Permanence is Fleeting

Permanence is Fleeting

Much loved crib quilt 

One reason I chose to concentrate on quilting as a means of creative expression is that, after all the work involved, there is tangible product to enjoy and share. I haven’t pursued ice sculpture, or sidewalk chalk painting, or sandcastle building, though I appreciate and admire each of these art forms, and so many more. I suppose I just like the idea of having solid proof of my skills, effort, and creativity “for all time.”

This affinity for memorializing creativity, and my own quilting journey, has inspired me to read a lot on the history of quilting. As with all art forms, quilting could be mapped out in the form of a family tree, with many branches and offshoots emanating from the trunk that is the art of quilting.

One influential limb on this tree is the Amish quilt; admired for its simplicity and the skill level of the Amish quilter. Collectors of early Amish quilts consider them a textile expression of the modern art movement. “Art” and “collectors”- these two words should leave you with the impression that Amish quilts are taken seriously as an art form. So, it gave me pause when I ran across this quote from an interview with Amish quilter, “Rachel”, in Eve Wheatcroft Granick’s book, The Amish Quilt (pg 170): “…they were used up…” This was her response when asked what had happened to all her quilts, (a collector’s modern art piece)! 

So many quilt history books I’ve run across include a “care and preservation” section that I should have seen this coming. But it suddenly struck me that, even though quilts last longer than an ice sculpture, they also have a limited lifetime.

This begs the question: “Why bother?” For me the answer is that life is richer when we are creating and expressing ourselves. The journey itself enriches us. If we’re lucky though, we have something we want to share with others when the creative process is finished. I remember a crib quilt given to my daughter as an infant, (pictured above); it went with her everywhere, an ever-present companion. And now I’ve realize that if someone loved one of my quilts enough to “use it up” in that way, I would be very pleased indeed.