Making Culture by Hand: Mozell Benson

Making Culture by Hand: Mozell Benson

Making Culture by Hand travels to places, rural, suburban and urban, where tradition and innovation merge in the work of individuals, like Mozell Benson, who dedicated their lives to making crafts that are are deeply personal, but are nonetheless committed to the enduring values of their families and community. Quilter Mozell Benson, from Waverly, Alabama, was "a gifted teacher whose wisdom and charisma equal the beauty of her quilts." (Magdalena Garmaz, Auburn University) Mozell Benson received the National Heritage Fellowship, awarded annually by the National Endowment for the Arts to recognize individuals who have mastered different culturally defined art forms. Her story is told in first-person narrative, illustrated by intimate photographs that open her studio doors and allow you a glimpse into her world and craft.