V's Version

"I Am Mermaid" is finished! I will create a slide show when we get back from Festival (because the herstory and the t-shirt collection is so incredibly impressive.) I am showing the entire quilt here and just a couple of close-ups.

A few special notes of personal interest:

These are a little over half the t-shirts in the 110 shirt collection.

It is a queen sized quilt that is 7'4" x 7' 10" and it is so snuggly soft that I am kicking myself for throwing away all my old t-shirts!

The worn t-shirt tags used as the mermaid's scales are my favorite part. They are hand sewn with tiny gold beads.

Cutting up the "Lezzie Love Lives" T shirt (in her bouquet) was painful. I so wanted to steal it and hope that she wouldn't notice.

Her face is a hand silk screened logo (from the 70s?) that says "Wimmin's Land - Wimmin's Space".

The hair that is immediately around her face is a pale yellow - super-faded crackled iron-on transfer of a mermaid and waves and a sea gull.

Her tail fin is an Egyptian goddess.

I had to quilt a flower into the gun of the very militant "Killer Dyke" logo. Quilter's prerogative.

The Michfest t-shirts used are from the 8th festival in the early 80s and from the Staff T-shirt in 1993, the year that I was on the Belly Bowl Crew a week after my mother was killed. (On a related note - I especially appreciated the "Never Another Battered Woman" logo that is used as a bubble in the sea.)

The parrot was quilted especially in memory of the long time companion of Ruth (from the Main Kitchen of Michfest) who died in a motorcycle accident. Ruth cares for 17 parrots at home.

I hope Suji from Chicago likes the quilt. Something tells me that when she mailed off two huge boxes of t-shirts, she didn't expect to receive in return a mermaid swimming in seaweed.

I set out to do something I had never seen done before and I did it. I could not be happier.


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Labels: t shirt art quilt memory mermaid herstory feminist lesbian dyke history woman made products ferne

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County bid farewell to the interim minister, Rev. Ann Schranz. She is off to southern California for a full time position in style. Here she is in her new stole called "Leaving." I didn't mean to make her cry. Actually, Dani noticed that it seems to be the most common reaction to receiving one of my quilts. She assured me that that was OK. People like to cry with joy.


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Labels: Art Quilt Unitarian Universalist Stole Commission vestement minister, chalice, Santa Cruz

Drop dead fun in Felton.
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I'm on a forced break in the quilt. I ran out of thread and can't match the same color until the fabric store opens. Ooooooo - I am love love loving this quilt! I set out to do something I had never seen done and I managed to do it!! It is so beautiful - so raw and with lots of texture and meaning and herstory. Seeing all of these wonderful feminist t shirts in this configuration is magical!

The picture above is only the very very beginning - before I put her hair on - before the sea weed started crawling up from the bottom - before the bubbles. This picture was taken in the very beginning.

I am finished designing her and have the quilt basted and pinned and about one third quilted. The quilting is rough because of all the raw edges and multiple layers - to say nothing of trying to quilt jersey T shirt fabrics! Very tough. But I am loving the challenge. Wait unitl you see the finished product, backed in hand dyed batiks of blues and greens and purples.

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On a different note -

I wanted to give a glimpse of White Raven Coffeehouse life. Here in this little locally owned coffee shop, there is an agreement of no cell phones. It's a pet peeve of mine to hear the loud one sided calls that are more intimate than most coffee shop tete-a-tete conversations. Anyway - I was sitting here the other day in the small back room that has two cushy chairs for internet lounging, etc. and a woman's cell phone rang. I expected her to ignore it or silence it but when she answered, I guessed that it must be an emergency or that she would walk outside since we were just steps away from the back patio.

Instead, I heard the entire drawn out drama of her life unfold in harsh, annoyed tones. She stood about two feet behind me and had the courtesy to shout into the colorful greeting card selection instead of directly into my ear - but still. Geeze, Louise. I closed my eyes and took a breath, imagining how I might convey to her the clearly stated "Cell Free Zone" sign on the front door. But I could not match her rudeness with my own by interrupting her conversation. That would not be fair, I lamented.

Just when I was ready to get up and escape the discomfort of knowing about her in-laws, the connection dropped. (Thank you O Mighty Satellite.)

"Can you hear me now? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Hello? HELLO?!"

I seized the opportunity to quietly turn my head in her direction.

"Maybe you could take your call outside?" I tried in my most hushed voice.

She shot me a glare that could freeze a double latte.

"Drop dead!" was her emphatic reply.

I was stunned immediately into laughter. What else could I do but laugh? After all the times that I lay in hospital and death beds - surrounded by family friends who gathered to say goodbye... After all the prayers and vigils of people from around the world for my health... After four years of chemo and the weary pleas in the darkest nights for remission or release.. After all that, it had come to this: a woman with a poorly done bleach job and a streaked tan demanding me to spontaneously expire.

I laughed so hard that I was moved to stand from my cushy chair in order to feel the full energy of my belly. And when she added rolling eyes to her her icy glare, I really let go and headed toward her. I stood right next to her as she fumbled with the buttons on the phone. I laughed so hard that she moved to the front of the store, crouching near the tea section. I followed her, hiccuping hysterically at the ironic humor of it all.

