Long peiods of class time follow where students try to emulate the example. The Japanese believe that the student must steal the knowledge from the teacher, so there may not be as many verbal or written instructions as other classes. For example, sado or the art of the tea ceremony means much more than making a cup of tea. The ceremony provides an oasis of calm and beauty in the harsh, everyday world. In the same manner, nui means the acquisition of the technical skills of embroidery, while do represents the constant discovery of the spiritual component of embroidery, resulting in an attitude of peace, calm, and harmony.
Many people find Japanese embroidery to be a peaceful, meditative, and centering experience.
This scholarship is awarded to one United States quilting teacher annually to attend the International Patchwork and Quilt Expo held this April in Strasbourg France. Nancy attended workshops and lectures by European quilting and surface embellishment teachers, toured antique textile mills, and viewed numerous European quilt exhibits. She will be teaching what she has learned and her inspirations from these experiences to students this coming year. A special exhibit of her and her students' work will be featured at the 2001 International Quilt Festival in Houston Texas. All rights reserved.