Women of Importance- white on white
I like to work within self set parameters. For quite a while I had wanted to create a white on white crazy quilt using satins and laces rather than cottons. I wanted the quilt to celebrate the women of importance in my life journey. This quilt is the result. In the centre of each square their is a printed black and white photograph of one of my heroines. They are surrounded by lace, beading and embroidery. I tried to encapsulate something of their personality in each square. For example, the square with my mother ‘n law, second row centre has her head covered at the top because she was always taking photographs of people that cut their heads off.
The images are:
Top row: My American heroines, Gail Murphy (my AFS sister, Mom Wathen My AFS host mother, Jane Dunnewold, tutor extraordinaire who changed my life as far as artwork is concerned.
2nd row: My maternal grandmother (Napier Nana), My mother ‘n law, June Fagan and my maternal great grandmother, Kawhia Nana. These women taught me many skills of thrift, embroidery and gardening and culinary specifics
3rd row: My eldest daughter, Kate, My darling Mum< My youngest daughter, Kim. Each taught me innumerable things about life, resilience and love. My Mum was a single Mum when there was little support for single Mum’s and she was a powerful role model of a woman making it in a male dominated workforce.
4th row: My sisters, Shirley and Rae both considerably older and wiser than me and my dear friend Marlene Perry with whom I shared long time study and work practices
5th row: Contributors to my working life: Marissa Campbell, representing the many special students who moved through my classes as a freelance tutor for Waikato Polyechnic, Bev Archibald, my work mentor who helped me not only to re-enter the workforce but also to create a new professional position within the community and coached me to take over her role on her retirement. Kahu Metekingi, my passport to the world of things Maori , always supportive with an iron hand.
