Rothko Inspired Quilt

Rothko Inspired Quilt

“Silence is so accurate.”
― Mark Rothko

I’ve been intrigued by the artwork of Mark Rothko ever since I can remember.

Posters of his work were plastered (among others) all over the walls of my college dorms.

And when I finally entered a Modern Art Museum for the first time in my 20’s (the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art) I was thrilled to find myself face to face with his work.

In fact, I started to cry and when I reached into my pocket for a tissue I accidentally tugged on my bag of Skittles which in turn spilled all over the floor prompting some close observation by an over zealous museum staff.

But that was ok. I was in an art museum! And, I was standing nose to nose with a beautifully tragic painting and being devoured whole by its depth of colors.

Rothko has been quoted as saying; “A painting is not a picture of an experience, but is the experience.”
And for me, that first encounter with his work was indeed, an experience.

Now, I understand Rothko and his color field paintings aren’t for everyone.

But I love them.

He believed deeply in the power of silence and the need to construct space for introspection. His layered colors offer a rest from the noise and chaos and provide viewers with a contemplative experience. His work allows one to slow down and reflect on personal thoughts and feelings.

And as much as I appreciated his work 20 years ago…I appreciate it even more know.

Life definitely feels louder and more chaotic…and then need for quiet contemplation even greater.

It certainly felt that way for me last spring. I felt sad and overwhelmed.

One Sunday morning I found myself in the basement cutting out and sewing a quilt with no direction other than thinking about the paintings of Mark Rothko.

Before I knew it I had finished up a Mark Rothko inspired quilt top!

Once it was finished up.

I loaded it directly into my suitcase to travel with me to visit my brother in Amsterdam over the summer.

There it came with me to both the Rijks Museum and the Stedelijk Museums.

My kids think I’m crazy hauling quilts around with us on all of our vacations but they humor me.

I particularly like this quilt because it helped me sort through a particularly hard afternoon after losing my mom and my grandma.

And then accompanied my on one of the greatest adventures I have ever taken my family on.

I love it’s quiet simplicity and I appreciate the time it gave me to contemplate my gratitude for the family that raised me and for the family that I am raising.

“You’ve got sadness in you, I’ve got sadness in me – and my works of art are places where the two sadnesses can meet, and therefore both of us need to feel less sad.”
― Mark Rothko

I bound the quilt in some hand me down fabric from my grandma and backed it with a crazy cheetah sheet I’d been saving for just the right project.

Art and Quilting…both are healing to my soul.

As life continues to grow louder and louder I am becoming ever more thankful for a hobby that provides me with the ability to spend time cutting, stitching, and contemplating.

Happy Quilting.

-liZ