billstearman.com
@bill_stearman
Summary
I have always been a storyteller.
In 2014, I started making quilts as a temporary way to deal with pain. But quilt making, and the possibilities with quilt making, quickly became a passion and my preferred medium for storytelling.
As my skills with quilt making developed, my focus began to shift from simple stories to speaking my truth, starting difficult conversations, and challenging the limits of convention in traditional quilt making.
I sought out the teachers and mentors to support my growth.
In January 2021 though, a diagnosis of terminal Liver Cancer left me with a life expectancy of about two years.
Six weeks later, I met a doctor who told me that I might qualify for a transplant because I was in better shape than most folks my age.
In July of that same year, against all odds, I received two thirds of my daughter’s liver in a successful transplant. My life expectancy jumped by twenty plus years!
For me, these extra years are not just a gift. They come with responsibility.
I see that responsibility as my opportunity to bring about positive change in the world.
Currently, the focus of my work is 2SLGBTQ+ stories, issues, and history. My most recent fascination is to use quilts to record the progression of legal rights for Queers in Canada as advanced through Supreme Court decisions and legislative acts of Parliament (1950 to the present) and as a medium to record stories told by Queer Elders who lived this history.
Arts and Cultural Training and Learning
· Basic Quilt Making Skills, 2014 through 2016
· developed through watching YouTube videos
· refined through traditional quilt making classes at Quilt Guilds and Quilt Shops
· Advanced and Specialized Techniques, 2016 to present
· intensive classes at Haliburton School of Art and Design
· workshops and lectures at private studios, quilt shows and more recently, on-line with worldclass instructors
§ Denyse Schmidt, Libs Elliott, Maggie Vanderweit, Mary Fons, Nancy Hartman, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, Nancy Crowe,
· Study With Other Quilt Activists and Non-traditional Quilt Makers, on-line (on-going), 2019 to present
· Chawne Kimber, Jacque Gering, Thomas Knauer
· Expanding General Skills in Art, County Arts Lab, Prince Edward County Arts Council, Picton, ON, 2021 to present
· Introduction to Watercolour Painting
· Understanding Colour for Painters
· Drawing for Beginners
· Digital Storytelling Workshop, Summer 2023
· mentorship program organized as part of the ‘Frictions of Futurity and Cure in Transplant Medicine Program at UHN’ – 8 directed sessions working to produce a film, from start to finish, with a professional film maker mentor, Lia Tarachansky
Artistic and Cultural Work Presented to the Public
· Juried Shows
§ Quilt Canada, National Juried Show, 2016, 2018. 2019, 2022, 2023 & 2024
§ Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Golden Colorado – Biennial Men’s Show, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 & 2024
§ International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX – Various Shows and Exhibits, 2017, 2018 & 2019
§ Quilts=Art=Quilts, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY, 2021
§ Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK, 2024
· Curated Group Shows
§ ‘Textile Traditions’, with four other textile artists at Maison Depoivre Art Gallery, Picton, ON, 2016
§ ‘Heart and Soul: two men tell their stories’, with photographer, Larry Tayler at Parrott Gallery, Belleville, ON, 2018
§ ‘Art Textile: season opening group show’, Maison Depoivre Art Gallery, Picton, ON, 2019
§ The Soulfood Pop-up, The Eddie Farm and Hotel, Prince Edward County, ON, 2021
§ ‘Craft As Art’, Ontario College of Art and Design Gallery, Toronto, ON, February, 2024 (paid an artist fee)
· Solo Shows (curated)
§ ‘The Quilt as Art: I will be silent no more’, 2 Gallery, Picton, ON, 2022
§ ‘I Have Something to Say: Queer Quilts’, Kindred Shop and Gallery, Picton, ON, 2023
· Wrap on a Food Truck
§ Drake Devonshire Hotel purchased a ‘one time use image’ of one of my quilts to use as vinyl wrap for their food truck (paid and artist fee) 2023
