ARTIST’S STATEMENT - By Annemarie Zwack

With the current political situation, both at home and abroad, I have been feeling that it is important to have some positive examples of people speaking up, speaking out and making their voices heard. This idea inspired me to begin a series of quilted portraits of people I consider American Prophets.
           
Alice Walker was the first in my series. I have long admired her writing and found wisdom in her words. I recently felt gratitude towards her when I heard of her being arrested in Washington DC for protesting against the war in Iraq. She risked her freedom to make her voice heard. She persists with love and is respectful even to those with whom she disagrees. In my quilt, I placed her in a field of purple flowers. I wanted to make reference to her line “If you walk by the color purple in a field without noticing God gets pissed off.” Alice sits on a picnic blanket sewing a book/quilt whose words proclaim ”Alice Walker uses her words and her Voice to speak Truth”.

Michael Moore is next in my series. He uses humor to awaken people to a dark Truth. Once awakened, we are called upon to act. I placed Michael in front of a television— between the viewer and the screen. I think that Michael Moore urges people to filter what is being beamed at them, not to take it at face value. The image on the screen is on an American flag. I have a couple things in mind with this. Do you remember when TV used to go off the air? Late at night/early morning they would play the National Anthem and then there would only be static. (This would be the same era in which this style TV set would have existed.) Another idea I want to convey is that WE, the American people—which I represent with the different kinds of fabrics that make up the flag, are the United States. So often individuals feel helpless to effect change by themselves. I want to celebrate individuals who use their voice and also point out our power as a group—as Americans; we can have a very strong voice.

The third quilt portrays Julia ‘Butterfly’ Hill, the young woman who saved an ancient growth Redwood tree by living in it for over two years. In the quilt Butterfly, Julia has four arms. Two arms reach up to the sky, and the other two reach down to protect the tree. The tree is pieced and is centered behind Julia’s body. In the distance is the Snake river and the silken sky. The words “Love thy enemy” and “Power of Love” are a reference to Julia’s struggle to use Love to persuade her opponents as well as keep herself going through the grueling experiences that tested her will to continue. The shape of the entire quilt is that of a butterfly a symbol of metamorphosis and epiphany. Julia Butterfly is an inspiration to me. She is a symbol of hope that helps me believe that I can make a difference.