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Louisiana Bendolph (born in October 20, 1960) is an American visual artist and quilt maker.

Art Bendolph's work begins with sketches, and ultimately moves to fabric through innovation and improvisation. Bendolph's creations have exhibited at the Addison Ripley Gallery in Washington D.C. and in Seattle at the Greg Kucera Gallery.[1] Her 2013 work, entitled As I Leave I Shall Return, is also on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art.[2]

Personal Life Louisiana Bendolph was born to Rita Mae Pettway and Samuel Small. Bendolph grew up on a farm, along with her two siblings, David and Hazel. In her childhood, Bendolph was fascinated by quiltmaking. The artist later would describe fond memories of watching her mother and other relatives sew, while the children would play under the quilts.

At nineteen, the artist gave birth to a daughter (Sonda). A year later, Louisiana married Sonda's father. They had their second daughter, Melinda, in 1982. And in 1990 she gave birth to Merrianna. She had her last daughter, Alleeanna, in 1997.

In 1991, Louisiana Bendolph got a job at the Lee company. She worked at Lee, putting zippers and pockets into jeans, until the company moved that part of their operation abroad in 1997.

Quilt making remained an important part of Louisiana's world throughout her adult life. In the year following the birth of her first child, the artist made about eight quilts (which were mostly pattern quilts). When Louisiana moved from Gee's Bend to Mobile, she brought her quilt with her. The artist continued to make quilts in their new home.

In 2002, Louisiana attended a quilt exhibit in Houston with her mother. When they arrived in Houston, she saw a quilt book (The Quilts of Gee's Bend) there with one of her pieces in it. The realization shocked her, and is something that the artist still has not gotten over when she sees her work on display.[3] ↑ "http://paulsonbottpress.com/artist/gees-bend-louisiana-bendolph/". paulsonbottpress.com. Retrieved 2016-02-13. External link in |title= (help)↑ "The Baltimore Museum of Art". collection.artbma.org. Retrieved 2016-02-13. ↑ "Louisiana P. Bendolph | Souls Grown Deep Foundation". soulsgrowndeep.org. Retrieved 2016-02-13.