The Good Ol’ Days

Textile artwork, Mini-quilt series

2020-Current

The Good Ol’ Days is historical narrative textile art that showcases the Puerto Rican Diaspora Immigration experience. It's a visual representation of a poem I've written documenting the generational story of my family, starting with my maternal grandparents, the Gonzalezes.

Each stanza of the poem has a separate textile piece to accompany it. My goal with this series is to feed my curiosity of textile production in combination with my ancestry, and give me the opportunity to share Puerto Rico, its history, and the story of the people that left for a “better” life.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez b.1918 d.2010

The Good Ol’ days. Full of memories de Maquillaje, on summer nights I used to play games with Abuelita, Christina. 

Her rooms were always warm, her abrazos even warmer, como dulce.

She came from La Isla del Encanto, a place I’d never see her in, Boriken, Land of the Valiant Lord.

She was a seamstress, a factory-worker, a New Yorker after 1956 (10 years after she immigrated.) 

Arroz con gandules, arepitas, 4C Iced Tea, and frozen canned OJ, Pasteles, Tostones, Busetlo. Panza hungers for those days.

She was fresh, funny, and care-free. She was an immigrant, in that US territory sort of way. 

She had algo que hacer, pa que’tu lo sepa. An America to live for.

“The Good Ol’ days. Full of memories de Maquillaje, on summer nights I used to play games with Abuelita, Christina.”

–Stanza 1

–Quilted tapestry

She came from La Isla del Encanto, a place I’d never see her in, Boriken, Land of the Valiant Lord.”

–Stanza 2

–Quilted Tapestry + Embroidery + Painted fabric

Her rooms were always warm, her abrazos even warmer, como dulce..”

–Stanza 2

–AI Imagery used for concept

Upcoming Pieces

She was a detailer, a factory-worker, a New Yorker after 1956, (date she immigrated, plus 10 years). 

Arroz con gandules, arepitas, 4C Iced Tea, and frozen canned OJ, Pasteles, Tostones, Busetlo. Panza hungers for those days.