The Guitar Man (2021)

Copyrighted © by Becky Erdman. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission, from her Facebook page (26 May 2021).

The Guitar Man quilt was made as a tribute to my husband, who is a talented musician and, even more so, a wonderfully supportive spouse who loves and encourages me in my art. Inspired by and made with the permission of the late artist Leonid Afremov, The Guitar Man reflects the various tones of music as interpreted by fabric. More than 2,000 pieces of fabric, most less than half-an-inch square, were used to create the impression of paint on canvas.

Hope (for National Cancer Survival Day, 2021)

Copyrighted © by Becky Erdman. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission, from her Facebook page (5 June 2021).

The pattern on the Hope quilt has special significance, honoring survivors of breast cancer. As one myself, I found that recovering from a mastectomy one goes through an enormous transformation. There is the emotional acceptance that your body has changed and will never be what it was before breast cancer. Physical changes take place during treatment, surgery, and recovery. Look closely in the quilt’s ribbon, shaped like the breast-cancer ribbon. The colors explode with the shape of various butterflies, each unique in their own way. The design is framed with a broken-glass pattern in soft palettes of blues and greens. It is a message of transformation, hope, and beauty.

Publisher’s Note:

A Home for the Breast Cancer Quilt, guest post by Nikki McCoy at DiepCJourney (blog site of patient educator and advocate Terri Coutee); which describes how Becky Erdman’s Hope quilt came to reside on the wall of an chemotherapy infusion clinic, to be enjoyed by patients and nursing staff for years to come.

Why oh Why Can’t I?

Copyrighted © by Becky Erdman. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission, from her Facebook page (27 May 2021).

My great-great-grandmother was a Tuscaroran Indian. She was brought to our ancestral family’s house at the age of 16 as a servant—and at some point was married to my great-great-grandfather. Her name was never recorded in any document that we have found—though her husband’s name is, as are the names of her children. We know quite a bit about her, but her name remains a mystery. I have tried to honor her in many of my quilts, including the one above, and by honoring many of the traditions I have learned. I see her as strong, with dreams, and hoping for a better world.

Becky Erdman

is a self-taught artist who uses fabric to tell stories, and to create art that touches and inspires. A nationally recognized quilter, she has won awards in many national shows. Besides quilting, Becky also enjoys painting and writing.

Publisher’s Note: To learn more about our Quilting Series, please see my intro: MacQ is for Quilts