In all mans history the artist has held a special place in society. From the time of the first cavemen painting walls with colors from nature to the present day graphics designers, the artist has needed a commission to be able to survive and florish. Kings, emperors, pharoahs, satraps, tycoons, presidents and all others in power have employed artists.

But don’t get mind locked into the mind image of the starving painter sitting in front of a canvass. Art is the use of many mediums to capture a particular passion, emotion, idea, concept, ideal and/or goal. Without the artist these things would be nothing more than word of mouth and subject to the interpretation of the one speaking. But for millenia it has either been the responsibility of the individual to be his own artist (weavers, stone masons, seamstress or builder), or the one with the power and money employed others to act in his stead.

Today, we have the option of employing an artist to do these things for us. You do not have to be a celebrity, king, mover and shaker. You can commission an artist to create for you. You have the choice of styles, mediums, artists, and objectives. Just because an artist works in cloth and thread does not mean that they are any less an artist. And the things they create fulfill the same functions as any art.

I recently had the good fortune of finding a woman who created a special work of art for me. It was made of cloth and set in colors and patterns that were pleasing and uplifting. Irene is a woman who has been trained in her art in Midwest art and design schools. She honed her art under the present day greats of Tommy Hilfinger, Armani, Liz Claibourne and others. She has created her own small businesses and spread her art to others. She has a deep passion for color, pattern, emotion and feelings.

The quilts are not just to warm the body, even though they do this very well. They have many objectives. From 2004 to 2006 her husband was employed in Iraq as a private contractor to train, mentor and monitor the Iraqi police for the Multi National Forces. He is also a veteran of Viet Nam and suffered the slings and arrows upon his return that was the shame of this nation and caused more long term wounds than bombs and bullets ever did. So she wanted to reinforce the social contract this nation forged with its military. NOT the power structure, but the men and women who stand the wall and run the gauntlet of IEDs and snipers on a daily basis and the people they are fighting for. She wanted to not just show them that she cared she wanted to show that many many others cared. She sought commissions from the business sector, from social organizations, athletic organizations, schools and individuals of note. She then created a series of quilts based on the idea that even though they are in harms way, they are not alone. That we at home think of them every day, that we recognize the pain, suffering and trials they are undergoing.

She then took these quilts out among the people. She took them to special events, exhibitions, gatherings, public buildings and any place she could find ordinary people. She then had them sign the quilts and send their sentiments to the military members who were fighting for us. No politics were involved. No agenda except to tell our sons and daughters that they are not forgotten and that we love them. After they were signed here she then sent them to her husband in Iraq who was assigned as an Army asset and posted on an FOB (forward operating base) in Taji Iraq. He displayed them at the MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) center there. He also displayed them in company HQs. and the base church. Again, the military were encouraged to sign the quilts and add their feelings and sentiments. After several months of display he then returned them to Irene. Irene then gave them to the original person, organization etc. who commissioned her. Many of them have been put on display and are still there today.

But this is only one aspect of her art. She has since been commissioned to create memory quilts for men who have been killed in Iraq. She has also memorialized the loss and the heroism of September 11th, 2001. She has created memories for families of those years in their childrens lives that seem so slow to pass until they are gone and will never be recovered. These memories are frozen in time and will last as long as the fabric exists.

Her art is also shown in the happiness and warmth of a childs bed with colors and images that comfort and give joy. There are quilts that hug, that remind, that show joy, devotion and love. Her objectives are limited only by the objective of the person who commissions her. And her unique style is in her attention to the person who commissions her. She takes the time to get to know them, their desires, likes and reason for commissioning the quilt. Each quilt is unique in that it is created for that person and no other. None will ever be repeated or copied. And the person who commissioned its creation will have something that is a piece of their soul and not an off the rack approximation.

If you have that desire to create and hold something of yourself or someone special in your hands then you will find no one and no other means of doing this. You do not have to be a world power to commission art. You do not need to be an adept in the needle and scissors. You only need to be able to relate to the artist your ideas, needs desires and goal. Irene will weave these things into a work of art for you alone.