Nyet

Hand embroidered, raw edge block applique, metal findings,  mounted on a canvas frame.  Iconic image of Stalin, with Trump hair, and an American flag in distress.

Completed September 30, 2017 
Size 12" x 12"


This piece was created for an exhibit with the Textile Study Group of New York, RED  (at the Noho M55 Gallery in December 2017) 

After embroidering the basic outline and adding the ridiculous Trump hair,

I shopped for ribbons that looked 'military style', and some metal findings I could use as 'awards' and other decorations on the jacket. 

The awards represent some of his hateful policies and characteristics:  From left to right:  The elephant for GOP support, the butterfly for climate change denial, the baby for his tweet tantrums, the skull and cross bones for his elimination of EPA protections and poisoning of the environment, and a bra for his misogynistic treatment of women.   

The epaulets of his jacket are decorated with little hands

Finally, the background is quilted with an upside down American flag, indicating the distress of our nation.  So much so, that stars are actually falling off the flag  (representing states making policy to directly contradict policies of this administration)  

I hope this nightmare ends soon.  In the meantime, I will continue to make protest art. 

Peace, 

Paula 

PhD2B

Sam, our son, is studying for his PhD in Applied Mathematics at UC Davis.  The "math" part has to do with creating mathematical models for the "applied" part, which has to do with the life-cycle of a parasitic worm called: Schistocephalus Solidus.   I created this small quilt to hang in his university office, which illustrates the life-cycle through three hosts.  The quilting is text from a definitive article on this parasite  (Barber and Scharsack, 2010).

 
This is the text from the research,  not all of it made it into the quilting: 

• Schistocephalus solidus is a trophically transmitted pseudophyllidean cestode with a three-host life cycle. The definitive host can be any warm-blooded vertebrate; most typically these are fish-eating birds though other endotherms can harbour adult worms, including otters (Hoberg et al. 1997) and, though presumably only rarely, humans (Coombs and Crompton, 1991). Schistocephalus solidus does not grow in the gut of the definitive host but undergoes the final stages of sexual maturation there, reproducing sexually either by selfing (if singly infected) or by cross-fertilization (in multiple infections). Eggs released into the water with the bird’s faeces hatch to produce free-swimming coracidia that are transmitted trophically to a wide range of cyclopoid copepods, the 1st intermediate hosts. Here the parasites develop in the copepod haemocoel into procercoids, becoming infective to three-spined sticklebacks, the obligatory specific 2nd intermediate hosts (Bra ̊ten, 1966), with the formation of a hooked cercomer. Sticklebacks acquire infections when they feed on parasitized copepods, and in the stickleback digestive tract infective procercoids shed their outer layer, together with the cercomer, and penetrate the wall of the intestine. The parasite then develops into a plerocercoid, which grows to a large size in the fish host’s body cavity. The life cycle is completed when sticklebacks harbouring infective plerocercoids are ingested by a definitive host (Clarke, 1954).

 Here is Sam, the PhD-to-be 
 
















And here we are together when I gave him this quilt:

And with his lovely wife, Kelly! 




Sam and Kelly have a couple larger quilts at home, but I knew Sam's head was full of this topic, so I wanted to honor his work. 

Good luck with your studies, Sam! 

Peace, 
Paula

Thread and challenges

While I appreciate not being rushed to complete projects, I also realize that deadlines help me complete projects.  I've got to get motivated to work on SOMETHING!  I'll have to find some challenges this summer...

Here's some thread, to remind me:
 

 

Peace

Deep Breath

Deep Breath for Christie

Embroidered flower lungs, with machine quilted background "breathe" - for my friend Christie

Approx size 10" x 10" - January 2017

I met Christie Logan when I started my graduate level work in Performance Studies / Communication Studies at CSUN in 2007.  I took a few classes with her, and quickly grew to respect her knowledge and experience, to love her energy.  Recently she had a lung transplant, and I thought she could use some good healing vibes. 

So on my trip to Punta Cana, I started working on these embroidered lungs, hoping it would absorb some of the beach/ocean energy, that I know Christie loves so much.


Here I am working on this piece with the rolling waves in the near distance.

Here is the piece with the hand embroidery complete:

This is Christie absorbing the ocean magic she loves so well  -  and here we are together, at a final lunch together before my move to New York in January 2015:

Christie brought Performance and Pedagogy to my life;  I really would never have taken those big leaps without her.   She taught me to look at issues on a continuum, in multi-dimensions.  She says "Its not either/or, its both/and."  She introduced me to the writings of Dwight Conquergood, bell hooks, and Anna Deveare Smith, and many, many others, and so much more.  I am a changed person.

I can only hope this small gift brings her a deep breath of ocean air.
Be well my teacher, mentor and friend.  I'm thinking about you from across the miles, breathing in the air of another ocean.

Peace

If not now, when?

Hand embroidered Hebrew letters that spell out the phrase, "If not now, when" arranged in a circle.  The background is machine quilted translation to English. 

