Thursday, November 19, 2009

Metaphor and Moi

I'm giving a talk tonight in Mindemoya here on Manitoulin Island. We quilters call it a trunk show, I've filled 4 laundry baskets. All the pieces (about 30) date since 2003 except for one (1996). Some of the pieces are still in progress - but the women I'm speaking to understand UFO's. All my work is about what I care about the most and feel the need to say so while I am able. I want to communicate to my children and their children what it was like to be living in this time period in our history. No matter how arty quilts get, they never lose their connection to the bed and all the things that happen there, and they never lose the idea that they protect those who lie underneath them. These unwritten metaphors go along with the work of all women who make quilts as art. Other metaphors that I use are the ones that have to do with recycling, remembering tradition and repairing things that have been ruined. These connect my work to my worries about our world.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beauty in words and pictures.

jude said...

i have to say i agree but i do feel a lot of what is 'called' art quilting today has definitely lost all connection with everything you talk about. which is a shame.

Jackie said...

great show Judy!

Left me inspired, which is great for me, as i had a block for the last month.

leilani said...

Oh! How I wish I could have been there. You only showed five exquisite examples and there were THREE laundry baskets full!

I also echo Jude's comment about the direction the "art" quilt is going. But, you know--if the makers of anything enjoy what they are creating and consider it art, it doesn't at all take away from the truly artful pieces.