I don’t know what inspires you.. Was it
your mother, grandmother, neighbor, teacher…. For me, it was all of those. I grew up watching my mother crochet and sew. I got my first sewing machine at age nine. I learned basic crochet stitches from her; but, gained expertise making many mistakes. I taught myself how to read patterns; something many people cannot do.
As for my grandmother, her craft was quilting; i.e. real quilting. She did everything by hand and used left over fabric; not store bought. I have a quilt to this day that she made me and it is probably 53 years old. I treasure it! It’s falling apart; but, it’s my history.
My neighbor, Mrs. Spellman was a crafter. She made apple head dolls and I can’t remember what else. All I remember is was her husband built her an attic in the garage and my friend Wendy and I would climb up the ladder and lo ok at all of her dolls she made. It didn’t matter to me that they were Caucasian and I African-American… she opened my eyes to a world of crafting.
Then there was my elementary school teacher Anne Marie Kerr. She taught us stitchery, painting and pottery. I wished I had a kiln!
I have spent my quiet moments doing some form of art work. I think my specialty is working with textiles. I have this dream of one day having a cart selling my wares; maybe like the traveling salesmen did during the wild west.
Why the wild west? Probably because I have been Far on “Little House on the Prairie” and because my favorite quiet place to go to is Knott’s Berry Farm.
Yet, textile making dates back to the beginning of time. My business is called “Healing Cultural Artifacts” because making these types of antiquities reconnects me to a time when creativity was valued. When skill was needed to produce something one-of- a kind. When I created my heart is healed from wounds that temporarily stopped my ability to create. The wounds are still there, but, if I can just buy a piece of yarn, fabric etc. I know that they have spiritual powers to transform my broken heart into a heart with a desire to be healed by the creative process of making something from them.
Healing Cultural Artifacts 