Completed March 19, 2017
Size 13" x 13"




This quilt was made for the final challenge in Project Quilting season 8 - Time is up!  and is my response to the urgency I feel for participating in our political processes.  We are seeing some deplorable policies and words by the current administration, and I believe the time to act is NOW.

The full quote, by Hillel, a 1st century C.E Jewish sage, is  “If I am not for myself, who is? And when I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”   

The first part, I understand to mean that we each have the right and responsibility to stand up for ourselves.  The second part, however, reminds us that we should not be selfish in our responsibilities;  we exist in communities.  And finally,  the time imperative.  Now.  Act now.

Using an arrangement I found online (by a company called Hebrew-Tattoos)  I drew the letters of the last phrase in a circle, which I felt also responded to the theme of time, in that its like a clock face.  Luckily, we had a snow day, so I had a full day mid-week to work on this project!  Here is my window/light box I use for tracing. 

Notice the snowy weather outside

I selected a course weave fabric, in a parchment color, to give a sense of the ancient text.  Then, after tracing the letters to fabric (adjusting some spacing I didn't like in my drawing) I selected 4 different dark reds that looked good on the parchment background.

Each letter is small chain stitch outlined then filled with decorative stitching.  The letters are about 2.5" tall.

Finally, I machine quilted closely around each letter, then background quilted the translation "if not now, when?" multiple times across the back  (this step nearly made me miss the deadline, as my machine stalled multiple times, reminding me that NOW is the time to get this baby serviced!)

Because the machine was being so balky, I hand bound this quilt.  Yes, I sewed the binding onto the front AND the back, by hand. 

Act NOW.  If you feel you need to stand up for yourself, do it.  If you feel you need to stand up for your neighbors, community, fellow citizens; do it.  And do it NOW.  The "time is up" for assuming that we are in the status quo, that things will progress more or less as they have in the past.  The administration inaugurated in January 2017 is showing their true and selfish colors.  They don't care about you or your neighbors.  Stand up.  now.

A Well-dressed Man is a Feminist

A Well-dressed Man is a Feminist - This quilt is in response to this season of misogyny in the White House.  There were many men walking in the Womens Marches all over the world on January 21, 2017, including my son in California who proudly declares himself a feminist, because he understands he is not emasculated by supporting women's rights. 

20"x20"

completed on March 5, 2017 

I focused on the pink pussy hat, that became the symbol of the Women's March.  The overview images of those marches all over the world, is a sea of pink dots - captured in this drawing and this typical photo:  

There are many images on the internet of strong men wearing the hat - including this one of a police officer.  Since the marches were peaceful, the police presence was relaxed and supportive.

This is specifically in response to the Project Quilting Season 8 - week 5 challenge theme: Well Dressed Man,  but I also want to create for Threads of Resistance project, which has a minimum size requirement of 20x20.  So I created the pieced background, using some textured grey linen, some soft shirting type plaids, and other grey fabric. 

I decided to create a minimalist face with just a mustache to indicate male, and then added the glasses, to represent a sort of 'hipster' male, looking much like my son, Sam, who marched in Oakland with his wife, Kelly.

The hat is hand embroidered in a tight chain stitch, meant to mimic knitting.  I embroidered it on a pink background fabric,  with a variegated embroidery floss, using the entire 6 strands, then I appliqued it onto the pre-quilted background. 

Likewise, the mustache was embroidered on another piece of fabric, and then added to this piece.  The result is they add some dimensionality to a flat work.

I'm so proud of the men in my life who support women's rights, and fight against the repressive, hateful words and policies of the current US Administration. 

Resist.

Peace.

Colored Computer

Colored Computer - This refers to African American women mathematicians employed by NASA in the 1950's and 60's before the age of machine computers.  They did all the calculations manually, which sent our first astronauts into space.  These women did amazing work, all the while burdened by Jim Crow laws in Virginia.  They are the brave, strong, smart women lauded in the current film "Hidden Figures." 

17"x19" 

completed on Feb 13, 2017

This is fused applique using a pack of bright fat quarters from Timeless Treasures Dash Basic, which I just happened to win at a quilt guild meeting last weekend, and machine quilted with some 'hand-me-down' variegated thread from my friend, Teri Lucas!  

This quilt is made for Project Quilting Season 8 - week 4 with the theme: Brighter the Better.   I just saw the film "Hidden Figures" a few days ago, and knew I wanted to play with the phrase colored computers, because it is shocking,  this challenge encouraged me to get to this right away.  I've quilted the names of a few of the smart women around the border:  Dorothy Vaughn, Katherine Johnson, Eunice Smith, Kathryn Peddrew, Sue Wilder, Mary Johnson.   Here is more information about this group of women from an article in Smithsonian. 

Since I was also a computer programmer in the early days  (I started in 1980) and a self proclaimed "math girl", I'm drawn to stories of smart women, especially in the analytical sciences.  The amazing contributions of this group of women who were up against incredible odds inspired me.  

Peace.

Step Away from the Edge of the Platform

Step Away - The train platforms have a textured strip to warn people about the edge.  As each train approaches, there is an announcement: "Step away from the edge of the platform."

