Hi, I’m Zak. I make quilts that poke around the edges of history, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. I explore the great human questions through the lens of textiles on my popular weekly podcast SEAMSIDE, and I get bring like-minded creative people together virtually on the QUILTY NOOK.

MY STORY

FIRST, THE QUILTS

When I first told my partner's grandma, the first quilter I ever knew, that I was interested in learning how to quilt, she grabbed my arm, gave me a serious look, and said, "Buddy, you don't know how much fun you're gonna have."

And it's true, I've been having a blast ever since. I've been quilting since 2010 and it's been life-changing. I love working with repurposed materials like discarded clothes and worn-out linens. What interests me most is how quilts can be natural containers for potentially uncomfortable truths.

My biggest quilting influences are too many to name entirely, but without a doubt, towards the top of the list is Sarah Mary Taylor and Irene Williams for their wit with fabric. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the quilters I co-create with, quilters like Heidi Parkes and Amanda Nadig.

AND THEN THERE’S THE STORY-TELLING

I host a popular weekly podcast called SEAMSIDE where we explore the inner work of textiles, or in other words: how textiles make us more human. I’ve been privileged to speak with a wide variety of textile-artists: from banner-making activists to artists who bury scrolls in the earth, from cape-makers to performance artists. You can learn more about SEAMSIDE here.

AND THROUGHOUT ALL THAT: COMMUNITY

I like what the sculptor Anne Truitt once said about why she felt so at home surrounded by the community of artists at Yaddo: she said she felt like “one of a litter of puppies”.

I feel my most connected in relationship to other makers, and I’m always looking for chances to bring people together. I believe it’s this innate drive that makes hosting the QUILTY NOOK such a natural fit. You can learn more about the QUILTY NOOK here.