Cecelia Pedescleaux
Cecelia Tapplette Pedescleaux, also known as Cely, (born August 6, 1945) is an African-American quilter of traditional and art quilts, inspired by historians, other African-American quilters, and quilt designs used during the Underground Railroad to communicate messages to slaves seeking freedom. Her quilts have been shown in China, France, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and in other locations in the United States. A solo show of 75 of her quilts were shown at the Le Musée de Free People of Color in New Orleans (2013–2014). Career Pedescleaux's interest in textile arts began as a child when she began to crochet and knit. In the late 1960s, she began creating quilts based upon traditional designs. As she read design and other books about American slaves, her designs became Afro-centric. She has created quilts based upon African art, like the bright, beaded quilt with the Ashanti Adinkra symbol Gye Nyame, meaning "accept God", from Ghana that was shown at the Inspiration Exhibition curated by Don Marshall and Sara Hollis at the Contemporary Arts Center. The book, Hidden in Plain View, by Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard, Jr., a Howard University professor, tells of how quilts were used to document secret messages and