Art Chowder July | August 2018, Issue 16 | Page 11

helen: I first became involved in fiber arts as a very young child.
My mother taught me the basics of sewing. I was turning five and
she made me a little sewing box out of a cigar box. She covered it
with fabric, cut out little shapes, and letters to spell my name on
front. Inside were some scraps of fabric, a couple of needles, and
some thread. She gave it to me for my birthday, but her real gift
was teaching me how to sew by hand.
She sat down with me and together we made this really primitive
looking rag doll. And as we’re making it I’m seeing it kind of
develop and I’m thinking, “I’m making a doll right now!” I loved
that thing, but it wasn’t so much about the doll as it was the act of
creating something from nothing. Something clicked inside me that
said,
“You can take this material that’s
readily available and make anything
you can imagine!” It was like a
miracle, and was so huge for me.
After that I advanced quickly due to a mix of observant
curiosity and obsession with learning what else was
possible with textiles. I’d go to the library and pick up
books. The drawings were terrible; they used language
I didn’t understand; and many were outdated but I read
them anyway. When I got new clothes, I’d turn them
inside out and look at how they were put together. Pillows
and drapes — I’d dissect them. That’s how I learned at
least 80% of what I know. It built my creative muscles to
make my own things. There isn’t a whole lot I don’t feel
I’m capable of figuring out how to make.
July | August 2018
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