In the midst of planning for our 35th wedding anniversary party I left for two weeks to take a master composition class in Ohio. How like my life to pack several important events into a short space of time. Yet it was a dream come true and one that I could not miss.

Although I have taken a series of courses from Nancy Crow this was my first opportunity to take a course at her famous Timber Frame Barn in Baltimore, Ohio. I was to discover that it is a much richer experience to be at the Barn than taking a class at a conference. The commitment of the participants to developing skills as artists was deeper and stronger than in other courses I had attended.

The level of work I saw in the class immediately impressed me. Some of the women had been studying with Nancy for 20 years. Others had taken numerous classes and accompanied Nancy on her famous tours to Europe, South Africa and Guatemala. All of them were friendly and supportive yet focused on their own work.

Upon arriving at the Barn on the first day I discovered that only half of my fabric and supplies had arrived. The remaining box was held up in Customs. After many calls to FedEx I was assured that the box would be delivered in a few days. In the meantime, Nancy loaned me a rotary cutter and the woman who sat next to me loaned me pins and scissors. I went to work.

The barn is luxurious in the amount of space provided for each student. The size of the sewing room allows for both close and distant viewing of designs on the walls. The entire space is filled with inspirational pictures and artifacts from around the world. Every day I made a point of studying the wooden bowls and spoons on the dining room walls.

There were many rich discussions as Nancy presented topics for our consideration. It was exciting to be in the company of such bright, articulate and knowledgeable women.

Every day there were presentations by participants. Each woman discussed the development of her work, described her process and explained something of her current focus. Many of the women have had their work exhibited at Quilt National while others aspire to be chosen for this prestigious exhibition. Everyone was committed to developing her work. Interestingly, the work was diverse and unique. There were not “cookie cutter” quilts in this class.

During the two weeks we experimented. Sometimes we struggled. Sometimes there were significant breakthroughs. There were tears and laughter. Some people worked quickly producing many new designs. Others worked slowly. My own work shifted during the two weeks. I came away with a focus for my future work.

This was not an easy course. I often felt that my design skills were lacking. However, I truly felt like I belonged in the class. I belonged because I am dedicated to my work. I belonged because I am a good learner. I belonged because I am not afraid to hear what I need to do to improve my work. It was a dream come true to participate in this extraordinary experience.

As I returned to Edmonton I shifted back to party mode. There were many details to attend to. I immersed myself in the work at hand. Yet I remained quietly thoughtful about my experience. It will be several weeks before I can return to my studio. In the meantime, I am thinking and planning and writing and sketching. I am creating new dreams. When the time comes, I will be ready.

© C O P Y R I G H T   2 0 0 7.  Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.