Kathleen Elliott

Well Seasoned

Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Wool, metal wire, monk’s cloth, Atlantic salt water
84 x 71 x 45 cm
33 x 28 x 18 in overall

I am a Mi’kmaq Newfoundlander and a carrier of women’s history. I’m filled with joy by the scent of my mother’s linen closet, the surrounding wood’s breath held in each square of fabric.  As I’ve grown, I have come to understand quilting’s significance to my mom’s life is the same as rug hooking is for me: heirlooms of hardships. Well Seasoned nurtures tradition, honouring my foremother’s resilience. Woolen rows are neatly pulled into bright pinwheels, misted with water from the Atlantic, then raised to dance in the wind. Embraced by salt air I remember my roots are deep and stronger than the gales.