Vermont quilt project connects incarcerated people and community

A collaborative quilt project titled ‘Fractured, Not Broken’ is set to be displayed in September following a year of work between incarcerated individuals at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, Vermont, and community members from Brattleboro.

Led by restorative justice practitioner Marie-Pierre Py, the workshop involved seven incarcerated quilters who designed blocks incorporating personal stories and experiences. The finished quilt measures approximately 7 feet 5 inches by 8 feet 6 inches and features cyanotypes of flora weaving through the individual sections. The border incorporates the musical score for ‘Quilted Forest,’ composed by University of Vermont student Alli Cooper-Ellis.

Py, who has conducted support groups at the facility for three years, noted that the art project provided a nonverbal way for participants to express themselves, offering an alternative to traditional talking circles. The project is held in partnership with the Prison Research and Innovation Network, which is currently collecting data regarding safety, transparency, and accountability at the Springfield prison.