FIRST POSTING by Pat Spiller

This is my first posting on Deepwater Journal: Dina, Robin and Martha, the wonderful women of DWJ invited me to join them and I am thrilled to do so. I am Pat Spiller .

Virginia Woolf wrote that "a woman must have money and a room of her own......" I have no money. But I do have a room of my own for making things: art quilts, wearable art, soft sculpture. And the moments I spend playing there are truly great gifts of time and space. For a very long time, I did believe that "something productive" must come from that time and space. That I needed to "account" for spending time there. Much more recently, I have experienced the value and the wonder of just "play" with no outcome expected. What a great relief! Now, I am free to experiment, explore, make mistakes, make art out of mistakes......WOW.

This year, Legacy magazine published one of my fiber journals and an essay about my mother (Reader's Remembrances, April/May issue)

In 2004, Quilting Arts Magazine published a piece of wearable art and a related fiber journal. Both thrilling experiences for me.

Seizing the moment and accepting the challenge to publish my work was frightening. Exciting. Wonderful. These were the first and only times I sought a public venue and was thrilled (and still disbelieving) when each was accepted.

I live on the New Hampshire seacoast with Larry, my best friend and life partner. Together we have 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren. In my work life, I am director of development at a small private school for children with severe physical and developmental disabilities, a truly wonderful school with a fantastic staff, talented and dedicated. Visit our website if you have a minute; it took first place in a 2006 statewide challenge for "best education site".

I am really looking forward to posting my musings, rants and work in fiber on DWJ.

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the gardeners who make our souls blossom. Marcel Proust



(Editor's note: The first work is from 'Finished Postcards - Mid June, '06.' The second work is called 'Bank of True Love'. 4" X 6", mixed fiber media on postcard.)