
Cynthia Schira made this work on a digital Jacquard handloom, a loom in which the wefts are inserted by the weaver while the pattern is controlled by a computer. Schira was one of the first artists to experiment with this technology, which was developed in the 1990s. It allowed her to produce a wider range of surface textures than would have been practical with a less sophisticated mechanism. ABC Drawn Quilt marks the beginning of a series called Intersecting Traditions (1998–2005), which employed traditional textile motifs represented by visual fragments and symbols. Here, the artist referenced the use of multiple blocks, or pattern elements, to form a whole, pieced quilt.

A Century of Progress 1934 - Sky-View
Rudolph J. Nedved American, 1895-1971

Untitled (photograph of an oil painting by Yves Tanguy, "Je vous attends," 1934)
Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky) American, 1890-1976

Mae West's Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment
Salvador Dalí Spanish, 1904-1989

Study for Aspects of Negro Life: The Negro in an African Setting
Aaron Douglas American, 1899-1979