Her biggest fan

  
 
Many are surprised to hear that my first trip to Japan had nothing to do with my kids living there.  Actually, my first visit may have influenced them.  In 1994, as an exhibitor in a quilt show in Nagoya, I was invited along with other American quilters to come to Japan for the show and stay as guests in homes of Japanese quilters.  At the time, this seemed quite an extravagance for someone who was basically a housewife from Cleveland but I had always wanted to visit Japan and M, frankly, had no interest in ever visiting (how times have changed) so he urged me to take this trip of a lifetime. 

I've referenced this trip several times here and one day I'll share the whole tale, but for this story, you need only know that I made friends then with two quilters in particular, Yoshiko and Kumiko.  While 3 of us American quilters made the trip for the Nagoya show opening, Yoshiko and Kumiko came to the U.S. when the show traveled stateside. It was then that they met Molly, at that time a junior high student, and urged me to bring her back to Japan some day. 

 
Keiko Goke cover quilt, AQS, 1994

Around this time, I think it's fair to say, Keiko Goke was the first contemporary Japanese quilter to explode onto the international scene.  Her quilts were showing up as winners in the AQS annual shows each year and I was completely taken with her bold interpretations of traditional quilt designs.  When our quilt show traveled to the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts, several of us accompanied the quilts to hang the show and one of Goke's quilts was in a show they were taking down.  I stood before it forever, mesmerized by the thrill of seeing it in person.

In the summer of 1998, when Molly was 15, I took her back with me to Japan where we stayed for part of the time in both Yoshiko and Kumiko's homes.  A large quilt festival in Tokyo coincided with our visit, and they decided that we should take a day trip up to the exhibit and show Molly around Tokyo.  (All in one day!)  Excited to have the opportunity to attend such a show and having heard that Keiko Goke had just written a book, I mentioned to my friends on the train ride that morning that I would like to look for the book while there.

 
Yoshiko & me, Tokyo quilt show, 1998...year of the big jumper.

Now, I must mention here that between this trip and my first, I had studied Japanese at a community college.  And my friends had been studying English.  So although we could exchange niceties, real conversations often concluded with smiles and hopeful nods, sometimes followed by a burst of laughter when it was apparent that each had no idea what the other was saying.  So when I asked in very simple English if they knew about the book, they looked at me blankly.  I then ventured into simple Japanese.  Keiko Goke no hon....?  Goke-san no hon...?  They exchanged glances, their eyes got big and they burst out laughing.  Kumiko flipped through her dictionary and pointed to a translation of... "Unwed mother book?" she asked, tentatively.  Whoops. Back to class.  In any case, the show was memorable, and although I didn't find the Goke book that day, I did get my first glimpse of Kaffe Fassett, surrounded like a rock star by a crowd of diminutive Japanese quilt groupies as he moved about.

In 2002, when K was living in Japan after college, I returned for a visit and spent a day with Yoshiko who took me to a large quilt show in Nagoya.  (See? No language barrier here! We understand each other beautifully!)  After visiting with many quilting friends I hadn't seen since my first trip, Yoshiko, face beaming, hustled me up to a special exhibit in a room at the end of a hallway.  When I walked in, I almost had a heart attack.  The room was filled with all of Keiko Goke's well known quilts...and there she was!  It was a joint venue, shared with American quilter Laura Wasilowski (Melody's former partner), who was sitting at a table selling some of her dyed wares.  While purchasing some floss, I was telling her (ok, gushing a little, maybe) how surprised and thrilled I was to be there.  When I said, "I am Keiko's biggest fan!", Laura, not missing a beat, grinned and called out loudly, "Keiko!!  Come meet your biggest fan!!"

 
Keiko Goke & her biggest fan, Nagoya, 2002

And that's how I came to meet Keiko Goke.  And how she came to meet her biggest fan.  And what does all of this have to do with my first photo? 

Keiko has a new line of fabric, produced by Yuwa, from which Molly sent me some cuts a couple of weeks ago.  Can you imagine how wonderful it was to arrive home from the hospital one night to find this in the mail?  She also included Goke's new book, (Melody wrote about it here) which was quite thoughtful, considering how mortified her 15-year-old-self was on that train ride when I caused such an incident asking about the first one.  If you've stuck with me this long here and love these fabrics as much as I do (the blossom prints!!), you'll probably be interested in these links to Keiko Goke's blog, where she features some work using her fabric as well as quilts, hers and others, at the recent Yokohama Quilt Festival.  And if you think you might need some of this fabric in your stash, there's a rumor going around that it may soon be available here. 

One last thing.  Last January when I attended the Tokyo International Quilt Festival, one of my favorite features of the show was a number of small galleries, dispersed through the enormous venue, each featuring a prominent Japanese quilter and her quilts.  I spent a whole day at the show...10 hours.  Molly and her friend arrived mid-afternoon to view it.  At the end of the day, we all left together and as we were crossing the busy street outside the Tokyo Dome, Molly said to me, "You must have loved the Goke exhibit." 

Dead stop. Blank stare.

10 hours of total quilt nirvana and somehow I missed it.  I'll be more thorough next month.

