New Zealand Quilter
When Annie Smith described me as a "New Zealand Quilter" on her podcasting website, Annie's Quilting Stash, it provoked a brief identity crisis on both a personal and artistic level. I grew up in Warkworth, a small town on the main highway about an hour's drive north of Auckland. At least, it used to take an hour - these days an extended motorway system cuts the drive down to 45 minutes unless you get bogged down with traffic. But I digress...
I have many family and friends who live in New Zealand and I try to get back there at least once a year. I even manage to vote in most New Zealand elections. However, I moved to Australia in 1989, carry a kiwi and an Aussie passport and have lived almost half of my life outside of New Zealand. Increasingly, I regard Copacabana as my turanga wae wae (Maori for "place of standing") and my sense of belonging in New Zealand is more diminished.
Against this background, I'm not sure I can claim to be a "New Zealand Quilter". I hasten to add that I regard the appellation as quite a compliment. As Anne Scott, editor of New Zealand Quilter - my FAVOURITE quilting magazine, remarks in her most recent editorial: "Our quilts are distinctive because they speak of our country - in colour, design and pattern" and what wonderful quilts they are. When a Mary Metcalf quilt graced the cover of the latest issue of Quilters Companion magazine, I immediately recognised it as a New Zealand design even though it was ostensibly "made with the Australian landscape and colour palette in mind".
Quite where my quilts belong in the spectrum of Antipodean design, I don't know. But one thing is certain, my favourite colour is GREEN. I leave you with this photo of "lime hills" taken by my guild committee buddy (Pamela) who recently made her first trip to New Zealand and was astonished by the colour of the landscape.
I have many family and friends who live in New Zealand and I try to get back there at least once a year. I even manage to vote in most New Zealand elections. However, I moved to Australia in 1989, carry a kiwi and an Aussie passport and have lived almost half of my life outside of New Zealand. Increasingly, I regard Copacabana as my turanga wae wae (Maori for "place of standing") and my sense of belonging in New Zealand is more diminished.
Against this background, I'm not sure I can claim to be a "New Zealand Quilter". I hasten to add that I regard the appellation as quite a compliment. As Anne Scott, editor of New Zealand Quilter - my FAVOURITE quilting magazine, remarks in her most recent editorial: "Our quilts are distinctive because they speak of our country - in colour, design and pattern" and what wonderful quilts they are. When a Mary Metcalf quilt graced the cover of the latest issue of Quilters Companion magazine, I immediately recognised it as a New Zealand design even though it was ostensibly "made with the Australian landscape and colour palette in mind".
Quite where my quilts belong in the spectrum of Antipodean design, I don't know. But one thing is certain, my favourite colour is GREEN. I leave you with this photo of "lime hills" taken by my guild committee buddy (Pamela) who recently made her first trip to New Zealand and was astonished by the colour of the landscape.
posted by Brenda at 9:51 pm
3 Comments:
Hi there,
Just wanted to say that I read your blog most days...I too am from NZ but only from 18 months ago! I love New Zealand Quilter and also Anne Scott is a personal friend. I do miss the New Zealand Quilt scene. I find the colours and design more muted? here. Funny that you love green as I really dont like it as a colour...maybe because i have too much of it in my life! Anyway enjoy your blog.
Thanks.
Cheers
Pam Hall
Adelaide
Ha - another one nudged out of lurkdom. Thanks for your comments Pam. Isn't Anne the patron saint of New Zealand quilters?!
interesting about one's roots. I have been 'holidaying' in Australia since 1978 but am still very much a kiwi - I don't have any other citizenship and have to visit at least once a year for my soul. I badly miss the colours and the vista and just looking out of the airplane window flying into Wellington (my favourite city in the world) just soars my inner soul.
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