"In Blocks and Strips, Nell Hall Williams joins cut up pieces that are vastly different from one another but still cohere into a seamless whole. Vivid and muted colors, small and long shapes, all collected seemingly without plan, are connected in what is actually a carefully constructed “My Way” pattern, typical of the Gee’s Bend region. “My Way” quilts are led by individual creativity instead of rigid orientation. Doris Mooney, Williams’ daughter, describes her mother’s process for quilting her “My Way” designs: “Line up all the pieces, one at a time. After you put them together, then you get your frame. Then you frame it up. Then get your cotton stuffing. Once you’ve got it laid out, then you go to work... She knew where she was going, she stacked up the fabric to pick what came next.” This preparation reveals the quilter’s thoughtful, directed orientation, drawing on skill and innovation."-- Brittany Luberda for 2021 Gee's Bend exhibition