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Journal
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Now that I have learned how to supplement my website with additional updated information, I plan to keep a quarterly journal of my quilt activities.
This past six months has been one busy with the February CWQSG retreat; the March Airing of the Quilts at the Milwaukie Center; and a number of Chautauqua lectures entitled "The Ties that Bind: Quilts Made in Community."
The scholar for this year’s retreat was Jane Kirkpatrick, Moro, Oregon author and inspirational speaker. She was the special choice of Pat Larson, a long time member who was facing terminal cancer. Pat’s goal was to attend the 2004 retreat. She made it but later passed away in May. As has happened before with previous scholars, we got Jane interested in creating a quilt for her writing studio. They helped her choose fabric, learn how to stitch the blocks and assemble the top. Amazingly, when it was completed, she held it up near her newest book cover for Hold Tight the Threads. They went together perfectly. Another highlight was the return visit by previous scholar, Flagstaff, AZ dancer Gina Darlington.
The Airing of the Quilts quilt show in late March featured ethnic and school made quilts as my contribution to this annual event. I worked hard to locate Native American, Asian, and Afro-American quilts by contemporary quiltmakers. Mona Derrow mounted a fabulous display of Afro-American textiles and quilts she had made. She also presented a wonderful lecture where she shared and described more of the fabrics. Rachel Greco of Grandma’s Attic Sewing Emporium began the day with a talk on how quiltmaking came to the Pacific Northwest. A highlight of the exhibit for me was being able to share a paper quilt made by Jennifer Newman and her colleagues in a literature class for prospective teachers on ethnic diversity in America. It was colorful and full of information.
The Chautauqua lectures for the Oregon Council for the Humanities have been very rewarding this winter and spring. I’ve traveled from Lakeview in the far southeast corner of the state to Gold Beach in the far southwest corner to Elgin in the far northeast corner. Everywhere I go I meet interesting people and see amazing quilts often telling the local stories of the area residents’ activities. In Lakeview, the other speaker was a man who said as a single man he decided in order to meet women he ought to take a quiltmaking class at the community college near his home. So he enrolled and not only found a mate but found an outlet for his creative illusionary color ideas.
The Humanities programs are now being accepted for next year. I’ve had many calls and hope that all are processed. It has been a truly enriching program to be a part of.
Journal