Keith Magruder
Get Home Safe, 2022
Paper, watercolor
Courtesy of the artist.

When he became an artist Keith Magruder gave himself the name “Baker’s Son,” a tribute to the childhood pleasure of baking with his mother and grandmother. His art practice combines intentional nostalgia with an acknowledgement of hard truths. “When you grow up in a family with a long legacy of slavery, military, and during the tough times in Washington, D.C., you learn quickly that not everyone gets home safe,” he notes. “Some might come back as angels with wings. So within this body of work, the butterflies are a symbol of protection from my ancestors.” The quilt is a reminder of his grandmother. “I would always hang out with her and talk to her while she would make these quilts. She would always tell me about the pattern she was working on and the significance of it and how it related to our family and the underground railroad. Sometimes I would ask if I can use some of the leftover fabric to make a fort like the ones in old war stories I was told. At that point in my life, there was no place safer than my fort, playing with my green army men, in my grandparents’ house. It made me feel like I was in my own world.“ Magruder is currently based in Los Angeles.
(DKS)

Artist's statement:

“Get Home Safe” is about my childhood, growing up in Washington DC in the 80’s/ 90’s. Before we left the house, my grandparents would always say “get home safe” to remind us to watch out for ourselves and whoever we were with. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house while my mom and dad were at work. My grandmother was a quilt maker, so I would always hang out with her and talk to her while she would make these quilts. She would always tell me about the pattern she was working on and the significance of it and how it related to our family and the underground railroad.

Sometimes I would ask if I can use some of the leftover fabric to make a fort like the ones in old war stories I was told. At that point in my life, there was no place safer than my fort, playing with my green army men, in my grandparents house. It made me feel like I was in my own world.

The monarchs are a symbol of reincarnation. When you grow up in a family with a long legacy of slavery, military and during the tough times in Washington DC, you learn quickly that not everyone gets home safe. Some might come back as angels with wings. So within this body of work, the butterflies are a symbol of protection from my ancestors.