Monthly Archives: August 2020

My story in a Quilt

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I want to share with my readers a glimpse into the underside or thinking that motivates and inspires my work as a quilt artist.  Often art is seen as a simple skill or execution of knowledge but I know it is more than that.  

‘Belonging’ is part of a body of work which I call my Courage and Integrity Series I have been working this on this series over the past two to three years reflecting my own journey in life. 

This series is so close to my heart and has really allowed me to challenge my skills to bring my vision alive.  Every artist has their story and for me my story is about being vulnerable and brave to represent it physically, for others to appreciate, enjoy and reflect on. 

DISCLAIMER: All quilt arts created by Wendy Ward (thats me) are created through personal experience. All of my quilts acknowledge a source of outside inspiration (if there is any). 

‘Belonging’ True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are. Belonging to ourselves means being called to stand alone. To brave the wilderness of uncertainty, vulnerability and criticism. Inspired by Brene Brown’s book ‘Braving the Wilderness‘ – In studio photo – not great, lol – it actually does hang straight!

‘Belonging’ is the most recent and largest quilt (180 x 150cm) I have completed in the series and took a lot of emotional excavation to create. After reading Brene Brown’s book ‘Braving the Wilderness’ I jumped into the ‘arena’ and summoned up the courage to bring my authentic self into my art. Most of my art/series’ has involved personal stories but not at the level this one has.

I have developed the use of figures as my own personal symbolism and use them in many of my designs. I have written about how this series started and some of my processes here (in a previous post).

My family has been through some considerable tragedy and the dark part of this quilt represents that. The ‘fractured’ figure walking from the tragedy represents me emerging from this tragedy a bit broken but still ‘me’ (with little bits of colour showing through the cracks; the influence of other people in my life and their affect on me). All the figures have been created by collaging little pieces of fabric in each colour representing; that although we are different colours we are all made up of lots of different experiences and influences that shape us. The yellow figure is also a further representation of myself being able to acknowledge and welcome the broken part of me as part of who I now am and having the courage to keep moving forward on my journey with her walking alongside me. The deconstructed screen-printed background (thanks Leah Higgins for your brilliant book) of the lighter side of the quilt illustrates that the future is not a clean slate but carries remnants of the past. The group of people represent society (and my family) and being brave enough to be myself amongst them. The ideas and techniques for this quilt happened reasonably quickly but I spent a long time moving the figures around forward and back to get the layout to my visual satisfaction. This quilt demanded to be large!

work in progress for ‘Belonging’
‘Belonging’ in progress

Belonging’ along with the others (detailed in an earlier post) was part of a body of work that was exhibited with my fellow COOTS members at our biennial ‘Visions’ exhibition earlier this year – unfortunately due to Covid-19 our exhibition was shut down early (after only 10 days).  Even though the exhibition was cut short I sold two of my pieces (‘Braving the Wilderness’ and ‘Courage’), such a validation to me for creating authentic and vulnerable work and being brave enough to put my art ‘in the arena’.

I have never entered an international quilt exhibition before and consider myself to be reasonably inexperienced in this domain. I entered ‘Belonging’ into the Festival of Quilts exhibition this year (2020) and was so elated and thrilled to be shortlisted in the art category. 

‘Belonging’ in progress – for the sewing nerds you can see the stitch and settings I use to attach my figures to the background

The tools gained from Brene Brown’s books have been instrumental in my life, since I have read and reread them. In general, assisting my approach and helping me handle my experiences with integrity and generosity (not every time, but when it really matters). Thanks Brene for your inspiration and empowerment, for helping to make this series of work so authentic. I go forth bravely, ‘daring greatly’, ‘rising strong’ and ‘braving the wilderness’.

This tactile journey we are on is an amazing experience and made even more incredible by testing the skills and learnings that go into our every day psychology and behaviour, making us who we are and who we are becoming.  I stand steadfast on my artistic journey and I will, wherever I can uplift, support and boost women who are being courageous, vulnerable and authentic in their approach to their art – this is what creates a fabulous art community for all to share their skills, talents and stories.

If you are still reading, thank you so much for taking the time to read about my process, experience and my story.

Detail of ‘Belonging’

Courage and Integrity

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Courage and Integrity – a work in progress – cyanotype over rusted fabric

Over the past two years I have been working on my Courage and Integrity series.

After reading one of Brene Brown’s books ‘Braving the Wilderness’ in particular, I started this series.

Having dabbled in thickened dyes in a class with the fabulous Clare Benn (whom I felt so privileged to have been in her workshop), I then discovered another UK artist called Leah Higgins and her fantastic book ‘Breakdown your Palette’. Leah’s step by step instructions and fabulous photos lead me to experiment with breakdown screen printing – I was head over heels in love – as my instagram followers can probably attest – after seeing many photos of the process posted there.

Screens dried and ready for printing
screen ready for printing

I wanted my art to contain authentic pieces of fabric created by my marks and my hand – as those who know me know that I am fascinated by mark making and the human need to make our mark on the world – some of my quilts have illustrated this along the lines of architecture being a form of making our mark.

Deconstructed screen printed fabric
Deconstructed screen printed fabric
Deconstructed screen printed fabric

Anyway after a few days of creating fabrics, I then started using them in my work. ‘Braving the Wilderness’ was the first in this series and uses a figure that I have used before in other work as an illustration of myself (of course I am tall and slender!! Haha). I have been using figures on and off over several years in my work – I just can’t seem to let them go.

Braving the Wilderness: Choosing courage over comfort (the words on the quilt are not actually on the quilt) this is a copy of a photograph my daughter put on Instagram at the opening of our COOTS exhibition earlier this year.
Home is Where your Story Begins. For most of us our home is our haven, where we get to really be our true selves, take care of ourselves, and others whom are fortunate enough to be invited into our homes

‘Home is Where your Story Begins‘ incorporates a lot of symbolism I have used in past works – the architecture, house plans, the human figure, maps and rusted fabrics – all lead to who I am as an artist. What we do in our past influences our future and what we learn comes out (after a lot of cogitation over time – for me).

detail of ‘Home is Where Your Story Begins’
Courage: Show Up, Be Seen, Live Brave

‘Courage: Show Up, Be Seen, Live Brave‘ was next in the series using figures that have been patched together to illustrate that all of us are different colours but we are, every one of us, made up and shaped by our own experiences, influences and other people in our life journey.

All these pieces were created after reading the work of Brene Brown, a shame researcher, who has an amazing sense of humour and exceptional storytelling skills. I will talk about my larger piece ‘Belonging‘ in my next post.