Something More Magical Than It Ever Was log cabin quilt, light and dark pattern, recycled family clothing and silk with photo transfers and sequins, machine pieced, hand quilted, 90" x 90" , 1991
I turned 40 in 1991 and had a solo show in the Thunder Bay art gallery that year. I showed the calendar series and this quilt in that show. It’s a piece about memory. Listening to my twelve year old daughter talk about her own childhood made me realize that people remember the way they want to. I was there after all, and remembered her childhood too.
Back of
Something More Magical ... disperse dye transfer, satin, cotton, embroidery
The piece uses the clothing from our Thunder Bay time, when the older children were babies and one of the photo transfers is of Jay learning to walk. I made the quilt when we lived in Kenora, about the beautiful feelings I had for Thunder Bay but in reality our life had not been perfect. Ned was searching for his vocation and our family lived in a converted garage. I remembered what I wanted to remember. We all do.
I finished a part time degree in Fine Art from Lakehead University during our time in Kenora. I graduated in 1993, and that same year we moved to Manitoulin Island. Studying fine art gave me sanity and a purposeful creative outlet in that mothering time of my life. I loved learning. I felt validated by my studies. I felt that my own experience as a creative woman with children was worth communicating AND that it was worth communicating with textile artwork.
Something More Magical Than It Ever Was log cabin quilt, light and dark pattern, recycled family clothing and silk with photo transfers and sequins, machine pieced, hand quilted, 90" x 90" , 1991
I turned 40 in 1991 and had a solo show in the Thunder Bay art gallery that year. I showed the calendar series and this quilt in that show. It’s a piece about memory. Listening to my twelve year old daughter talk about her own childhood made me realize that people remember the way they want to. I was there after all, and remembered her childhood too. 
Back of Something More Magical ... disperse dye transfer, satin, cotton, embroidery
The piece uses the clothing from our Thunder Bay time, when the older children were babies and one of the photo transfers is of Jay learning to walk. I made the quilt when we lived in Kenora, about the beautiful feelings I had for Thunder Bay but in reality our life had not been perfect. Ned was searching for his vocation and our family lived in a converted garage. I remembered what I wanted to remember. We all do. 
I finished a part time degree in Fine Art from Lakehead University during our time in Kenora. I graduated in 1993, and that same year we moved to Manitoulin Island. Studying fine art gave me sanity and a purposeful creative outlet in that mothering time of my life. I loved learning. I felt validated by my studies. I felt that my own experience as a creative woman with children was worth communicating AND that it was worth communicating with textile artwork.
11 comments:
Memories are like that, selective memory? They are good times, even though they may be hard sometimes. Very magical quilt.
Jacky xox
An amazing piece, with a beautiful story. I understand why you felt validated by art, chidlren are so all consuming its important to keep something for ones self, this is how I feel right now.
What a wonderful communicator you are dear Judy! Of course, you can never sell a piece of art like this one. It's a family heirloom of the living you, and the life you've led. it's bound to be an inspiration to family, friends, and strangers for a long time to come. i urge you to mount it in an archival box as soon as you can. They have two sided ones with glass for viewing both back and front of a piece.
i wonder if my art training would have been richer if i'd waited till i was older. i was in such a hurry then.
What a wonderful way to remember things. Every piece of cloth(ing) and stitch brings back the good times. The bad times form you a lot too, but the good times are so worth remembering ...!
Yes, it's amazing how the memory plays magic tricks on us! What a lovely way you've chosen to remember those days. Beautiful.
And your work inspired so many other women in Kenora! I'm amazed at all the details I remember in our conversations over this piece -- great memories.
So true about memories. So much about this quilt and its story to feel encouraged and inspired by.
Magical.
This resonates so strongly with me at the moment. Thank you for sharing it.
The title of the exhibition was
"I will remember you until I die"
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