• Respect • Citizenship • Compromise • Country over party and corporate influence • Courage • Candor • Compassion • Creativity
The ultimate success of this project depended upon makers from across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and all American territories to join together to use their time and talents to make this colossal visual gesture of friendly protest to every member
of the 117th US Congress.
of the 117th US Congress.
Squares using all kinds of techniques are being created by makers from across the US
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Makers from across all 50 United States, Puerto Rico, DC and all American territories were invited to make square textile units (8” x 8” in size) using any of the following techniques: knit, crochet, weave, sewn/pieced, quilted, embroidered, appliqué, felting, screen printed fabric - or combinations of techniques. The request was that all squares were made using equal parts of red and blue, with makers free to combine prints and colors, textures, stitching and yarns as long as they make a square, that, with the equal combination of red and blue, created an overall presentation of violet in the final display as shown below. During the act of making, participants were compelled to contemplate other opinions symbolized by the red or blue components of their squares. Initiated in January of 2020, and by the final deadline of September 2021, over 2200 makers from all 50 states, DC and Canada signed up to make almost 18,000 squares. The project began before the unprecedented events of 2020, but in spite of, or perhaps, because of the challenges of these extraordinary times, this effort flourished, provided participants with a unique connection to a larger mission, and grew in depth precisely as a result of what we all endured. Be sure to explore the "Progress" page which has monitored each submission as it arrived. There are thousands of squares pictured that acknowledges all the participating Violet Protesters and their amazing and committed work. |
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All squares submitted by February 1, 2021 initiated the exhibit at Phoenix Art Museum - March 10th - September 5th, 2021. Beginning with about 9500 squares at opening, the show closed with nearly 13,500 squares on view. One hundred and sixteen (116) stacks of hand-made squares were configured to form the letters "U" & "S" - spelling US - the familiar acronym for the United States, but also an overwhelming representation of us, the citizen makers across all 50 states. In addition, at least one square from each maker submitting by February 1, was represented on two walls, ceiling to floor. And finally, all the "Squares-of-the-Week" for the first 40 weeks of the project were displayed along with the Instagram message originally posted. Throughout the room, red and blue blended together to create the overall impression of the color violet 
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Click on this photo for a gallery of images from the exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum - March 10 - September 5, 2021.
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Once the exhibition of the hand-made squares was over, the artist and volunteers worked over a month to sort and package a bundle of squares for each and every US Representative and Senator! All the squares will carry the name/state tag and will also be accompanied by this letter and a brochure that includes photos of the installation, and tells the VP story. (Click below to see images from the VP workroom during the sorting and packaging of all the VP squares.) Then, they were sent off to the 117th Congress of the United States in November of 2021. (This is the final version of the letter that will be sent with the packages for each lawmaker.) |
The success of this friendly protest has depended on spreading the word to involve makers from all 50 states.
At the end of the submission period, over 2000 makers from across America and Canada came together to make
nearly 13,500 squares that were divided into equal bundles of 24-25 squares and sent to every member of the 117th Congress.
Packages reached Washington DC by early December, 2021.
At the end of the submission period, over 2000 makers from across America and Canada came together to make
nearly 13,500 squares that were divided into equal bundles of 24-25 squares and sent to every member of the 117th Congress.
Packages reached Washington DC by early December, 2021.