What To Take Away

Quilt group is on Fridays. I readily admit myself an old fart. This was hanging on the wall where we meet. It is 1800's old, and if one looks closely, it looks like the yellow and green were home over-dyed. Each square of white (sheeting) has a different quilting motif and one is signed by the maker.

This quilt inspired thoughts about how quilts and works of needlework and fiber art in particular can emit to others waves of emotions. For instance, examining the details of this quilt I deduced a fanciful story of a quiltmaker who used old bed sheets and the little ugly scraps she had, and with a little resourcefulness, created a soft spoken beauty of great wonderment.

Producing imaginative quilting motifs and gentle curving stems, this maker must have felt some sadness and yet sought to create a soft lightening result with her work. Was it to go in a small bedroom? And why do I get such a pleasant and calm vibe from this work?

Do quiltmakers and artisans deposit their soul in works? Can this soul be recognized and transmitted in a tactile interpretation of a viewer? I get this every once in awhile with objects of art. I have this gut reaction not dependent upon a like or dislike for an object, which conveys to me the mood and character of the maker. I appreciate the window into who they were and what was important to them e.g. lots of colors, lots of pieces, overall theme etc.

I am tucking these thoughts away for later, and I will think about what my art says, how it speaks, how during the process when I create, I can factor in these seemingly imperceptible entities.

So many emotions go into our art. Is that good? I know when I bake or cook and my mind is not balanced, my product is not balanced. I also know that when I go to sew, I use that as a balancer, as a de-stressing function. Does that mean I channel that into my art for others to perceive?

The snow did fall, the rain is removing the dappled white. The hills are accumulating and I feel the bare of the trees a little sad. So I focus on my orchid, and the houseplants sheltered mysteriously from cold. The day will move beyond the grey outside and reveal color.