I. HIERARCHY OF SPIRIT

Taken from A Patchwork Life: The Hands-On Guide To Living by Louise Silk

Available as an ebook: A Patchwork Life: The Hands-On Guide To Living 

You learn for yourself not for others, not to show off, not to put the other one down/ learning is your secret, it is all you have, it is the only thing you can call your own. nobody can take it away… 

 Louise Bourgeois

Life learning in combination with quilt making works most effectively when done in series. I experienced that initially with my first one-person show and I have continued the practice, making works in series with great benefits.

Multiples allow the time and space to dwell in all aspects of a concept, to process and integrate in a deep multi-layered analysis. On the physical level, series makes the best use of the gathered supplies. There is always enough for multiple quilts. On the emotional level, the lengthy process requires sitting with feelings otherwise easily pushed aside. On the spiritual level, the meditative process of stitch by stitch allows burdens and barriers to wash away leaving space for more of everything.

The series integrating Kabbalistic knowledge into my quilts began with the co-creation representing the mystic’s most significant symbol, The Tree of Life. Generally, it is a diagram of three triads. My rendition would be my own uniquely technical and spiritual creative action.

I started with a trip to the thrift story on half price day. Four values each of seven hues of men’s knit sport shirts used to represent both the worlds of emanation and the days of creation; all for under fifty dollars.

I used the image of a plant with very clear veins as the inspiration to create ten large windowpane-looking patchwork blocks. They were odd shapes and sizes, coming together randomly into a very uniquely shaped tree-like quilt. I made the transformational decision to leave it as a free-form shape without filling in the background.

After a series of varied tree-like structures, I used the remnants to experiment with several odd shaped free forms, and then, looking for a wearable, I moved onto the kimono. Trees transformed to angels; another known physical symbol that lends itself to divine concepts represented as quilts.