Sew It Seams

It was an inspiring experience seeing the works of Laura Hausheer, Cornelia Parker, Remina Greenfield, Elise Kielek, Samantha Nickey, KoKo Olszewski, and Jennifer Metz. Each artist created works that took a life of their own. I saw everything from paper cut images, to a collaborative quilt, to even coded photography. However it was the collaborative quilt by KoKo Olszewski that really captured my attention. The theme of her SMP, titled Sew It Seams, asked the question “what does home mean to you?” The object of her SMP was to gather student-designed quilt pieces all with their own interpretations of home and stitch them together so as to show how we all have something we love about home that is relatable. KoKo even received a little help from Professor Carrie Patterson and Children of the Village who even came in to see their work. So, the theme was home and building community and KoKo, being the head of St. Mary’s Habitat for Humanity, definitely did an amazing job at portraying this theme. Her presentation was not only engaging but it was also interactive. She utilized her space by decorating it as if it were a living room equipped with a rug, a chair and pillows. She also encouraged spectators to relax on the rug and make their own quilt piece. I, of course, took advantage of this option. I had so much fun and learned vital information. KoKo was inspired to do this presentation by her research and work within the Habitat for Humanity club. She explored St. Mary’s County and found out that there was a great deal of foreclosures within the county. Many people lost their homes in the community and we, as apart of the St. Mary’s College community, had no idea. And these many people can be considered our neighbors since the college is also within the county community. We as students are so lucky to be able to afford housing whereas the people who live not too far from us are not. So, KoKo wanted to find a way to bridge these communities, so that the students here will understand what is happening outside of the college and want to do something about it. This idea definitely correlates and even translates the title of her SMP, Sew It Seams. She, in a way, is both physically and emotionally stitching these communities, these stories, these lives, and these homes together and she is educating people about one another all at the same time. I hope see more of her work and progress in the future but what I hope most is that her overall goal of getting the students to take action and work with the county is accomplished. I’m very optimistic that it will be.