| Last week I attended a conference on Women’s Rights at the Clinton Presidential Center. This weekend I attended a Global Climate Summit virtually. (CU Boulder) What I got out of both of them, is that young women are going to save the world. No kidding. And right now making sure every girl is educated, around the world, is our sacred duty. Communities and countries with educated women are more successful and more healthy. Women in leadership positions tend to make decisions for health, education and peace. The young women who gathered to share their fierce vision for healing the world, at these conferences I attended, absolutely blew me away. Our boys and young men are vital as well, but the point is to make sure girls are not left out of education and leadership. We have a very long-term partnership with the non-profit Mission of Love. Kathy Price – the director – took this photo when visiting a school for girls in Guatemala where the grandmothers are teaching the girls the traditional weaving and embroidery techniques of the Mayan people. This is a project which eQuilter has supported, thanks to our charity program that you have supported when you make a purchase here. Education looks both to the past and the future. We learn and respect our traditions, such as quilting and weaving and embroidery, but we also look to the future with STEAM education. (STEAM = STEM + A for Arts) One of the buzziest topics in the art world and the non-profit world, is the collaboration of Art and Activism as a tool for inspiration, education, and fund-raising. So many quilters and textile artists I have met this year, are putting messages (both direct, and indirect) in their work….hoping to inspire their viewers to think about the topic represented. Whether that topic is conservation, endangered species, toxic pollution, social justice, human rights, healthcare or education…we have a unique platform to gently or directly ask our viewers to give these topics some thought. Today on a SAQA zoom talk, I heard artist-extraordinaire Janine Heschl speak about her work, including an exquisitely sensitive chimpanzee portrait made for a Jane Goodall anniversary fundraiser. Here are some of her comments: Art has the power to change. We have an obligation to do good, through our creative work. Janine donates many of her thread-painted artworks or puts them up for auction – to make this world a better place – to create the change that we need to see. We all have a gift we can use to make a difference. Be a Force for Good! Thank you Janine. Keep up the good work! Sharing your love of fabric, Luana and Paul Travel/Quilt Calendar: Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas. See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook. Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews. |
