Date: Fri 09-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Emily-Dickinson-Scrapbaggers

Full Text:

This Time, Dickinson's Influence Extends Into Quilts

(with photos, 2 poems)

Quilted wall hangings created by members of The Scrapbag Connection inspired

by the poetry of Emily Dickinson will be on display at C.H. Booth Library

through the end of April.

The show is collectively called "Imagining Emily." Each of the quilts is hung

with the poem, or portion of the poem, that inspired the quilted piece. In

some cases, parts of verses have been worked right into the quilt itself.

"Imagining Emily" was the title of a bookend piece that ran in an issue of The

New York Times Book Review . The article concerned the ongoing influences of

Dickinson's poetry on a variety of artists, from painters and sculptors to

performance artists.

The Nineteenth Century American poet Emily Dickinson indeed continues to

inspire generations of readers and writers. Born in a religious family on

December 10, 1830, Emily was one of three children in her family. Before the

age of 30, Dickinson would withdraw almost completely from society. She

communicated with friends only through her thoughtful and carefully-written

letters.

Before her death on May 15, 1886, Dickinson had only ten of her poems

published (one was published twice, leading some to say the figure should be

11). After her death, however, over 1,700 poems bound by the writer into

booklets were discovered. All of these writings -- those published during

Dickinson's lifetime as well as the posthumously printed material -- by the

highly-revered poet has sustained more than a century of scholarship and

appreciation after the writer's death.

At the suggestion of Anita Veccia, the idea of "Imagining Emily" became the

inspiration for The Scrapbag Connection, a committed group of quilt artists

who meet weekly to support and encourage its members as they pursue the art of

quilt crafting. Ms Vecchia, a member of The Scrapbag Connection, has been a

quilter for over two decades, with her work evolving from traditional patterns

to original designs that have appeared in numerous shows and exhibits. Like

many of the Scrapbaggers, Ms Veccia is an award-winning quilter.

The members decided to create the "Emily" wall hangings in response to the

article. The quilters became "enthralled," says club founder Heloise

Wilkinson, with the references to color and imagery in Dickinson's poetry. The

collection on view in "Imagining Emily" is the result of Ms Veccia's

suggestion.

(The quilts have been presented already this year when they were displayed at

Minor Memorial Library in Roxbury for six weeks, beginning in February.)

The Scrapbag Connection was first assembled in 1985 by Heloise Wilkinson at

C.H. Booth Library when Mrs Wilkinson taught a class known simply as the

Scrapbaggers. The group has gained and lost members over the course of the

last 15 years, but has retained its goal of nurturing its creativity.

Members -- who live in Fairfield and Litchfield counties -- share the common

interest of expanding the boundaries of their creativity. Appreciation of the

creative process is reinforced by exchanging ideas, influences and

experiences.

In addition to Mrs Wilkinson, of Newtown, and Ms Veccia, of Norwalk, the

current membership includes Madeleine Bajracharya and Margaret Clayton-Amey of

Newtown; Janet Bunch of Woodbury; Barbara Crocker, Judith Reilley and Norma

Schlager of Brookfield; Nike Cutsumpas and Betty Gemelin of Danbury; Stephanie

Head of Weston; and Denise Linet of Bridgewater.

"Imagining Emily" is on view on the walls of the main floor of the library.

The collection was hung Monday and Tuesday mornings of this week, and Booth

library director Janet Woycik has already noticed reaction from the public.

"People love it," Mrs Woycik said early Wednesday afternoon. "People think

it's absolutely amazing, and every time you look at [the collection], you get

a different perspective. It's a terrific show."

With April being observed as National Poetry Month, the timing of the quilt

show in Newtown was not coincidental. The library will also be hosting a

poetry reading on Friday, April 9. Beginning at 7:30 pm, Suzy Lamson and Linda

Claire Yuhas will be reading at the library. Visitors will be encouraged to

visit the quilt show at the same time.