the Post-Modern quilter
One of my favorite moments at QuiltCon was coming across a profound quote that announced a small aisle of vintage quilts. The quote said:
After all the emotions I'd experienced, this quote washed over me like the calm, clear waters of a peaceful sea. It encapsulates what I hope to see our community do when we meet together to share our quilts. Whatever else happens, I hope that we nurture a Nuanced Conversation about our art, both why we do it and what we do.
Scholastically speaking, a "modern" worldview is one in which truth is something that can be pinned down. Careful systems of judgement, scientific approaches, rules, etc. can be used to precisely define life. Draw those hard and fast lines. Check boxes. Judge. Award winners.
In contrast, a "post-modern" worldview insists that some parts of life are not quantifiable. Instead, many truths and value judgements are the result of perspective. Truth is personal. Meaning comes through experience, and experience today is informed by all that has come before. Experience tomorrow will differ still. In such a world Conversation reigns, change is expected, diversity celebrated.
So, what kind of quilts do you want to make? Modern? Traditional? Modern Traditional?
The answer for most of us is.... who cares? We want to make quilts that we like. We want to make quilts for our own personal, diverse reasons. We want to share those reasons, our stylistic passions, our process, ourselves. And we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is Value in a personal, authentic expression of self.
That's why we push back when we feel boxed in by rules and labels that attempt to define something that's mostly impossible to pin down.
We are makers. I, personally, hold that there is a Divine Maker who gifts each individual a unique, creative spark. When I create authentically I am most "me", and I honor Him who made me. That's why creating feels so good. It's practically divine.
I'm not trying to point fingers here or to start a nasty debate. The way is already clear in our hearts - make what you love. We know that labels have quite limited use. The modern tendency to draw hard lines doesn't fit our experiences. So, in that way, I think that most of us are already post-modern quilters. Though we probably shouldn't go around much saying so, because again labels have such limited use. My hope is only to plant a seed that will help you and me understand ourselves and our movement.
As post-modern quilters, we bring our diverse dreams and our distinct voices to our art, and we hope to enjoy a nuanced conversation with other makers - all other makers. Because, that conversation will transform us, change us. And growth is always welcome.
"This presentation of quilts,
representing the different dreams
and different voices of the makers,
is absolutely in the interest of feeding the momentum
of the ever-expanding appreciation for innovative quilt making
and allowing the conversations to continue
with all the nuance that these works of art merit."
- Roderick Kiracofe
After all the emotions I'd experienced, this quote washed over me like the calm, clear waters of a peaceful sea. It encapsulates what I hope to see our community do when we meet together to share our quilts. Whatever else happens, I hope that we nurture a Nuanced Conversation about our art, both why we do it and what we do.
Scholastically speaking, a "modern" worldview is one in which truth is something that can be pinned down. Careful systems of judgement, scientific approaches, rules, etc. can be used to precisely define life. Draw those hard and fast lines. Check boxes. Judge. Award winners.
In contrast, a "post-modern" worldview insists that some parts of life are not quantifiable. Instead, many truths and value judgements are the result of perspective. Truth is personal. Meaning comes through experience, and experience today is informed by all that has come before. Experience tomorrow will differ still. In such a world Conversation reigns, change is expected, diversity celebrated.
So, what kind of quilts do you want to make? Modern? Traditional? Modern Traditional?
The answer for most of us is.... who cares? We want to make quilts that we like. We want to make quilts for our own personal, diverse reasons. We want to share those reasons, our stylistic passions, our process, ourselves. And we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is Value in a personal, authentic expression of self.
That's why we push back when we feel boxed in by rules and labels that attempt to define something that's mostly impossible to pin down.
We are makers. I, personally, hold that there is a Divine Maker who gifts each individual a unique, creative spark. When I create authentically I am most "me", and I honor Him who made me. That's why creating feels so good. It's practically divine.
I'm not trying to point fingers here or to start a nasty debate. The way is already clear in our hearts - make what you love. We know that labels have quite limited use. The modern tendency to draw hard lines doesn't fit our experiences. So, in that way, I think that most of us are already post-modern quilters. Though we probably shouldn't go around much saying so, because again labels have such limited use. My hope is only to plant a seed that will help you and me understand ourselves and our movement.
As post-modern quilters, we bring our diverse dreams and our distinct voices to our art, and we hope to enjoy a nuanced conversation with other makers - all other makers. Because, that conversation will transform us, change us. And growth is always welcome.