Shows and Exhibits, Studio, WCQN

The Lesson and The Equation

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

I’ve been waiting to share this with you for quite a while. First, I needed to wait until the show’s curator gave me permission to share, and then I needed to be ready to share.

I am ready to share!

This post is an overdue follow up to my post Creative Inspiration: Stories My Father Told Me, originally posted in April 2016. You are welcome to read the original post but here is a synopsis of some of this post and a little bit of additional information:

While browsing the magazine section at our local Barnes & Noble bookstore in March 2016, I came across this magazine that I’ve never seen before: American Craft Magazine:

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Image credit: craftcouncil.org

In the April 2016 issue of American Craft they had an article about an exhibit, And Still We Rise by the Women of Color Quilting Network (WCQN).  I never heard of WCQN and immediately knew I wanted to join! 

I reached out to Dr.Carolyn Mazloomi, founder of WCQN, shared my blog links with images of my work and asked if I could join and she said yes.

I then spent a lot of time looking through the WCQN website and was inspired to create a series based on the incredible stories my father, Raoul Davis, Sr., told me while growing up – Stories My Father Told Me. 

I shared this with Dr. Mazloomi and she invited me to participate in the next WCQN show. (I was terrified and wanted to say “No” but I made myself say “Yes”)

The Lesson & The Equation

The WCQN show that I was incredibly lucky enough to be invited to participate, was based on the United Nations (U.N.) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Participants had to select one of the thirty (30) Articles in this declaration and make a quilt inspired by the Article.

I selected Article 1 as it aligned with the lessons and values my father taught us as children:

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

I’ve shared partial images from the quilt I created, which is the first quilt in my series Stories My Father Told Me. Here is a full image of the quilt, courtesy of Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, and below the image is my Artist Statement.

Article 1_TierneyDavis.jpg
Image courtesy of Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi

ARTIST STATEMENT

The Lesson & The Equation (2016) 50 x 50 inches
Applique, cotton, batiks, quilted

“Article I: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” – U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article I of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights resonates the values that my father instilled in my siblings and me, as young children. My father grew up in the segregated South in the 1940s and embraced at an early age that change comes from respectful dialogue, not violence.

He taught us that regardless of what adversity we faced in life, we must face it with grace; and treat others with respect, dignity, and brotherhood. The foundation for a life lived embracing the values illustrated in Article I, begins at home, modeled and mentored by the adults in a child’s life. (THE LESSON)

In this quilt, a father (modeled after my own father in the 1970s) is teaching his children, on the main blackboard, THE EQUATION to achieving a world in which people are Free and Equal: Reason + Conscience = Spirit of Brotherhood

The two individual blackboards, “Dignity” and “Respect”, are the building blocks of the Free & Equal equation. I am from a family of educators, beginning with my great-grandfather. The blackboards in the quilt honor that legacy.

My father also taught us another key lesson, which is best expressed in the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet”.

WCQN Show

This quilt will debut in the WCQN show, Visioning Human Rights in the New Millennium: Quilting the World’s Conscience, on August 17, 2018 at the FiltonCenter for Creative Arts in Hamilton, OH.

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Image credit: ohio.org

Yes I will be attending the opening in August and there are no words I could type that would convey my excitement to be participating in this important exhibit. I am feeling very blessed to have been given this opportunity.

There will also be a book that accompanies the exhibit and Dr. Mazloomi’s books are incredible. Search “Carolyn Mazloomi” on Amazon to see a sample of books related to past exhibits. I own several of these books and to call them “inspirational” would be an understatement.

Below is an example of one of the books from a WCQN exhibit (which is currently touring):

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Image credit: schifferbooks.com

And Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations is on exhibit at the Freedom Center until September 1, 2018 – here is thelink if you would like to check out more information on this exhibit.

I had the opportunity to finally meet Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi in person this past September when I attended Quilters Take Manhattan (see post The “Dance Partner” – Michael Cummings at QTM 2017). I tried not to behave like too much of a “fan girl” but I was completely in awe of this amazing and accomplished woman.

What is Next?

I mentioned in my post Art& Fear, etc., I was struggling with two looming art quilt deadlines.

One of those quilts is for my local SAQA group annual show which I have started (will share in upcoming post); and the other one is a new art quilt for the next WCQN show I have been invited to participate in. I cannot share the details at the time, I need to wait until the curator is ready to officially announce the show – but it is another really exciting opportunity!

With the first quilt done in the Stories My Father Told Me series, I have mapped out the next 6 – 8 quilts in the series based on stories from my father’s life and lessons he taught me.

I just need to start making them (and if I win the lottery I plan to work full-time on completing this series)…

Postscript

I think my whole experience demonstrates that you have to take risks in life and when an opportunity comes to your door – take it!

“Go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.” — Jimmy Carter

Imagine if I never contacted Dr. Mazloomi? (Of course imagine if I never randomly opened that magazine at my local Barnes & Noble…thank you Universe!)

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

43 thoughts on “The Lesson and The Equation”

  2. This exciting news. Congratulations!! I will look forward to seeing more of what you are working on. You motivate and inspire me to move on and be a better quilter and person.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much Christine and that makes me smile to know I’ve motivated you as I am where I am at so far thanks to inspiration and motivation from other crafters! (we encourage and lift each other up!) 🙂

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  9. Tierney…I think it is fabulous that you chose to go out on a limb, out of your comfort zone, and conquer this! You have created an amazing tribute to your dad (and all mankind) through this work and also through the way you live your life. I am blessed to call you friend.

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  11. Such a deep and meaningful post – complete with your work of (he)art.
    Instead of repeating what’s already been said in the comments (and which I agree with) I’ll mention this:
    What a special tribute to your dad…
    Keep us posted on all the deets of this event, okay?
    Now, go forth and claim your place in it!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. This is so exciting, Tierney!! Congratulations! I’m overjoyed at your opportunity to share this quilt at the exhibition this August! I’m so inspired by your work, and the way this series draws on and shares your father’s life and lessons. A big thank you for sharing the legacy through your beautiful quilts. 🙂 I love the story, too, of how you found the WCQN through the magazine. It’s funny how the things we need can sometimes find us! 🙂

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  17. Tierney, this is AMAZING! And so well deserved. Good for you. I’m so glad you’re going to the exhibition opening, and you’re moving forward with your series. It does take a little effort and courage to climb out there on the limb, but the rewards can be great. And in quilting, the main risk is to our ego. I’ve been bruised before and surely will be again. It doesn’t hurt that much! ❤

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  18. How exciting and what an honor! I can’t wait to see the rest of your series and hear the stories that inspired it.

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      1. 🙂 I enjoy your blog.

        I meant to ask if you have read or preferably listened to Condoleezza Rice’s autobiography? Regardless of your political persuasion, her story is encouraging and fascinating. She also comes from the south from a long line of educators. I recommend it. If I already said this, please forgive me.

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      2. Thanks and thanks for the suggestion! I was not a huge Bush fan at the time he was in office (though he does not seem so bad anymore to me in retrospect) but I’ve always had much respect for Condoleezza Rice! Thanks for the suggestion 🙂

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  20. Oh wow, Tierney! Huge congratulations to you… For making this fabulous piece, being part of this exhibition and, most importantly, for reaching out to this awesome group in the first place! I only wish I was on the right side of the Atlantic to come and see it when the show opens… So I suppose you’ll have to be on-site and taking lots of photos to share with us all! I’m excited to see what else you’re working on now!

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