Diamonds Are Forever

This quilt, “Diamonds are Forever” is the seventh and last in my series of quilts on the theme of money. The seven quilts deal with the different ways we get and handle money in our lives. This one represents wealth acquired through marriage, or inherited wealth. Money that just seems to come to us as part of our lives, that we may feel we are somehow entitled to, and which stays with us more or less permanently. So it represents the greatest security, if you are fortunate enough to have it. Takes away that awful fear of how would I manage without money or a roof over my head.

My quilt is all different white fabrics, a lot of them shiny, with glints of bright colours, because as the light catches the diamond, you see glints of bright colours deep inside it. This quilt looks better with a spotlight right on it, not so good in a photo. I used a diamond pattern throughout. However, when I had finished it, instead of seeing diamonds and hard edges, I saw something much more domestic, of fine linen, sheets on a bed. A marriage chest of linen, a “bottom drawer” saved for that first marriage home. The security aspect of an engagement ring diamond had come out in my art unexpectedly. I find that happens a lot, and can be rather disconcerting. In fact it looks like the ultimate security of cuddling up in bed! So, it is three types of security all in one. The emotional security of marriage, the financial security of wealth, or some anyway, and the childhood security of being cuddled up in bed.

As I sat invigilating my own show in the gallery, looking at my seven quilts on the theme of money, I realised that I had experienced, directly or indirectly, all of them. Luck, cash, bonuses, earnings, productivity, and a certain amount of security (though sadly, not marriage). Together with the dangers of money: fear, debt, envy, greed, spendaholic tendency, going without, lack, shady dealings, insecurity…. It’s been a rather up and down life….

Altogether, money is very two-faced, dangerous even. It comes and goes. Best not to rely on it as your security. Better to rely on your eternal relationship with God as your security. Though sometimes He seems to come and go a bit too….. Hey ho. Back to bed, and the security of going under the covers……

Rags to Riches

This quilt is made from scraps of old shirts, dresses, pyjamas, etc., what some might consider rags, and I have made them into a colourful quilt using a design called the kaleidoscope. it is a favourite of mine, though some people consider it too complicated and messy. Like people! We can be complicated and messy, colourful, and made up of lots of different bits and pieces of experiences, memories, things we have learnt, inherited, skills, faults etc.

In my series of quilts on the theme of money, this represents those who come from nothing and get rich through sheer hard work and skilful use of every opportunity. While I was making it, the piles of pieces and half made blocks looked like a messy nothing, like some of our efforts in life might seem, but when finished it looks like a rich tapestry– the rich tapestry of life, to use a cliché.

While I was making this quilt, I had a strange experience. It was going slowly; I was working on the blue and grey blocks, and I was finding it difficult, un-inspired. Time was running out before my show, and this was the last quilt to get finished. And then I got some bad news about a relative who was ill, and I became doubly anxious and stressed. But surprisingly, the effect on the quilt was that it suddenly became alive, exciting, full of movement and colour! I was very amazed. My relative recovered, my show was a success, and someone even understood all this from looking at this quilt! I haven’t been able to part with this quilt, it has a lot of personal meaning for me now, and it hangs in my living room. It reminds of hope out of anguish, a meaningful design out of bits and pieces. Not to give up.

Liquid Assets

Liquid Assets, the quilt wall hanging featured above, is another in my series of quilts on the theme of money. Liquid assets are actual cash or assets you can turn into cash very quickly. No three-months notice to wait to withdraw from your savings account, or having to sell something. It is good to have loads of the readies, but dangerous too, as they are soon gone, spent on goodies, or just quickly disappear into the necessities of life. Very like liquid, it just runs away and disappears quickly. I have been guilty of spend spend spend at times when I seemed to be earning quite well. Easy come, easy go, with me. All that money just sitting in your bank account, or cash lying around, it is just too tempting. Soon gone, then what?

It is the opposite of my quilt “Bankers’ Bonuses” which showed wads of cash locked up safely, hoarded. But both the ability to shop till you drop, or having loads of money locked away, both the cash and the stash, make us feel more secure. Buying things makes us feel more secure temporarily. We are giving ourselves a present. When we got presents as children, it was because we were good, safe, loved, deserved it, or it was a celebration occasion, etc. etc.. So we try to re-create that good feeling as adults. I noticed that I bought handbags when my job was going badly or I had lost it. Handbags made me feel more secure. When I had been dumped by a man, I bought clothes, particularly ones with a fake-fur trim, I noticed. Fur trims probably made me feel like a sweet little girl who someone would take care of….. Men are supposed to buy a new car. Women often want to do up the home or buy a new one. What do you spend your liquid assets on to make yourself feel more secure or cheer yourself up temporarily? Do we turn to God at these difficult moments in our life, our real security and our Rock? No, we go shopping. Foolish us.

In this quilt above, I have made it all watery colours, with fish swimming around, and light reflections contrasted with murky depths. This represents the illusory fugitive quality of cash and similar liquid assets. People thought this quilt was the best of my money series, and I used it a lot in my publicity printed materials. A couple of my longest-term friends bought it, one of whom had been a stock broker, so appreciated the idea. Sadly, they never hung it though. Thought they could have at least put it up in the bathroom…..