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Sociology major, History minor
Stained Glass Garden
Stained Glass Garden
fabric, batting, thread
Jewett Hallway Galleries
The quilt Stained Glass Garden was assembled from 2019-2021, initially beginning as a high
school capstone project that was later completed in my first year at Wellesley. The quilt is a self-portrait that captures the early stages of my adulthood and career at Wellesley. The original title of the incomplete piece for the 2020 capstone project was In a Stained-Glass Garden a Young Girl Grows and was described as “representing herself in the present, to be kept as a time capsule for this time in her life… The intricate vine and column design on the border signifies the escape of the young girl from the trappings of the lattice center. The end of the column runs off the edge of the quilt signifying its connection to the outside world and the young girl’s escape. When designing this quilt, she wanted it to represent her personal aesthetic of classic colorful patterns contrasting with black and white. Colors blocked in by black and white, yet they dynamically shine bright. This quilt is a representation of the artist’s personal struggle to find balance between femininity and masculinity, playfulness and seriousness, and the chill of winter and the warmth of a close friend.” The later addition of the grey and yellow plaid backing and the patchwork binding during my time at Wellesley sealed the production phase of the project but opened it up for its continued evolution through its use as a practical object.
This dynamic between entrapment and escape reflects the conflicting feelings I had at the time during the transition from adolescence to adulthood, and the formation of new identities. The quilt has witnessed my growth and transformation during my four years at Wellesley, collecting stains and memories while it has been laid over an extra-long twin bed. It has kept friends and lovers warm and been an object of beauty for many to admire.
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