(You Are) Always Welcome Here

Techniques and materials: Pieced and quilted hand-dyed cotton, well-worn vintage crocheted antimacassar, “pocket hug,” hand stitching

Artwork Statement: As I was sorting my mother’s possessions after her passing, I came across her large collection of crocheted pieces that were created by a number of her female ancestors. During my childhood, several of these pieces were routinely cleaned and starched and proudly displayed on table tops or draped over chairs. Luckily, my mother had labeled a few of the items with the maker’s name. The antimacassar incorporated into this piece was crocheted by my great-great-grandmother. A note attached attested to that fact and noted that she only had one eye! There were two nearly identical pieces in the collection, one was intact, one was well-loved. I gave the pristine piece to my mother’s brother in the hope that he would find a way to keep it “in the family.” I chose to incorporate the damaged piece into (You are) Always Welcome Here. Having spent my professional life advancing inclusive excellence in higher education, I was struck by the sentiment embodied in this old piece of crochet. The addition of the “pocket hug,” a small crocheted rainbow heart that I was offered at a local gay pride event, helps to underscore the point.

Purchase inquiries welcome!