The quilter and mixed media artist shares her vision and the evolution of her practice.
By Ervin Dyer, Madison Stokes, and Obianuju Okoye
This story is part the series, Pittsburgh’s Black Women Cultural Leaders.
As the only daughter in a military family of five, Christine McCray Bethea grew up in her hometown of Pittsburgh, and also lived in Illinois and Japan. She credits each with shaping her artistic aesthetic, a multidisciplinary mixture that includes art, film, and journalism. Bethea, who also uses the name Christine CMC Bethea, studied journalism at Point Park University and started her career as a fashion copywriter, working six years for Kaufmann’s department store. While there, her writing was often highlighted in Retail Ad Week; she wrote the store’s newspaper and magazine ads for top designers like Calvin Klein and Yves St. Laurent. From retail, she went to broadcast journalism at KDKA-TV.
After marriage, three children, career changes, and other life-altering events, Bethea began to reexamine her options. It was also during this time that memories of her grandmother’s quilting inspired her. Bethea began quilting in the early ’90s and her fiber art was rewarded with a juried membership into the Pittsburgh Fiber Arts Guild. Bethea would go on to become vice president of the former African American Heritage Quilters, whose work was highlighted in a book by Roland L. Freeman. She was later archived as a Western Pennsylvania Historic Quilter by the Senator John Heinz History Center, a Smithsonian affiliate. She served three years on the board of the history center’s Quilt Symposium, writing about her residency with the historic Gee’s Bend Quilters for Western Pennsylvania History Magazine.
In addition, Bethea has also been an Artist-In-Residence with East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Construction Junction, Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media, and the Greater Pittsburgh Office of Public Art (Shiftswork). She has received several prestigious awards for her arts programming and arts administration, including one from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and the Pittsburgh Technology Council for founding Pittsburgh’s first eco/tech festival–GAGI (Geek Art / Green Innovators), which continues today as Solarpunk Future.
Until you’ve moved a project from start to finish you cannot fully know the hell or the beauty of it.
Christine McCray Bethea
Bethea’s art is in collections nationwide. One of her more important collaborative works, “Heyday on the Hill,” purchased by developers McCormack Baron Salazar, stands installed at The Legacy building and honors Pittsburgh’s Jazz legends George Benson, Roger Humphries and others. Another quilt, in praise of Pirates’ great Roberto Clemente, was commissioned by the Roberto Clemente Museum and is now part of a private collection. Bethea is the recent, two-term past president of Women of Visions (WoV), an arts collective founded in 1981, which was recently recognized as a Pittsburgh Cultural Treasure. Currently, she is a member and an executive advisor of WoV and serves as a City of Pittsburgh Arts Commissioner.
Why do you do this work?
I do this work for women, and for the future of women. Ours is not an easy road. I not only want to push myself and grow as a person, but possibly inspire others, too. Women need to see they are both powerful and capable.
Why is this work important in a city like Pittsburgh?
Anything being done to advance Black people in Pittsburgh is important. We are far behind other cities in our ability to move or shift the paradigm of events happening around us. We seem to be often stuck in a pre-60s’ mentality, and much of the old guard is not passing the torch or mentoring.
In the past year, what aspect of your work are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my ability to expand the network and visibility of the Women of Visions, America’s longest-running African American women’s visual arts nonprofit. And it’s based here in Pittsburgh.
What is the importance of cultural knowledge?
The Sankofa bird in African symbolism denotes the ability to look backward while moving forward. When you know your history, you don’t need to feel marginalized. All of us should work to know the past greatness and strength of our race and move forward with that knowledge as a base for achievement.
How did you learn this lesson—in what ways was cultural knowledge passed on to you?
My parents were great for regaling me with stories of Black survival and inventiveness. My father was a great inventor and rigger. He did and said things I’m still figuring out. While raised traditionally, breakout moments were always applauded. If someone in my family at-large (the Lesesne family) was the first to do something or any news about extraordinary moments in Black culture occurred, we celebrated it by telling everyone we knew so they could dream bigger. In fact, it became a sort of running joke, if you wanted to get good news out: “Telephone, telegraph, tell a Lesesne.”
What was some of that knowledge?
Long before “If you can dream it, you can achieve it” became a hashtag, our family was pushing the narrative. One of our cousins was one of the first Black women to become an officer and a nurse in WWII; that spawned a plethora of other family members to become nurses; same with teachers, pilots, electricians, etc. All followed, many becoming the “first” in their fields. My father was the first Black student to graduate as an electrician from Connelley Technical Institute. Another cousin was the first Black female pilot in the Navy. I was the first Black female head of a city Chamber of Commerce. We don’t intend to be first, it just happens, simply because we try.
What books are on your nightstand?
A plain journal. I wake up with ideas and need to write them down. Growing up it was my King James Bible. In fact, I should probably put that back in addition to my journal. I used to read a lot more, but now I observe, and it has served me well.
You’re on your way to your fantasy concert—who are you going to see?
Nina Simone. I am totally captivated by her voice and music. Especially [her rendition of the song] “Sinnerman.”
What Black woman cultural leaders inspired you?
In my younger days, I was quite inspired by the poet, Nikki Giovanni. As I’ve gotten older, my heroes have gotten younger. Now, it’s Stacey Abrams.
What have you learned from her?
Strength and inspiration can come from someone of any age.
How do we empower the next generation of Black female leadership?
You work side by side with young women and let them see you doing; mentor them and keep them engaged. And most importantly, listen to and support their dreams.
What skills are needed most for the work that you do?
Life. And patience. Most things have to actually be experienced to be appreciated. Theory is fine, but until you’ve done something, or moved a project from start to finish you cannot fully know the hell or the beauty of it.
What would you like your cultural legacy to be?
“She believed in people.” I never start out thinking the worst of a person. And even if you are the worst, I’d pray for your redemption.
Do you have a cultural wish list for Pittsburgh?
Gatekeepers, let the future move forward! You are nothing more than a bottleneck in the sands of time.
Is there an overlooked, misunderstood, or unappreciated aspect of African American culture in Pittsburgh?
Everything great and Black that happened here in Pittsburgh is underground. Why are we just learning the first paramedic team in the entire country started in the Hill District? I mean REALLY? What took so long?
How do we/you overcome this?
Teach! Teach! Teach! Every opportunity you get. Work to get this information out. Feel free to be creative.
Outside of your work, what are your passions?
Art is my work and my passion. Every element of it—from conceptualization, to administration, to participation.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on an outreach project that will extend opportunities to learn more about BIPOC history in the city of Pittsburgh.
Ervin Dyer is a writer who focuses his storytelling on Africana life and culture.
Madison Stokes and Obianuju Okoye are with the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation’s Chris Moore Internship program.