I slapped my knee, trying to catch my breath.

"You're killin' me!" I gasped between guffaws as I cornered her between the magnet collection and Larry's Famous Chai, laughing directly into her comfort zone.

After a full minute of continuous mirth, her disdain took on the slight edge of fear. Her frosted lips pulled back into a smirk that silently denounced me as a freak. She edged her way toward the baked goods, toward the front door, until, finally, inexplicably, she left me to my chuckles and mocha.

Ah, life. That one little scene will keep me smiling for months!

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OK - the fabric store will open soon so I will leave now. I hope to visit with an old friend from college who is visiting SF this weekend and then it'll be time to pack for the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (hit the link to see a new slide show from Velvet Park.)

Labels: humor art quilt process fabric lesbian family life art mermaid t shirt feminist

I have the most amazing life! My father brought us to the East Coast so that we could visit friends, family and his beloved River House.(My Dad's birthday was 7/7/07 and it just reminded me of how lucky we are!) Brook's mother let us stay with her so we could avoid hotels. I was able to show Dani my old stomping grounds from Emerson College days and we were able to visit my first baby's grave near Walden Pond. We got to see my Boston friends at Merry and Cheryl's City Girl Cafe and even chanted nam myoho renge kyo (!!!) with most of them!

Boston Foundation for Sight just gave me (!!!) new prosthetic lenses that fit even better than my last ones. (Dani cried with joy and gratitude and I think I am just in shock.) My doctor (Lynnette Johns) is the BEST - funny, smart, thorough, kind, compassionate - everything anyone would want in a doctor. Actually BFS (a non-profit organization) is like the opposite of the American for-profit systems Michael Moore describes in his hew movie.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND seeing the movie "Sicko" - Dani and I went with April, Lex and Pk before we left. We laughed and cried and got angry and were so so so grateful too. It was very moving - hilarious and disturbing.

My sister Jenn hosted us in Portland and fed us lobster straight from the Lucky Catch where she works and then brought us by Jeep to see my high school pal and her partner in their beautiful Craftsman style home near the beach. Even the rain let up while we were driving! I feel like I walk with a lucky charm around my neck all the time.

Jenn sent us to Boothbay Harbor to stay at the Harbor House Inn - owned by one of her co-workers at school (lucky, I tell you - lucky lucky lucky and grateful for all of it!) The owner knew exactly where to send us to watch the sunset tonight (as we are here for just one night) and it could not have been more spectacular.

That I have such generous people in my life and that I was able to see this magical sunset is beyond my comprehension. My heart hurts from fullness - but in a good way. In a way that I know my cup is flowing over and I need to keep on giving wherever I can...

From here, we go back to BFS for a final lens fitting and then down to Rhode Island for some reading time (thanks to Jeannette!) in the old hammock until Pk comes back from Cape Cod and then we'll all do some canoing and marshmellow roasting. Then it's back up to Maine for a family reunion before we fly home.

I'll put the pictures up when I can!


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Labels: boothbay harbor maine boston foundation for sight sicko

"Leaving" is a ministerial vestment - both functional and artistic. I love art that is infused with memory and meaning. That's my thing. And I realize that it is 4 AM (which might have something to do with the coffee I drank a few hours ago) but I feel brilliant! I nailed this commission even though I was kind of dreading it. The last time I made a minister's stole - it was for P and it was very difficult. There is something about getting the right curves to get the stole to lay correctly that is tough.

What you can't see in this photograph is all the little detail work - the velvets and satins, the heart, the chalice, the feather stitches, the crystals. The waves are made from glittering purple fabric and there is an orange spiral sun on the back of the collar too.

I made a prototype out of hideous yard-sale fabric and when I felt confident enough, I began the real thing. From the very beginning I had a good feeling. The fabrics fell into place as I used the colors and textures like paint strokes. I cut and sewed and snipped and sang. I didn't stop for hours and just let ideas flow as I worked. I am so grateful that Dani and Pk and the dogs are on a rare adventure in SF. I could just create freely without thinking about what someone else needed...What a luxury!

Dani and Pk are bringing the dogs to Pete and Hap's so Jaxx and Amica will help their dog cousin Benjamin at Cactus Jungle for a couple of weeks. We are getting ready for our trip east - another whirlwind adventure of medical attention (thanks Boston Foundation for Sight!) and relaxation. After this quarter, Dani needs the relaxation! Pk gets to see P and my sister found us a B and B in Boothbay Harbor so I can introduce Dani to Maine in style! We will be able to visit friends and stay at the River House and have a family reunion too. Kat just finished law school in London! That is worth celebrating! We found fellow UUs to stay at the house while we are gone and I need to clean the house for them. Plus I need to pack!

Having this stole finished is a relief. The fact that I love it is even better. If I were a minister, I would want to wear this all the time - it's walking art. The minister who will receive the stole as a farewell gift is a sensible dresser. With all the colors and the bead work, it might be a little fancy for her but I made it reversible so it could be totally plain too. Did I mention that I am really proud of this piece? Now on to quilting the mermaid...


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Labels: Art Quilt Unitarian Universalist Stole Commission vestement minister