Where I live in North Carolina is roughly equal distance to the Carolina coast to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. I love the Carolina beaches, but my heart has belonged to western NC since my first visit. I’ve created several pieces of art inspired by the area. The photo above was taken at Banner Elk, NC in 2014 and has been the desktop image on my computer for several years.

My friends who live(d) in these mountains have heard me for years saying, “this is where I want to live.” It hasn’t happen and now, I’m sure, it never will.

The hurricane that barrelled through western NC this past Friday destroyed most of the area. It is beyond tragic and my heart goes out to all those affected and suffering. It will take years to put the area back into working order. It will never be the same.

I know this is not my usual type of blog post. However, what has happened in Western NC is more important to me, than anything else I could write.

~Nanette

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If you find it in your heart…here’s a list of ways you can to donate and help the area.
https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helene

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching an indigo dye class. I love indigo and the ease of using Jacquard’s Indigo Dye Kit to create the dyed fabric.

I dabble with indigo. I don’t usually make anything from the dyed fabric I’ve created. I should change that habit, because I’ve always been a big fan of this shade of blue. “Forever in (indigo) blue jeans” has always been my motto.

What’s fascinating about teaching a class like this is the inspiration I get from the participants. I can’t really say I taught them much in this class. I demonstrated and explained the process. And, I showed them some examples that resulted from the techniques. Then, I let them experiment and play. This is were their learning came from. They learned by trying something that they weren’t 100% sure of the results. Would it look like my example? Maybe or maybe not! Its a lesson about letting go when we create. Life is not always perfect, its messy sometimes, and what we hope things will look like don’t always result in the same.

They had the option to do something different from my demo, like combine techniques and folding patterns or use fabrics they brought from home. As they worked, I walked around the drying lines and was overwhelmed by the beauty. This teacher became the student asking them how they created their unique patterns.

That’s what I love about teaching and sharing ideas with other creatives. There’s always something we can learn from each other.

~ Nanette

I am lucky to say that I have a diverse and eclectic group of artist friends. Sometimes you meet people randomly and instantly like them. My friend Joyce Atkinson McGugan is one of those people. We met 5 years ago at an art exhibit were we both were exhibiting.

A couple months ago we met up for another art exhibit. When I saw the piece she entered, it blew my mind. Joyce paints. I was initially attracted to the teal-blue blocks of color she used. And, I was also extremely attracted to the textures she created. Among other textures, I notice she embedded vintage lace in her work. The color AND the textiles…WHOA! I wanted to know more.

As we talked, I remembered a collection of lace and doilies I was gifted with a number of years ago. These textile pieces once belonged to a friend of a friend who had collected them over the years. They had no “emotional” connection to me. Since they weren’t some great family heirloom, I knew I wouldn’t have guilt about altering them.

We all have stuff we collect, and, if you’ve been reading along the last few months you know, I’ve been working on eliminating things that no longer fit into my life. I offered the pieces to Joy

I met up with Joy again yesterday and I got to see her newest artwork. Again, I was blown away seeing how she used the vintage lace I gave her. I had to show you.

I find it amazing how artists view things. Something that I couldn’t envision using, became a piece of art by someone else.

~Nanette S

Sorry if I’m getting a little nerdy here, but I find the concept fascinating. I have found myself in these trance-like states of being and they’re powerful. I usually recognize them after the fact. I’ll get busy working on something and suddenly realize more time has passed then I thought.

Being “in the zone” is considered a “flow state,” a psychological state of mind where actions and consciousness melt together. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is noted for recognizing and naming flow in modern psychology. Flow is often marked by the mental loss of time while you’re doing the activity.

I know I lose track of time working on the computer, checking email, or searching for something. But, I don’t recognize that as Flow…I may be focused, but I’m not 100% enjoying the process. This past week I realized Flow is deeper.

I set myself on task of slicing and dicing up old quilt projects (I wrote about it last week). It took thought to methodically cut up the projects and resemble them. I had to focus on design because I didn’t want like colors or patterns to sit next to each other. I was really enjoying the process of slicing, dicing, stitching and … CREATING. It felt good. I felt productive and I felt at peace. It was magical being in the Zone.

~ Nanette S.

Just wondering … do you think fabrics hold memories?
My sense of reality tells me:
“No! Of course not, the memories are in your head, not in the fabric.“

Maybe telling myself this is just a way to rationalize how crazy it sounds and I should just ignore my feelings. Because, I do want to believe that inanimate objects carry their history with them. Or, maybe what I’m feeling is really just my heart hoping it is true.

You see my family are collectors. We hold onto heirlooms and we search antique stores, flea markets and garage sales for special finds. I have always sensed inanimate objects carried their stories. When my mom died, I inherited one of her every day aprons. I love finding it when I sort through the box of family linens. I think of her cooking in the kitchen and her giving me a warm hug.

I also received a collection of my uncle’s ties after he passed. I cut-up them up and re-assembled them, crazy quilt style, making pillows for his wife (see photo), one for myself, and one for his sister.

Around the same time I made the pillows, I convinced my uncle’s wife to give me 12 of her favorite t-shirts so I could could make a t-shirt quilt for her. I really challenged her with this request because the shirts were so precious to her. Each shirt carried a story about a road race, friendship, or her love of gardening. I suspected she thought I would ruin them and her memories would be lost. When the quilt was completed, she cherished it. Now, after her recent passing, the quilt is back in my care.

So this is why I’m wondering about all this. I have these things that belong to special people in my life. Are my feelings just wishful thinking? Or, is it true that when I hold these textile objects that once belonged to someone I loved, that I indeed do feel their presence.

