Kim M. King

Professor of Sociology/ Anthropology, Hiram College

Lessons from the Forest, 2003

When I was a child I loved to hike in the small forest behind the local high school. I would spend hours alone, fascinated by the treasures beneath the canopy. But, adolescence hit hard and I became preoccupied with other biological organisms - namely boys.

Now, some 35 years later, as part of The Forest Project, I entered the forest again - this time as a sociologist and budding textile artist. My initial goal was to capture the essence of the forest in a single large art quilt, but as I walked and sketched and took in all the colors, textures and shapes, I realized the impossibility of my task. So, I set aside my preconceived notions and let myself experiment. As I worked, I began to listen to those creative forces inside of me and I realized that the forest would become my teacher, my mentor, my muse.

In the end, I created four small wall quilts, each revolving around a particular theme. I call this series, “Lessons from the Forest.”