Welcome to the WWW showing of my fabric art. These quilts reflect my journey through shadow places and toward the light. I hope that viewing these might inspire others to try their hand or voice or body at any art form which allows the creative spirit to flow and heal. Eight years ago I would have told you I didn't have a creative bone in my body. If my creativity can be unlocked, yours can be too!
In the WWW gallery the art is displayed by theme, not in the chronological order they were made. This description covers the themes as well as giving some indication of their order of creation.
My mother taught me to sew when I was quite young and I taught myself to quilt from books. Until 1992 when "Sheltering the Earth" was born, I did only traditional patterns. Then in 1992, in response to a green quilt contest, I did my first innovative quilt, The idea for "Sheltering" came to me while meditating in church. My son Joshua helped with some of the drawing and design, and gave me a great deal of encouragement.
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Then about a year later, again during a meditation, I felt a strong release of energy which called to mind the word starburst. That resulted in StarBurst. Since it is in the shape of a star and is not on a background, technically it was a real challenge! StarBurst marked a breakthrough in my creativity. Since StarBurst I have been making innovative fabric art almost continuously. For me it is a means of self expression, as well as the opportunity to work with fabrics, colors, and textures which I enjoy. |
The "emotions quilts" were created next. They allowed me to experience and express visually the experience of various feelings. I had started doing this type of expression with crayons. It can be an enormous release. Study the quilts to see what emotion they evoke in you. It may be different from mine. There is no right or wrong interpretation.
The Gift was created in late 1994. It depicts the gift of the Christ child or wonder child, offered by an Angel of Mercy to the receiving woman who accepts the challenge and joy of the gift. It is by far the largest of the pieces, 11ft by 7.5 ft. The angel, from wing tip to toe, fills most of the 11 feet. The Gift is displayed at Christmas time at First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto, California.
After a brief attempt to move toward more "light" quilts, with Fun, the sequence of shadow people quilts was created. These quilts depict elements of the dark side, of being immobilized by fear, guilt, being driven and on-guard. Each one allowed the experience of what is shown to become real, and then to be lightened. If these are hard to view, please remember that the one who created them no longer is so caught in these experiences. Art as art therapy heals.
Out of the Clutch of the Clown-Witch, works with the horror of being teased by a "clown" and having another, the "witch" say it doesn't matter, it's only play. The child made her escape while the piece was being made, ending up "out of the clutches" rather than still being trapped.
Brave Lost Child depicts putting a smile as a mask in front of loss and sadness. This child's only comfort is a teddy bear. The original design showed a destroyed bear, but as this work progressed, this lost child was able to receive back the teddy bear to console her.
| As the shadow quilts were created, more fabric art from the light side answered the darkness. Belonging and Caring, show the relationship between mother and child which can be nurturing, protective, and warm. Kaleidoscope and Exuberance experiments with bright and happy colors. Dancer and Dancing express grace and joy in life, harbingers of more to come. |
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Wild Woman Set Free was created to explore abandonment issues and marks the transition from outcast, through survivor, to one who claims Life.
Corporate Soldier expresses my distaste for corporate life which frequently stifles creativity and robs us of our true path because of our need for livelihood. Since making this piece I have been able to leave corporate life to pursue my art and mentoring.
The Two Sisters book shop (now the Purple Dragon in Menlo Park) hosted a fabric art show for my work in the spring of 1996. Twenty-seven pieces were shown. Since that time I have completed 20 more.
| Each year since 1994 I have done at least one quilt to acknowledge and celebrate the holiday of Pentecost, a day which commemorates the Holy Spirit. God as spirit, burning in us like a holy fire, is a symbol which touches me deeply. |
I have had several bouts of serious depression and during the last one in 1997 I took up needle and thread to portray my inner states. Since then, thanks to modern medicine too, I have been free of depression.
I now prefer to concentration my attention on the more positive or "Light" and "Fun" topics. Though the darkness sometimes visits, I work it out with pencil and journal and let my creative time be more for the happier states.
In thankfulness for health and creativity and the many gifts of the spirit,
Marjorie