Meeting a Quilt Goddess

Back in the day when I learned to quilt (we are talking the late 1970s and early 1980s) the availability of books and patterns and inspiration was pretty minimal; mainly limited to traditional designs. The Art Quilt Movement was just getting started and although I am not sure how it happened, I managed to get a copy of the paperback book, The Art Quilt by Penny McMorris. I remember spending many, many hours pouring over that book studying everything I could manage to figure out about the work featured in that book. One of the quilt artists who intrigued me the most was Terrie Hancock Mangat with her religious Dashboard Saints quilt. I knew nothing about the catholic religion, the saints or how in the world she managed to get her compositions to work but I loved everything about them. They were so different from anything I knew--with my disciplined sewing background & very rigid set of rules and expectations. Through the years I have continued to love Terri's work. And, in some ways I has taken me almost 30 years to begin to embrace that free spirit in my own way and work. I can see that the work I am beginning to do with my crazyquilting mirrors Terri's work more than my other quilting goddess, Nancy Crow. (It reminds me of my Ah Ha! Moment with Vicki this week when looking at Caryl Bryer Fallert's 2 pieces of work--you can do 2 styles well. . . up to this point, I always thought it was one or the other but never both.)


So after Vicki and I parted ways I began strolling slowly through the lanes of the vendor booths. As I rounded a corner towards the back of the convention center, there was a funky booth that drew my attention. The work inside looked familiar and I glanced over to the lady who was trying to get set up.
"Are you Terri Hancock Manget?"
"Yes, I am!"
and so I preceeded to tell her that she had always been a goddess to me from the minute I saw her work. All these years and then quite unexpectantly, here she is! and she was so gracious. She handed me one of her very large 3 part folded cards of her latest work, St. Mary Triptych.

"You must have this!" and I felt so honored. I was in total awe when I saw the piece in person the year it was at the festival (either last year or the year before) & now I have a picture to study. (I cannot find a picture on-line to share with you.)


I am telling you this story because I feel like the quilt festival is always a place of inspiration and awe and sometimes of unexpected happenings such as meeting Terrie. I never really know what I will bring back from the experience and what will eventually show up in my work sometime down the line. The festival is a chance to see in your own way what is happening in the quilt world. Even with the popularity of the Internet (and the familiarity it brings: from Vicki: "Oh that's XYZ's work. Do you know her?" "Oh, yea, I know who you are talking about! So, that's how that really looks!"), there is Nothing to Replace Seeing the Quilts in Person. Add a dollop of your favorite artist and By Golly, We have a Winner!


So in light of letting the Muse speak and stitching to the Free Spirit within us, here are some more photos of my Spring Sampler (which I am getting back into love with. . . .)

I just love this robin. He has such an attitude!

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! Go Embrace your Inner Free Spirit!