Shows and Exhibits, WCQN

“Giant Among the Sequoias” Returns Home

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

A couple days ago my art quilt Giant Among the Sequoias (2018) arrived in the mail. It was touring in an exhibit: “Yours for Race and Country: Reflections on the Life of Colonel Charles Young”, curated by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, head of the Women of Color Quilting Network (WCQN).

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Giant Among the Sequoias (2018) by Tierney Davis Hogan

You can read about this quilt in these two posts:

Secret Quilt Revealed, Part I

Secret Quilt Revealed, Part II: Yours for Race and Country

 The quilt is included in the book for exhibition:

2020-06-20_17-05-04_0422020-06-20_17-05-23_703It was bittersweet having this quilt returned to me.

This quilt was the last “art quilt” I created before my husband Terry (Terry the Quilting Husband (TTQH)) suddenly died in December 2018. I remember having the quilt up in the design wall in the hallway in my former home in Central Oregon and soliciting his feedback as the quilt organically evolved.

I’ve continued quilting and making little craft projects since he died, but for the past year and a half I’ve lost my art quilt muse. I can make improvisational quilts like Seattle Scrappy (see post Seattle Scrappy (What’s on the Design Wall)) but I’ve struggled with wanting to create storied/pictorial quilt like Giant Among the Sequoias. I even passed up an amazing invitational only opportunity in the spring of 2019 which would have led to my first quilt showing at the Houston International Quilt Show.

I am so happy I had all the quilts already made when I had my first solo show at the Seattle Municipal Center in April 2019 (see post Solo Show Seattle Municipal Tower (re-post)) as I could not have made new art quilt pieces for that show.

I did not attend the opening for the exhibit “Yours for Race and Country: Reflections on the Life of Colonel Charles Young” which opened March 16, 2019 in Wilberforce, Ohio. I had planned to attend it before Terry died and my sweet brother wanted me to meet him in Ohio and attend the show with me.

I just was not up to it and in retrospect I regret not attending the show and also missing on an opportunity to spend time with my wonderful brother Raoul.

Alas grief is a strange beast and now a year and a half into widowhood I have learned to tame that beast a bit, or at least live somewhat peacefully with it.

One day I did stumble upon, during my googling about the show, a nice comment by Dr. Mazloomi the curator on this website Dayton.com –  Military luminary Col. Charles Young subject of show at the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center:

The narrative quilts are a history lesson captured in fabric.

“Giant Among the Sequoias,” a quilt created by Oregon artist Tierney Davis Hogan, is a re-creation of a forest scene made from recycled batik fabric scraps. In the center, an image of Young is stitched into the largest tree, keeping watch over the park.

“I love that because it’s quite a twist,” Mazloomi said. “It’s not necessarily a narrative quilt but it is a modern quilt in geometric form and it goes on to tell a story about his work in Sequoia Park.”

I am so honored!

My muse has slowly returned and I am going to create a storied/pictorial art quilt for an important show, which I hope to  get juried into. Even if my piece is not accepted, it will be my next piece (I only have one so far) in my series Stories My Father Told Me (see series of posts Stories My Father Told Me).

I did hang up the quilt in the hallway headed downstairs to the daylight basement as there is other wall art related to national parks and the outdoors in that area.

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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".

32 thoughts on ““Giant Among the Sequoias” Returns Home”

  1. This is a beautiful story (I went back and read all to refresh my memory) and tribute to Colonel Charles Young. Congratulations on being chosen to participate in Dr Carolyn Mazloomi’s project. It is also a painful reminder of the grief you have experienced as well as the proactive, creative way you have dealt with what life has tossed at you. All of us have to find our way to face this uncertain future, but I am so glad to have fiber art to turn to just in case the muse awakens!

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  2. I went back and read the posts about Colonel Young, and your creation of the quilt. I am so glad to know his story, and I love the way you put his portrait into the tree; it really expresses him watching over the park. Lovely!

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  4. agree wow….maybe now with the return of the quilt, your memory will begin to “clear” to move forward into or is back to the “art quilt” – not that you’ve not been making, you certainly have…and as far I can see, nothing from a block pattern book.

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  5. l love this quilt- you get the sense of the enormity of the trees- having seen them for myself – just wow. So good to read that you feel able to start the new project.

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  6. Such a beautiful quilt! It’s inspiring just to look at and now I’m curious to learn more about Colonel Young. I’m looking forward to seeing some of your new story quilts.

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  8. This is such a powerful quilt, Tierney, and the memories embedded in it are strong ones too. No wonder it has given you time to reflect.

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  9. Reading your blog gave me chills, such an honor for you! Congratulations! Giant among the Sequoias is a beautiful art piece as well as a great historical honor in Colonel Young’s memory. What a treasure you have created. 🙂

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  10. I understand the feeling of letting the art making need come to you rather than chasing it because it does no good to strain toward it, it will come when the time is right. I am glad that healing continues and the way into new ideas is opening.

    This quilt is lovely. I wonder how large it is? It reads monumental.

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  15. I have always loved that quilt, and now i love Dr Mazlumi’s comment. You have done what needed to be done in order to survive Terry’s sudden death: self healing and less ambitious projects. I’m glad you feel ready to return to the bigger pieces.

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  16. Amazing quilt and the powerful story behind it. It’s just so unique. I just recently visited sequoia and I can vouch for the grandeur and same in your quilt. Thanks for sharing!

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