Nostalgia & Testimonials
November 21, 2011
I've been making art quilts a long time now. It seems like 5 minutes. It's been a journey of discovery and surprises.
I often tell people who amble through my studio at Summit Artspace that it takes more than skill to make these art quilts. It takes faith and courage. Things you need when the committee in your head says the fruit of your hands is a heap of ruins. It happens.
I've been rummaging through my filing cabinet at home, finding sweet letters and cards from a few of my many early customers. While I am a woman of a certain age, I do not feel old when I run my fingers across these hand written testimonials from lovers of my art. Quite the opposite. I am swept away by their generosity of spirit and I get little shivers up my school girl arms.
The black postcard is from a bow I took at Mike Owens' nonprofit Millworks Gallery in 2005, while I was still a reporter at the ABJ and working late into the wee hours over my art. I was walking on clouds that day.
The photo of the quilt over the stereo was sent by a customer who also wrote: "...It adds such a bright spot to my living room. You have a God given talent." It was signed by Marion in 2006 but her identity these five years later sadly eludes me. Marion, if you are out there, let me know.
In 2007, Linda Herrington purchased two of my dog quilts, a pug called Pugnatious Perfection and an Afghan called Guinevere, which she did not hang initially. She wrote: "For the first three days they were here, I would start a chore then run into the living room to see them and smile at them. You'd have smiled to see me doing that." Last I heard Linda was going to paint and rework her rooms before the official hanging but I haven't heard from her since. A lot of my old friends do not know I am at Summit Artspace. Linda, if you read this, call me!
Natty Highland Square resident Ruth Clinefelter always makes me smile when I see her coming. She is a cat lover like no other and bought this Christmas Cat in 2005.
I used to get tons of letters and emails as a reporter, but that's to be expected. These missives went especially deep for me since they were about my passion.
