Two trips in April brought me so much joy.The first took me to Chicago, where I met with the North Suburban Needle Arts Guild. Meeting like-minded people and sharing my passion always nurtures my soul. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make the teaching trip run so smoothly, and for their wonderful enthusiasm for hand sewing. While I was there, I reconnected with a senior from my college days. She had guided me through the preparation process for graduate school many years ago. It was wonderful that we were able to bridge more than 30 years and spend time together again. She is well known on social media for her creation, the Jalu skirt:
https://www.instagram.com/dressupwithgrace/ After a week of rest, I flew to Virginia for the opening of my solo exhibition at Friends Artspace in Arlington. I mentioned in last month’s newsletter how this exhibition came to be. I truly believe in inyeon (인연)—the meaningful connections and relationships that bring people together through time and circumstance. When I arrived, I felt a wave of nostalgia as I returned to an area I had visited two years ago. My dear friend Kay once again took wonderful care of me, and we enjoyed catching up on each other’s creative journeys. During my visit, I toured George Washington University’s Textile Museum, where Lee Talbot, curator of Asian textiles, generously guided me through the current exhibition he curated:
https://museum.gwu.edu/adorning-horse-equestrian-textiles-power-and-prestige Margaret, the curator of Friends Artspace, also arranged a visit to the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center. I greatly enjoyed seeing and learning from their collection. I may have discovered an important resource for my next book (yes, I am already dreaming of writing another one!). On the opening day of my exhibition, the weather was warm and clear, allowing us to enjoy a lovely evening gathered outside the gallery. Some of you surprised me by traveling hours to be there, and I deeply appreciate your friendship and kindness. After the opening, I had the opportunity to give a lecture and workshops for the Washington Korean Women's Society. The location was the historic Old Korean Legation Museum, and I was honored to speak there about Korean textile traditions.
https://oldkoreanlegation.org/en/ For the next two days, I taught additional workshops at the local tea house Soricha. It was a busy and full week, but I was so happy to meet many people and share creative energy together. May will be a month of rest before I hit the road again. I am excited to teach a workshop at SOHN in San Francisco. Thank you to everyone who signed up—it sold out on the first day! I hope to offer more workshops there in the future. In June, an exhibition I co-curated with Miran Lee will open in La Conner at the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum. The museum is planning a special Bojagi Weekend, and I am delighted to be there to teach, lecture, and celebrate the opening. Six artists from California and Japan will share their own interpretations of bojagi: April Oh, Caitlin Parker, DongKyu Kim, Miran Lee, Yoko Kubota, and me. I am so excited to share the beautiful work created by these talented artists. If you are in the Pacific Northwest—or able to travel—I would love for you to join us that weekend. Here are the registration links: • Full Weekend Pass: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/gq87tbx/lp/5369cd9a-707d-4034-9fb3-2359b90e4d42
• Lotus Leaf Mat Workshop: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/t7hsxqf/lp/085b2be5-2470-40bb-9b84-9f0732a4713f
• Bojagi Lecture: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/arrkz59/lp/26e64c87-4193-4c53-9a45-61d25d58cbdb
• Intro to Bojagi Workshop: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/ehqxuqq/lp/8d569f1e-48fa-46b1-8b79-04ad98549456 This workshop in 2027 is open for registration. If you are someone who likes to plan ahead, take a look at these opportunities! I’m going to Wisconsin! August 10-14 Woodland Ridge Retreat Menomonie (Downsville), WI Happy May! Enjoy your creative time!
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