Laurel Izard

American Childhood is the term I use for this series of quilts, which starts with Mid-Century baby blankets. Each is hand-embroidered and painted with messages that contrast with the images on the blankets, such as the play between cute little teddy bears and a real bear, nursery rhymes, and nuclear bombs. I feel this contrast lets us see the dangers and contradictions in modern life. American babies are surrounded by sweet, anthropomorphized images of animals, but I infer that the animals may feel angry and threatened by their endangerment and environmental degradation. I ponder how these baby icons and images have helped to define who we are, or how we are expected to move through adulthood. I am inviting viewers to take a fresh look at the imagery we surround children with and what part it plays in forming our adult identity.