese, Donna Ruff, Gloria Romero Roses, Judith Berk King, K. Mitchell Snow, Lori Monaco, Irene Munroe, Marilyn Ludolph, Milly Cardoso, Pamela Palma, Stephanie Bickle, Stephanie Jaffe Werner, Colette Mello, Melissa Frantz, and Karelle Levy.
We thank our generous sponsors: Awesome Foundation Miami; FIU | Communication, Architecture + The Arts.
And our partner, HistoryMiami Museum
Alejandra Moreno, Bettina Blischke, Dana Yancoskie, Debbie Schwiep, Gina Jeffries, Irene Munroe, Marilyn Ludolph, Stephanie Bickle, and Pamela Palma - Director.
Contributions of more leaves and flowers came from Needles Knitting Group of Doral, museum visitor Brandi Olmos, and Cindy Michael of Harps and Thistles Yarn Emporium of Akron, Ohio who encouraged me to undertake this project.
We thank our generous donors: Alejandra Moreno, Alexander Navarro, Aileen Phelan, Amy Burlarley-Hyland, Debbie Schwiep, Debra Chase, Debra Cortese, Donna Ruff, Gloria Romero Roses, Judith Berk King, K. Mitchell Snow, Lori Monaco, Irene Munroe, Marilyn Ludolph, Milly Cardoso, Pamela Palma, Stephanie Bickle, Stephanie Jaffe Werner, Colette Mello, Melissa Frantz, and Karelle Levy.
We thank our generous sponsors: Awesome Foundation Miami; FIU | Communication, Architecture + The Arts.
And our partner, HistoryMiami Museum
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