The softening of our fists

This quilt was inspired by peonies, imperfection and the promise of summer. I started this quilt in 2019 and finished it in 2020. The original inspiration was born from growing up watching the beautiful peonies bloom. I was always amazed by their elegance, their fragility and commanding nature. They teach us something. Finishing the quilt in 2020 the world is a different place, months of quarantine from the corona virus and nationwide protests for the murdering of innocent black lives. We are being called to examine and reset. I went to the Mary Oliver poem “Peonies” and read:

This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready
to break my heart
as the sun rises,
as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers

and they open ---
pools of lace,
white and pink
The quilt and the image of a peony took on new meaning. The green fists - how can we soften more? how can release harm narratives and invest in community safety? How can we soften into a new paradigm that understands/believes/values black lives?.