Hey Though I Wander

Two of the more upsetting losses in the American public education system are the discontinuation of a regular arts curriculum and the disappearance of hands on work. When I was in elementary school, we had art class twice a week which included everything from pottery (with a kiln!) to painting to creative reuse (think popsicle sticks, old magazines and paper tubes) to just plain exploration. There was so much papier-mache! We were allowed, and encouraged, to get messy and express ourselves through our projects. This hands on education continued in all of my other classes – we were creative and learned at the same time. Does anyone else remember writing stories and then “book binding” with contact paper, cardboard and thread? Or making dioramas? That was all good stuff. In middle school, art was replaced with home economics (cooking/baking, sewing, budgeting) and shop (wood and metal work) classes. These periods were not electives and never tedious in the ways so much of school is. As students we gained confidence by working with our hands and machinery and I do not recall any sort of incident or injury. I’d remember if there was a welding incident, I’m sure of this. Due to the combination of budget cuts, state standards/mandates, computers, liability concerns and political whims, an education that emphasizes the importance of hands on learning is unlikely for most American children. And that is such a damn shame because those lessons were invaluable to me, not to mention pleasurable. Is joy even promoted in school these days?

At my overachiever high school, my enjoyable classes were replaced by serious coursework with an intense focus on the all important GPA and college prep. I wonder what would have happened if instead of student government, I’d chosen welding as my elective. As an adult, I have ample opportunities for artsy classes and the trouble I face is deciding how and where to spend my creative energy. The addition of garment sewing and natural dye hobbies dovetail nicely with my quilting practice. So much of quilting is continually building your skill set through practice and patience. Yes, I call what I do a quilting practice because each time I sit down at my sewing machine, I build upon the work from the day before, and the day before that.

I emphatically believe that quilts are art and deserve more recognition in the art world; however, I consider myself a quilter, a crafter and a maker more than an artist. This is not a humble brag and I am not fishing for compliments here, but if you’re thinking kind thoughts about my quilts, gee thanks! Although I employ elements of art into my quilts, and my quilts are artistic, I identify as a quilter. So, what is the difference to me? For one, the majority of my quilts are made for comfort and are not precious. I love seeing my quilts in the wild as part of a fort or with a beloved pet snuggled on top. Second, my quilts are gifts for folks I know. Third, I have never had any formal art training. Fourth, I don’t actively pursue displaying my quilts in shows. Well…drum roll please…a quilt I created was just chosen to be part of a group show, hanging in an actual local art gallery!

My wall hanging quilt titled “Balsam root in May” will be part of a showcase of local artists celebrating the work of the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, a non-profit conservation group that manages and maintains the open spaces in our area. The show will be held at the Boxx Gallery, another non-profit whose funds support the local food bank, in Tieton, Washington. The canyon trails are my balm and the gallery provides me with inspiration, so I am incredibly humbled to have something I made with my hands supporting both of these incredible organizations. This was my first foray into the world of juried art shows and I am grateful that my work was chosen to be a part of what will surely be a beautiful curation celebrating the shrub steppe landscape of central Washington state.

The “Balsam root in May” quilt is made from my own naturally dyed fabrics and showcases the subtle beauty of the arid landscape where I live. What I love about the open space trails is in a land of ever increasing concrete and sprawling development, there are still natural and accessible spaces within our city where one can get a solid dose of nature. We are not talking big towering trees here – this land is dominated by sagebrush and an abundance of native flora that changes throughout the seasons. This quilt is about peak wildflower time, when the yellows erupt in big bursts like natural fireworks, except on the ground, and not deafening or polluting. The yellow blocks in the quilt that look like sunbursts are dyed with marigolds I grew in my garden.

The tunes that started this quilt off right was The Tim Robbins Sessions album by the duo Magnolia Beacon. Magnolia Beacon is comprised of Erika Lewis and Meschiya Lake – two phenomenally talented musicians who recorded the album in a very raw, acoustic setting seemingly with only a couple of mics and a recording device. The first time I heard the band was on my pal Black Mold’s radio show on WWOZ and it literally stopped me in my tracks. Take that commercial radio! This post is named after the first song on the disc, which seems appropriate for a quilt that supports the trail system where I wander. What I love about this album is that as a listener, you feel like you are in a cozy living room, overfull on yummy potluck dishes and a tad buzzed on wine, sitting and watching your friends play. It is heavy on the vocals (yes, please!) and harmonies (mm-hmm) with strumming and stomping for percussion. The album is a total gem and it really set the tone for the improvisational quilt design.

How I made crafts as a child was more carefree than how I craft as an adult. Although I still have a ton of fun, quilting is a balance between play and skill, combined with some expectation for a final product. But with a time intensive craft like quilting, you must enjoy the process and ALL the learning, otherwise it would be a stressful experience. I feel most creative when I tap in to my inner child and let the quilt develop with no concern of what it will become. Of course, awesome music is an important part of my creative endeavor, too. Although the final quilt is polished, the creation process was open minded and free. My intention was to depict the serene landscape in fabric and let the natural dyed colors and tunes carry me along. The sheer joy of creating is still deep within my soul and I feel like a child again every time I make something. It’s kinda like “aha, look what I just did!”, I exclaim (to myself) in my sewing room. Then I give myself a pat on the back, good job me. Making with my hands is still a wonder and forty years later, I tap into how I learned as a child in public school. As a quilter, a creative, a maker and an artist.