New exhibition featuring quilts by Sara Deever January through February 2017
SARA DEEVER
SANE QUILTS FOR A CRAZY WORLD
ARTIST STATEMENT
I stitch for self-expression and therapy. I love to play with color, stitches, line,
and texture. When I sit and sew, I find great comfort and peace. Often insights will
come as the needle moves in and out in a slow meditative way.
My grandmother was an excellent embroiderer, who insisted that my sister and I
learn. I loved it and have continued; moving from stamped purchased designs to those
of my own creation. I discovered Mariska Karasz’s book ‘Adventures in Stitches’ in
1962. Later, in the 70’s, while making patches for jeans with a variety of sayings
on them, I decided to set myself a challenge: to see if the only text I stitched all
year could be scripture. It became a prayer process that I’ve continued and which
sustained me through my years as an urban high school teacher, when many of these
pieces were sewn.
For the crazy quilt pieces, I baste together interesting fabrics that may or may not
already have stitches on them. Then I embroider the edges together fastening them to
a muslin lining, binding the edge when I’m done. For the circles, I tightly sew the
fabric ground to a macramé ring and then stitch it. Sometimes I draw shapes or text
with chalk or pencil or air-erase pen. Sometimes I just stitch what feels right,
mostly working intuitively, playing with color, shape and stitch. As I begin, I may
or may not know what the saying or final design will be.