|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Dance with the Dream, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On a final achievements exhibition in 2000, I saw some students stare at their classmates’ artworks. They were very reluctant to say good-bye, for a few minutes later, these artworks would be gone with every student. The interaction among the students and the achievements is a kind of affectional communication. It is difficult to demonstrate the whole interaction even by using images to record it. As the old saying goes, “Seeing is believing”. Through this book, I will make a description of how hard the participants tried to meet their dreams. The original expectation of this book was to assemble every student’s study achievements. If every student could carry out self-examination under certain standards, then it would be the best achievement of reaching the dream. Of course, severe self-training before the search for the dream was toilsome. Passing through the ordeal of time, there were many attractive artworks (though only called exercises in composition) produced by the students. Yes, exhibiting the fruitful results is not only the best way to express confidence in oneself, but also to confirm the dream is coming true. In this book, we provide the readers with the process of how the students became mature. We present the details of our artworks directly and without any varnish. Furthermore, we share our true feelings of quilting with the readers. This is my students’ dream, so neither specific subject nor condensation can be seen in this book. We follow the most natural way to present our discussions. There is no critique in this book. Whoever knows how to quilt also understands that to make a patchwork is to challenge oneself. Whoever owns a patchwork is a blissful person. Whoever appreciates patchwork is able to realize not only how much thought the quilter has really given, but also how deep the feeling the quilter communicates. When I teach, I set different design elements for different student’s creative subjects. Therefore, the students heartily face the subjects with different framework and expansive imagination. They accomplish the artworks with design, technique, and colorful fabric of good quality. In the classroom, the principle is to respect the quilter’s original spirit. Every patchwork comes into existence through written words, discussions, conclusions and interactions among the students. This is why every artwork has its own touching story. Under the conditions which I just mentioned, we already finished several study topics: Loving Homeland, Plant Research, Beauty of Curve, Joy of Dream, Beauty of Flower and so on. We also composed various patchworks, such as Refrigerator Art Quilt, Geometric Quilt, Flower-and-plant Quilt, Scenic Quilt, Abstract Quilt, Plant-dyeing Quilt, and Decorative Quilt. Maybe because of a variety of practices, the students had more extensive thinking space. They searched life for creative ideas and also got life edification from creative activities. Insidiously, they showed self-confidence and gratification. This is another invaluable gain for the participants. It is worth working hard and insisting. In this book, I would like to share our study results and joy with the readers. I wish you could experience our enjoyment during the quilt learning process. There are lots and lots of stories happening in the nearly 100 students’ records, filled with great efforts, puzzles, problem solving, delight, and sentiments…. Some of the students wrote their stories with the whole families; some wrote with parents or children; some wrote for their dream. Moreover, we collectively wrote our combined story. All these stories came from the growing hearts. We would like to know more and more people who love quilt through our sincere artworks, and to write the history of Taiwanese quilt together. We look forward to the comments orcriticism from people who are masters in the field. We also expect to receive more instructions from quilt devotees.
Lin Hisn-Chen |
||