You may be wondering why I’m sharing this quilt…again!
Because its NEW!!
If you’ve been following me awhile you may want to argue saying, “I know I’ve seen it before…” Then I will interject, “… or have you?”

Maybe you’re thinking its the quilt I made for Sacred Threads in 2019, “Goldfinch in my Garden.” Or possibly the version that was commissioned for Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Virginia, “Contemplation.” Or it could be the one I made last year for a local exhibit that I called, “Wishful Thinking.” Last year, I also made two more renditions. That makes 5 attempts at making this design. Each top was created slightly different and years apart, for very different reasons. Four were sold to different collectors.

This version (pictured) was one I was making for myself. I had the top done, but not the quilting and thread work. Then, a few months ago I received a call for entry from Sacred Threads entitled “Gardens of Gratitude: Blooming with Hope.” This call had a fast turn-around time. Although the top was made, it “technically” never had been shown before. I decided to quilt the top and enter it into the call, along with 2 other quilted designs. Two weeks ago I received confirmation that “Gifts Received” was accepted into “Garden of Gratitude” as part of the The Healing Arts Program at UChicago Medicine.

I am honored and humbled. This is such an amazing opportunity and a significant milestone to my life; I was born at UChicago (at the time known as Chicago Lying-In Hospital). This presents an extra-special significance to have my artwork displayed there.

While I was making it… again!, I questioned whether it was fair to re-create the same design multiple times over. I decided it is. From each piece I made, I learned something new and made modifications that affected the most recent versions overall look. Also, because the recreations where done over many years, I was a different person with each one. They never will be the same quilt.

~Nanette Z

Have you missed me?
It has been over a month since I wrote my last blog post. A lot of things happened since then, but nothing that should be worrisome to anyone but me.

My lack of writing fell into 2 issues; lack of time/focus and a failure with a company I was using to send out my email. I had to do some research to find out what to do next. Do I stick with the old company or find another option?

My decision was to go with a new company, which meant setting it up, transferring things over and…then the other issue: My website. I designed my site many years ago and just let it ride comfortably falling into neglect. I decided that before I add any new components to my site. I needed to do an overhaul. I’ve been working on it all week. Not 100% satisfied with what I have, but walking forward now. After crashing the site and getting it operational, I’m ready for primetime with new skills about working with WordPress’ Block Editor. This is my first blog post since the change. So my fingers are crossed that I’ve done everything right and back in touch with you.

So I have nothing too profound to share with you this week, except…keep at it, even when it seems overwhelming. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. And…breathe…

Oh yeah! I entered my framed quilt “Celestial Gift of Honey” into a local art exhibit (see photo). It won 3rd place and sold. There’s always something good to report.

Photo Courtesy of Joy McGugan

The quilt in this photo is nearly 23 years old. Its a tiny thing (12″ square) and it is one of the first quilt blocks I ever made. I made it sometime after 9/11 (September 11, 2001). That’s when the US had the attacks on the Twin Towers (NY) and the Pentagon (DC) and the plane crash in Shanksville (PA).

Shortly after these tragedies, I stumbled onto a “call” to make these patriotic heart blocks to send to a group that would assemble them into quilts and distribute them. I don’t remember details of who was collecting the blocks or who would receive the finished quilts. But, like most American’s that year, I was really moved by these tragic events. I was all in with the yellow ribbons and “bless our troops” bumper stickers. There was a feeling of unification that we were all in this together.

I also was a very new quilter. This striped heart block was the my first ever like this. I was so proud of what I did, so I made an extra block to keep for myself. This quilt hung on the wall for many years, as a reminder of all these memories. (That, and I loved this bear fabric so much, especially with the random tabby cat wearing sunglasses tucked into the design with all the teddy bears.) That year I learned about the cathartic qualities of quilt making. I sewed many, many quilts that year.

I’m sharing this today because this week in America we are celebrating “Independence Day” (July 4th). A day of cookouts, fireworks, friends and family. The holiday was established to remember and honor our freedoms in the United States, both as a country and individually as citizens. The good ‘ole USA.

When I was growing up, every year for “the 4th” my dad would proudly fly the American flag on our front porch. On either side of it, he hung an Irish and a Polish flag to represent our immigrant ancestry. Today I’m wondering, if he was still alive, what would he think about the way things are going these days.

I’ve had a creative past few weeks. Last week, I submitted artwork to a open call exhibit and completed 2 pieces for another upcoming exhibit. This week I’m working on a commission for a family member. I’m also working on another art quilt that I want to submit to a call for entry that closes next month. Then there’s also the hexagon quilt that I’ve been working on, which I’ve decided needs to be submitted to another call for entry with a January deadline.

I’ve been my comparing my mindset to last year, when I was working on a number of different pieces for a joint exhibit at the local Arts Council. Last year, I didn’t feel half as motivated as I feel now. Part of my current surge in productivity is that I have several open call exhibits that are holding my interest. With the various deadlines, I can space out my weekly priorities.

I function better when I focus on one project at a time. Yet, there needs to be a balance between my household, computer and art making work. I’ve learned each of these tasks need different brain energy. It is not easy for me to switch from one task to another. Focused time is important to me.

I need to advocate for myself and remind myself of the priorities. No one else is going to tell me, “go lock yourself in your room and create.” However, the dogs, in their cute way, tell me they need to be walked. And, the bank reminds me that the bills need to be paid. My dear husband reminds me that its dinner time. And, the dust accumulating on the shelf reminds me its time to tidy up.

Sometimes, we have to remind our ourselves that we need creative time.