Comments

[kathie]

oh my gosh what a funny story but I am sure horrifying to you that you missed it!
the show must be HUGE for you to have missed it, wonder what else you missed!
the fabrics are beautiful, fun
I will check out the links and so you will be going next month, how exciting!!!!!
Kathie

[Cathy]

Fabulous story Jan, lovely to hear how you finally met Keiko Goke. And I HAVE to have some of her fabric in my stash, I will be watching Glorious Colour closely!!! Thanks for all the links too xo

[Janet]

I loved reading your story. Years ago when I was fairly new to quilting, I went to a Symposium where Keiko was teaching for a week. I didn't get in the class but enjoyed seeing her well known quilts in a museum exhibition. I was blown away by the pattern, colour and stitching. The quilts seemed to glow.

[Kay]

OK, this was wonderful, I'm going to HAVE to have the fabric and books, but my favorite line is "the year of the big jumper." LOL!

I wonder what "year" this is, you know? We never see these obvious things we are doing until it's too late....

[amy]

I LOVE this story, Jan! Can't believe you missed her exhibit last year. Oh no! I'm going to keep checking that intriguing button until it activates with Keiko Goke fabric! :-)

[Joanna]

You are so funny - I had the same reaction when I first saw her work. I had never heard of her, but heard there was a quilt exhibit in our local museum. So off I go, and when I stepped into that room I was struck dumb. I had never seen quilting like it. This was in 1997, (in Hamilton, New Zealand) and I was rather new to the quilt scene. I took photo after photo, and returned several times to that exhibit. She was teaching at our local symposium and everyone fell in love with her style! I was a "gofer" at the symposium and was quite excited that one day I got to take her her lunch - yes it's the small things lol!! Her quilts influenced me more than anyone else at that time. The only other quilter to make me feel that way has been Kaffe Fassett. I loved reading your story about your fascination with her - it bought back many good memories!

[nanann]

My try again -- darn extra parenthesis!

Must admit you know her work a *lot* better than I do as I am not good at distinguishing names, but I am so in love with her fabrics that I picked up at the Houston Festival. Unfortunately I found the booth LATE on Saturday and her fabrics were already well picked over.

(*briefly* blogged about at http://nanannwoogies.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/quilt-festival-2009-my-final-round-up/ )

I'll be checking out some of your links!

[Lazy Gal Tonya R]

so cool you got to meet here - hurrah - as well as see her quilts. the first time anyway. D'oh that must have hurt. wheee, though that you get to go again.

[Lazy Gal Tonya R]

p.s. I want to hear more about your quilt that went to Japan and the show that it was in!

[Liza]

Hi Jan
The rumor is correct. The Keiko fabrics are online at gloriouscolor.com We just put them up this morning. They are truly wonderful.
Best,
Liza

[Kristin L]

What a great story. I can totally envision combining Goke and Fasset fabrics and influences as well. Fun, fun, fun!

[Cindra]

What a great story and as usual, fabulous links. Goke's fabrics are so rich looking.... may have to get some!

[Keiko Goke]

Hi Jan

Thanks a lots!!!
You wrote about me a lots.

And,Thnak you so much to Liza!!!

Thank you for the everyone!!!

Keiko Goke

[Thimbleanna]

What an interesting story Jan! Keiko's blog looks so beautiful -- if only I could read it! Plenty of eye candy though!

[monica]

Thank you so much Jan. I love to discover new quilters... and Keiko's ones are stunning!

And you're going to Tokio again? I'm sooo jealous...

one day perhaps I'll go there too!

[molly]

Thank you for not posting MY jumper shots!

[KathieB]

Makes me think of when I visited the Louvre and forgot to go see The Mona Lisa AND the Winged Victory...

Those Keiko Goke fabrics--fabulous, fabulous. I think I'll be spending a good deal of my workday today exploring all the links in this post. If I get into trouble I'm blaming you.

[Jamie V]

This is a fantastic story! Oh my goodness. Thank you for sharing about Keiko Goke. I adore her fabrics and her quilts. I like hearing about your adventures in Japan... more! more!! Jamie V in MT
amzanioli@yahoo
http://rem-nants.blogspot.com

[Leslie]

Wow, those fabrics are amazing! I love all the bright colors and modern designs.

[Barbara Robson]

Thanks for this...and Merry Christmas and very best wishes for a happy, healthy and pieceful 2010 from Nova Scotia.
Barbara

[Pam Cope]

I am now inspired to plan a trip to the Tokyo quilt festival. January 2011... here I come! I love your writing & observations, thanks for sharing about Japanese quilting. I am looking out for the magazines and can't wait to find that fabric.
Merry Christmas!

[Lucinda J.]

Wonderful post! And I am now in love with K.Goke and must have her fabric. Thanks for all of the info and links :)

[Maryjo]

what a great post, and story ... and it sounds like something I would do ... through jet lag. Hubby is in Nepal right now, and I almost wish I was with him. The photos he is sending back are fascinating, and I'm finally training him to take photos of "crafts" LOL

[valda]

Just found this site. Have done a lesson with Keiko Goke in Australia and have'nt ever sent a photo of the finished project but would love to. Val