The Case of the Missing Quilts

 Melinda Palacio

The title of this post sounds like the makings of a suspense story or a murder mystery. I wish fiction were involved in this case, the truth is mysterious and a muddle that may resolve itself when a mechanic in a faraway place opens up an old delivery, expecting to be an obscure part to fix a rare Lamborghini and instead discovers quilts. Quilts with intricate designs, some with words, many accompanied by poems. At least, Fibervision artist and Santa Barbara resident, Lora Martin is hopeful the artwork will turn up.

Last year, Lora and her group came up with the exciting idea to make fiber arts in response to poetry. Their vision should have ended on a positive note, with one big collaborative pachanga. In February 2014, seeds for the collaboration were sewn. "Our Fibervision group was looking for an idea to create a cohesive exhibit for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in October 2015 and one idea that everyone found intriguing was working with text which evolved into using poetry for inspiration," Martin said. "Since I know quite a few poets, I suggested that it would be even better if we used local poets."

Fibervision is a closed group of 22 members, all women, but not by intent. They meet once a month on a Saturday at a local community center. I was very honored that three members of the group chose my poems for inspiration to amazing pieces of quilted art, including my friend Lora Martin. The poem that she chose, Chinaberry Tree, from my book HowFire Is a Story, Waiting, was also chosen by Lorna Morck. Diana Acevedo responded to my poem, Laughter, also from the Fire book by Tía Chucha Press 2012. It was a thrill to have original artwork made in response to my poetry. Several of the other poets were members of the Santa Barbara Sunday Poets, a group I've been a part for ten years.

Many of the Fibervision members had spent over a year working on their poem-inspired artwork until realizing that the show, and their quilts might be compromised. Lora received the first email revealing that something was seriously wrong earlier this month on October 9. It was due to a mother's careful eye in noticing the seriousness of the muddle. "I got an email from a fellow Fibervision member whose mother was attending Quilt Oasis and saw a sign that said the Fibervision exhibit was missing because it had not been delivered," Martin said.

The Quilt Oasis Palm Springs show was scheduled for October 8th through 10th and the Pacific International Quilt Festival took place between October 15th and the 18th. The lead member in charge of following the pallet of artwork didn't, at first, mention the case of the missing fiber art because she was hopeful the pallet would turn up in time for the Pacific International Quilt Festival.

The missing pallet consists of 14 boxes, bundled together. The pallet should have been delivered to the art exhibit titled, Quilt Oasis in Palm Springs earlier this month. The company delivering the pallet has been sending art work to shows for over twenty years and, according to Fibervision members, this is the first time an entire pallet of artwork has been lost. There is a $5,000 finder's fee for the missing artwork.

If you're thinking these "quilts" are similar to your grandma's sometime Christmas gifts of bedspreads and sofa throws, think again. A couple of the Fibervision artists have shared their missing artwork and vision for the collaborative work with my poems. Luckily, there are photographs of the missing art, which I can share, along with my poems that inspired three members of the group.

Chinaberry Tree on Calle de Parian, Mesilla, New Mexico

Melinda Palacio

Painted leaves of yellow. Wasn’t the Chinaberry green

a week ago? Green, like a pistachio paleta,

ready to drip down my hand.

It looks as though paint has splashed her left side lemon.

Her yellowed branches a reminder of yesterday’s

miracle of too many catfish in the arroyo.

Like the tree’s leaves, I long to shake out my feathers,

grow skyward and take flight

beneath the corn blue sky.

Chinaberry Dreams by Lora Martin
part of missing pallet

detail of Chinaberry Dreams by Lora Martin

Detail of Lora Martin's missing artwork, Chinaberry Dreams

I asked Lora Martin about why she chose Chinaberry Tree for her inspiration and this was her answer:

"As far as how I chose your poem, it was mostly because of the strong visual image conjured by your poem Chinaberry Tree on Calle de Parian, Mesilla, New Mexico.  The description of the tree and the sky were powerfully inspirational and the title of my piece Chinaberry Dreams comes from the longing you describe in the last sentence.  The whole thing came to me all at once and it became a matter of digging through my "stash" to find the right fabrics to fulfill that vision.   I did draw and make my own screen for the printing of the chinaberries and created the drawing of the little birds that are quilted into the piece. It took me a long time to make the piece, not the hands-on time, that was fairly short, but I kept stopping and starting over a period of probably nine months as I would work on it, then spend some time looking at it and thinking about what to do next, then repeat the process until it told me it was done."

Another Fibervision member to choose this poem was Lorna Morck. In fact, she was the first to contact me and share photographs of her completed piece, a work of quilt art, "Picture the Words," measuring 24''w x 42''h.  At the time, I had no idea of the extent of this project. Now that realize that 8 different special exhibits were lost, I take courage from both Lora and Lorna who seem intent on keeping positive vibes that the group's artwork will be eventually found. We may get to have our big party yet! Here is Lorna's interpretation of Chinaberry Tree.

Lorna Morck's Picture the Words

Close-up of Lorna Morck's "Picture the Words"

"When I read your words in this poem … flash! ... bright, happy colors … life … movement … joy.  It made me happy, made me smile.  Friends all commented that the resulting piece was not my 'normal' style.  Thank goodness!  After all,  'changing up' is an important part of the creative process.  You asked about how long I worked on it.  I do not track my time, so can only say I worked steadily for about 3 months on this one piece -- painting, hand and machine sewing, etc.  I had other deadlines looming, so finished this one in a timely manner. All began with the poet's words (I LOVE words!), each layer changes/enriches those words."

One of the artists was inspired by my prose poem Laughter, also from How Fire Is a Story, Waiting.

Laughter

Melinda Palacio

The story of my mother touches the wind and rattles me off balance, raises the small hairs on my forearms, my skin no longer feels my own. I long to be cradled by a cloud, suspended and sheltered. I listen to the words of the Grandmother Spirit. My elder says look beneath your skin and you’ll the see the loneliness in your veins. I hear drumming, a familiar wail of pain. The drums stop. The story of my mother is as ordinary as once upon a time there was a happy woman who lived a short life before dying, leaving behind a daughter. The pages between the beginning and the end are filled with laugher. A girl with wild hair the color of the Río Grande sinks her feet into the muddy river and says, you laugh like my grandmother. I laugh harder because the wild woman is my mother.

 

Wildness by Diana Acevedo

Statement by Diana Acevedo

"When I read your words in this poem … flash! ... bright, happy colors … life … movement … joy.  It made me happy, made me smile.  Friends all commented that the resulting piece was not my 'normal' style.  Thank goodness!  After all,  'changing up' is an important part of the creative process.  You asked about how long I worked on it.  I do not track my time, so can only say I worked steadily for about 3 months on this one piece -- painting, hand and machine sewing, etc.  I had other deadlines looming, so finished this one in a timely manner. All began with the poet's words (I LOVE words!), each layer changes/enriches those words."

These three works of art are only a sampling of Fibervision's collaboration with Santa Barbara Sunday Poets. May the universe return the missing pallet of artwork to the group.