Viewpoints 9 Challenge 6

Title of work: Encircled with Friendship

Theme: The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

My Feedback: Meditating 

Thanks to Ms. Sue Dennis for giving us this interesting challenge.

Recently, I have been busy handling various business reports, budget and final accounts…etc. It’s a long-term stressful job. I’m familiar with dealing these matters, so it seems to be easy and trivial for me. However, those matters are complicated actually. In short, the combination of a series of simple things becomes extraordinary.

I often leave my working environment with complicated emotions, worries or some problems that awaiting to be solved. I expect the change of time and space would help me up with those matters. This week, with an unhealthy heart, I went on an adventure of mountain hiking with a group of experienced elders. Mountain hiking seemed to be an easy thing for them, but for me, I could only follow their path and walked slowly behind them. While walking, I felt kind of nervous, helpless and very unconvinced. I am at least 20 years younger than those walking in front of me, why aren’t I as healthy as them? Undoubtedly, this trip didn’t solve my worries, but increased my hard works and fatigue.

When I finally reached the destination, I shared my hard feelings with the elders. One of them told me it’s just like I could make a quilt easily, but it’s an impossible mission for them. Everyone has their “ordinary” abilities and “extraordinary” expertise. Indeed, the elders concentrated on walking, and focused on the adjustment of footsteps and breathing, while I was walking around and taking photos for my creating. I didn’t concentrate on mountain hiking at all. No wonder the 10-kilometer journey was too exhausting for me.

While we were discussing, a shop nearby showed us an interesting scene. It’s just like reminding us that it’s ordinary for chameleons to change colors, but it’s extraordinary for them to pile up and change the body temperature and color together. What a perfect answer for this trip!

Artist Statement: 

I received the 6 challenge when I was working with the “stories” that happened last year. By handling the details of each plan, I could have an in-depth view and absorption of those practical experiences. It also helped me to enhance and widen my vision of both private and public perspectives. It feels like I’m a university student learning for credits. Thanks to 2012.

Among the collation of gifts, many are fiber materials. They are a wide variety of fabrics that I’ve received from Sue Dennis, Mary Pal, Misik Kim and many other friends around the world. I decided to make them connected in my quilt. It’s a fresh thinking, and it made them a meaningful existence in my work. Making it for my 6 challenge is really an extraordinary thing.

I’m the kind of person who hates getting in troubles, so my daily life is very simple, and I follow plans and care every detail. It’s also my attitude in official business. When I was organizing TIQE2012 (Taiwan International Quilt Exhibition 2012), I had many chances to communicate with international artists by e-mails or face-to-face and exchange gifts. These working conversations and meetings always give my body and soul a sense of floating, because I want to take everything seriously and be highly concentrated. These conversations and meetings are just like a biological cell, which stores and expands my life memories and feelings. The cells are knowledgeable and often being stored in the dark for a while, but they are always ready to let me take them out any time and add new elements in. They are everlasting nuclei of life, which carrying the stories of my life.

Precious friendship comes from ordinary days. Delicate literal conversations and enthusiastic meetings with friends are the warmest life exchanges. Its extension is an invisible circle, like a ring. Such profound friendship is beyond distance and time, and connects us firmly.

While sewing this quilt, I made the seams visible, because real friendship needs not to care about outside appearances. I believe every stitch is heartfelt appreciation for year 2012 and every valuable learning experience.

In Chinese thinking, people believe that a circle is a fusion of ordinary and extraordinary things. I use circles to convey my feelings. Wish every letter and gift will be my eternal memory.

p.s. the size of this quilt is much bigger than the original request, because I want to put all the gifts and fabrics on it.

Technique: 100% hand pieced, hand quilted, painted 

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