HOW TO DECONSTRUCT with Weaver Rachel Meginnes
photo by Mercedes Jelinek
I first met Rachel Meginnes at Penland School of Arts and Crafts just north of Asheville, NC. We had been in each other’s digital orbits for a good while and so when we sat together in a couple plush armchairs and warm cups of coffee by a fireplace in the dining hall, it was the most natural thing to slip into conversation.
Rachel’s current work centers on weaving old deconstructed quilt material into new pieces on her digital loom. After she’s spent days picking apart an old quilt, she often finds that the worn lace-like batting—normally hidden from our view—is what especially captivates her.
Rachel is also a dedicated and gifted creative coach. It was fascinating for me to listen how she talks about the raw materials of quilts and the raw materials of our lives in similar terms. Because we know how to make a strong and beautiful quilt, then we must inherently know how to make a strong and beautiful life. It’s all the same stardust, after all.
In this SEAMSIDE conversation, Rachel and I talk about:
how time changes both quilts and humans
how to do hard work with noble intention
how we can mine our creative processes to discover strategies for living the good life
Click here to see images of Rachel’s work mentioned in this episode
WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS CONVERSATION
02:17 Meeting and Conversation with Rachel McGinnis
03:03 Rachel's Creative Process and Philosophy
04:08 Rachel's Current Work and Studio Life
06:53 The Journey from Painting to Weaving
10:18 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Deconstructing Quilts
30:56 The Role of Memory and History in Selecting Fabrics
33:05 The Artistic Journey: Trusting Your Own Voice
35:39 The Role of a Creative Coach
40:23 The Coaching Process and Its Impact
48:59 The Importance of Authenticity in Art
51:06 Final Thoughts and Reflections
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