Sunrise Sampler 30″x 30″ Quilted Tapestry

“My quilt block is a representation of my national identity through numbers, colors and shapes. I used country code numbers to represent the countries I come from. The country code for Kenya is +254 and Japan +81. The quilt design is to be read clockwise (+254) and counterclockwise (+81) from the top left corner to display the coming together of both nationalities. It provides a sense of movement as well. I played with color while designing to make the viewer’s eyes focus on the shapes intended. The top left block and its diagonal block are similar but read differently. The first emphasizes the shape of “+,” and the third block focuses on the four yellow squares to represent 4. The second block contains the numbers 2 and 5 in the form of rectangles that are arranged to read as both numbers or shapes. The fourth block, the bottom left, has an octagon to represent the 8 and the one strip to represent 1.” ~ YoungSoon ’25

 

ハーフ (pronounced as hafu) is Japanese, meaning a biracial person (especially half Japanese) or person of mixed parentage.

“Delight. Pleasure. Playfulness. These are the feelings that I to invoke through my quilt block.

My initial inspiration for this design came from a place of great delight and pleasure for me: my grandparents’ house from my childhood. When I was around four years old, my grandparents used to have a tall windmill in their backyard. Although the windmill itself did not have many splashes of color besides some white and tan, the memories associated with it are as vivid as can be. I remember running around the yard with the wind blowing in my face, playing ball games with my grandpa and sitting on the back steps with my grandma on warm, sunny days. That windmill is no longer standing in that yard, although the concrete block on which it once stood is still on the ground, making sure that I do not forget those carefree years. I wanted to use bright colors in this block to create a sense of playfulness and nostalgia, as these colors are commonly used for children’s toys. I thought that geometric shapes would bring about a similar response of playfulness and even simplicity. These characteristics work together to leave many possibilities for interpretations. Some people may look at this quilt block and see the blades of a windmill as I do, while others may think of a colorful pinwheel or flower. Whatever the case may be, I hope that whoever sees it finds it pleasing in their sight.” ~ Paulina ’25

“When you look at my block, I’m guessing your last thought is to think of it as a tree. Well, it kind of is. It is a deconstructed tree. The act of deconstructing involves examining and taking apart something with the purpose of revealing the basis or composition of it, often with the intention of exposing something within. It emphasizes discovering, recognizing and understanding the underlying foundations and ideas. When designing using this technique, deconstructing gets rid of the original framework and allows me to create something new.

When first working on this design, I knew right away I did not want to create something that had an obvious concept. I wanted to leave opportunity for interpretation and searching within the piece. I did not desire to sew a traditional tree pattern with a basic outline, shape and color scheme that matched a normal tree pattern you would find while Googling on the internet. Therefore, I decided to take a tree pattern which spoke to me the most and deconstruct it—and, in the process, create a new composition. With a traditional color palette, my pattern would look much like a geometric tree slanted upward toward the upper right corner. However, the way my block is constructed allows for various color combinations which hide the image of the tree but also allow for different possibilities of construction and interpretation.

It was important to me to choose a design that spoke to me personally and had specific meaning for me. Therefore, I chose a tree for two reasons. The first reason is that it matches my name. My name is Holly, much like the Holly tree that grows wavy leaves and bright red berries. The second reason is because of the deep love I hold inside myself for nature and my desire to promote sustainability. Climate change is a phrase many of us have heard about at least once, and it has become a prevalent conversational topic today. I believe collectively that we have a moral obligation to protect our planet and provide an eco-conscious society and economy for the future inhabitants of earth. My hope is that the combination of a structured pattern paired with an adaptable color scheme speak to our capability as a species to work together to keep our existing prosperity of innovation, while also adapting to prevent more harm to our atmosphere, oceans, wildlife, and even our own kind—who all suffer from the effects of climate change. Overall, to discover meaning in my piece you have to search beyond the original framework and construct a new way of seeing art. Much like how, in order to fight against climate change, we must adapt and find new solutions to problems. We must change from our original frame of thinking to construct a healthier and improved world, not just for ourselves but for every being on earth and those yet to come.” ~Holly ’23

“My quilt block is a combination of two designs that flowed beautifully together to create something completely new that expresses my bright, bubbly, and colorful personality. I worked collaboratively with other students to choose colors and create a design that would be easy to sew for beginners but allow for creative interpretation through color placement.” ~ Zy Garrett ’22