Aaron: Okay, we're rolling. So, I've just been starting by asking people what inspired you to join in the project. I know that Kailee and Chloe were doing it.

 

Margaret: Yeah.

 

Aaron: And you live with them, but you could have just said Okay, that's cool, you know. So, I'm curious, what inspired you to be a part of it?

 

Margaret: Well, when I was at that workshop, I said that, like, I haven't been really making art all that much since I graduated from SWIC. And this year I've been really, like, wanting to create art, but, like, it’s so hard for me to create art in a non-class setting, because that's the only way I've really done it.

 

Aaron: Yeah.

 

Margaret: So, when Chloe and Kailee were like, hey, we know someone who's wanting to do this collaborative work. And when I looked into it, I was really interested in what you're doing. I love the opportunity to be able to, like, join in on this.

 

Aaron: To be a part of a creative community.

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Margaret: Yeah. Because collaborative artworks have always intrigued me, and I've always wanted to have the chance of being able to be a part of something. So when I did see this, I was very excited.

 

Aaron: Awesome. Well, I'm glad that you were able to.

 

Margaret: Yeah, me too.

 

Aaron: I know it can be really hard when, something I'm thinking about now that I'm towards the end of my program, to kind of find those ways to keep that creative process chugging along. And so, I can't remember, who did you pick for your portrait?

 

Margaret: Um, her, she had two last names, I forget her last name, but her name was, uh, Zilpha Harlow.

 

Aaron: Mm hmm. Something, something.

 

Margaret: Yeah, her name is escaping my head.

 

Aaron: No worries.

 

Margaret: Um, she, I unfortunately really didn't get to see much about her. Not a lot was written. But, the thing that really caught me was that she came from a family that was very pro-abolishing slavery.

 

Aaron: Mm.

 

Margaret: Like, her parents did it before her. And she even married someone who she met through, uh, like some sort of conference

 

Aaron: Mmhmmm, anti-slavery…

 

Margaret: Yeah.

 

Aaron: I think Kailee was saying something about, how the three of you had women, from different areas or time periods or something like that. Did you work on them together?

 

Margaret: Yeah, we worked together, in the same area, when we were finishing them up. We even like shared ideas of like what we were going to do with each piece. And I feel like you could really like, these, all these women that we did, they were all from different areas, but they still, we, we brought them together and our pieces do look very similar.

 

Aaron: Yeah.

 

Margaret: Because like we had all very like similar interests of like how we wanted to create this art.

 

Aaron: Yeah. It's been so fun to see all of the different portraits and how they're so unique. Which that's one of the reasons why I wanted to do a collaborative project. Because you know, we're highlighting the stories of these people who were unique individuals. And if I was gonna do portraits of all of them, they would look like I did portraits of all of them. You know? But with having more people involved, it can become a, um, I don't know, there's just more variety.

 

Margaret: No, I really, that was such a, like, a good idea. Because they are different women, they have different stories, and so, like, having other people come together and, like, share their story in your art is awesome.

 

Aaron: Yeah, and I love hearing that the three of you, kept, you know, collaborating with each other.

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Margaret: Yeah.

 

Aaron: Because down the road, that's something I want to explore, is looking at how I can help workshop participants stay connected to each other or maybe even like offering a monthly get together or something like that. Because I think there is so much value in sharing in that creative process. It's been interesting to think about sharing the creative process and how that connects to human connection at large and, um, yeah, I don't know. Is there anything else that you're thinking about in terms of the project that stood out to you?

 

Margaret: Um, I'm just really excited to see like it all put together and I'm really excited to see what other people created whenever they were doing these. This was fun because I don't work in textiles. I'm a 2D artist. So I really love the opportunity of using a media that I haven't really dealt with yet. But, it was really fun. So I'm just like, I just had a great time.

 

Aaron: Awesome! I love hearing that. Yeah, I can tell that people enjoyed it because, I had no idea how many people would finish their portraits and, you know, I'm like, okay, well, I'm going to do a workshop in September and one at the beginning of October and hopefully I have something by the beginning of December, you know, like, I don't know what people are going to be able to, to churn out in that time, but, um, yeah. I mean, I have over half a dozen, which is awesome.

 

Margaret: Wow, that is awesome.

 

Aaron: Besides the ones that I did. Well, I'm so glad to meet you through this project, and I can't wait to share the rest of the quilt with you.

 

Margaret: Awesome, yeah, no, I'm very excited.

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Aaron: Totally. Yeah, totally.