3"x2"   (yes.. inches)

completed on Feb 4, 2017

This very small quilt is made for Project Quilting Season 8 - week 3 with the theme: Texture.   My friend Adva, in California, was talking about being inspired by the raised dots at the curb in front of a store  (here is her quilt called "Bumpy" )   I took this picture, because its similar, but on the train platform in New York City:

I then remembered that I had this variegated thread that looked 'dirty' like the yellow raised dots in the photo:

I started with rows of French knots - and eventually decided to add the shoe tips, to give a sense of where these dots live 'in the wild'.  Once I added a female and male set of shoes, I decided to comment about following rules (regarding standing behind the yellow edge) and following the requests regarding personal space.  One set of shoes tests the edge rules.

Peace  

Kimberly's Squirrel and Adva's Fox

My friends Kimberly and Adva live on different sides of our country, and we are all in different states.  They are always there to share pictures of our latest projects, get a quick bit of advice, listen to a kvetch about some daily annoyance, participate in a long online chat, or pick up where we left off on a sustained conversation about real issues that we may be dealing with.

So when I was packing for a week long vacation, and knew I had to take some hand work with me, I found coloring-book images of their spirit animals (Kimberly: squirrels; Adva: foxes), and some squirrely/foxy colored embroidery floss, and flew off to Punta Cana!





My daily beach or pool packing included a book, and my stitching.  I used the coloring book images as a general guide for outlines, but then I filled in with my own stitches and colors.  Here is the Squirrel in progress, on a pool towel:

When I got home, I machine quilted squirrely words in the background, and then bound the little quilts.   Here is the completed Squirrel: 

So when I wasn't doing THIS:

I was working on this  (close up of Fox) 

Here is the final fox piece,  quilted with fox words

Because we live so far away from each other, we are not often in the same place IRL, so I can't find a picture of the three of us together  (opportunity coming in April!)  You are just going to have to take my word for it, Kimberly and Adva ARE * Adorable.  Lots of love!

Peace.

Repeal HB2 - in solidarity with North Carolina Lily

Repeal HB2 - In solidarity with North Carolina transgender individuals who are endangered by HB2 - requiring them to use the restroom that matches the gender on their birth certificate

20"x20"

completed on Jan 21, 2017

This quilt is made for Project Quilting Season 8 - week 2 with the theme: Carolina Lily.  I knew that I was not particular inspired by the traditional Carolina Lily Quilt block - even though so many other quilts made for the challenge did some wonderful things with this design:

nor by the flower Carolina Lily - although this is where I drew the main orange color of my quilt:

I knew about the controversial "bathroom bill" in North Carolina, so I did some research for transgender individuals in North Carolina and found Lily, Gavin, Trinity and many others who are part of the #WeAreNotThis movement, to repeal HB2 (House Bill 2)

The large letters are created using the paper pieced alphabet by Hunters Design Studio.   Although I reached out to the individual I found in news articles about HB2, Lily did not want me to use her actual face nor name (which I honor) so this is simply female face clip art, meant to represent any transgender individual.  The male and female bathroom icons are the battleground of this movement, placed on the rainbow of colors used by the LGBTQ movement.

I can't imagine how it makes sense that an individual who presents as female would be required to use a male restroom.  The danger we are putting that person in seems obvious.  I understand the fear about sexual predators in female restrooms, (I'm a woman,  I have daughters)  but this comes at the hands of men seeking to overpower women.  I don't know of a single instance where this occurred by a transgender woman.

I'm an ally.

Peace  

Dear Mr. President, Thank you for 8 years

Dear Mr. President, Thank you for 8 years of dignity, hope, intelligence, respect, Michelle, Concern, open-mindedness, perspective, ...
12"x11"
completed on Jan 8, 2017

UPDATE 2022: this piece was accepted as a donation to the Obama Presidential Center  

This quilt is made for Project Quilting Season 8 - week 1 with the theme: "8 is Great".  My thoughts were with our outgoing President, and our grim predictions for the incoming president in January 2017.  

Of course, this started with the Shepard Fairey "HOPE" Poster

I traced off the major shapes,

Then I traced the outline onto the red/blue background  (its a little hard to see the drawing there) 

I started my stitching, and discovered that I was going to have to fill in the shapes quite densely to get them to 'read' the different color.

 Here is a picture of the back once I was done, which I post here only because it will never be seen again:

I was glad to be indoors working on this piece, because we had a bit of snow this week:

I've been developing this style of dense embroidery for a few years, and I still have some work to do in this style.  I really enjoy it.  I also like commenting on political/social current events, or any sort of research I've been doing, or books I'm reading or plays I've seen.

I, like many in my blue state, and among my liberal friends, am very anxious about changes in our national culture in the coming months and years. I'm so grateful for these past 8 years, and Obama's efforts to move us towards a more inclusive 'normal'.

Peace  

Paula 

2022 UPDATE:  The Obama Presidential Center opened submissions for artifacts that celebrate the presidential years.  I entered this piece and was later invited to send it in to the curatorial offices in Chicago.  I hope it is one day on display (or in rotation for display) when the center opens.