Artists and Community Collaboration Activities
· Discover Youth, 2SLGBTQ+ youth community group – taught basic sewing skills and assisted in completion of personalized cushions, 2023
· Greater Than Youth, a group for youth under 30 – helped in the construction of costumes for a Pride Parade, 2024
· Craftivism, a ten-session community workshop to develop, design and create protest banners - a joint session run by Department of Illumination and funded by the County Arts Lab - co-leader, 2024
· Society of Stitchers, a winter, weekly gathering of sewists run by The Department of Illumination, Picton – I turned their finished pieces into quilts, 2022 & 2024
· Fundraising quilts – for the past three years I made quilts that I sold as fundraisers every Saturday at a local market. All profit was donated to local charities with a connection to 2SLGBTQ+ issues. Proceeds to date exceed $7500
Teaching and Mentorships (Artist fee paid)
· One Day Quilt Making Classes with Quilt Guilds and quilt shops across Canada from Nova Scotia to Manitoba - various topics as requested, 2018 to 2020
· Arts Lab, Prince Edward County Arts Council – Memory Quilt Making, 2023
· Arts Lab, Prince Edward County Arts Council – Senior’s Mentorship Programs, paired with a newly transitioned male dancer/writer to work on ‘developing voice in one’s work’, 2023/2024
· Summer Arts Program, Loyalist College Instructor – Techniques for Adding Words to quilts
Volunteer Experience
· theROC Youth Services – member, Board of Directors
· The Department of Illumination Artistic Company – member, Board of Directors, and volunteer artist
· Fundraising Queer advocacy buttons (he/him, she/her, they/then, Safe With Me rainbow pins, Now More Than Ever rainbow pins) – a personal, annual project to advocate for local Queer rights – profits donated to ‘Discover YOUth’, a 2SLGBTQ+ group for youth that meets at the local library.
Artist Talks, Presentations and Articles
· Artist Talks, Presentations – well over 100 presentations given to groups, in person and via Zoom, across North America (since 2017)
o ‘Even If Your Voice Shakes’– technique based - focus is on my quilts with a message, ie ones using words, text, QR Codes (audio &/or video links)
o ‘I Have Something to Say’– story based - focus is on my quilts that tell my own story and deal with personal issues (depression, ADHD, sexual abuse, etc)
o ‘Why Can’t Quilts Just Be Pretty?’ – a broad examination of historical and current ‘activist’ quilts, including about a dozen of my own.
· Articles
o ‘On Becoming a More Inclusive Quilt Guild’ – feature article published in ‘Canadian Quilter’ magazine, Autumn 2024
Awards and Community Recognition
· Quilt Canada, 2018 – Modern Quilt Category, Third Place ($250)
· Art In the County, Prince Edward County Arts’ Council Annual Juried Show, 2022 – Juror’s Award ($250)
· Quilt Canada, 2024 – Modern Quilt Category, First Place ($1000)
· Quilt Canada, 2024 – Award of Excellence for Sustainability in Quilt Making ($1000)
· Art In the County, Prince Edward County Arts’ Council annual juried show, 2024 – Oeno Gallery Award of Excellence ($1000)
· Quinte Arts’ Council and City of Belleville, 2024 - Arts Recognition Award for ‘Activism though Art’ (Hand-blown Glass Piece)
Assessment and Adjudication
· Co-adjudicated the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild show, February 2024
· Adjudicated the Pride Art Show at Kindred Shop and Gallery, June 2024
Media Coverage
· Podcasts
o Quilting Stories Podcast, episode 11
o Quilter on Fire Podcast, episode 5
o Threads of Sustainability Podcast, episode 23
· Radio Interviews
o County FM 99.3, ‘Art Scene’, 2020, 2022, 2023
o CBC Radio One, ‘Fresh Air’ interview with Nicole Martin, February, 2023
· Print Media
o ‘Quilters Newsletter’ magazine, October/November, 2016 – a featured quilt
o ‘County and Quinte Living’ magazine, Winter 2018 – feature article focusing on my husband and I as artists
o ‘A Needle Pulling Thread’ magazine, Issue 51 – featured artist
o ‘A Needle Pulling Thread' magazine, Issue 56 – featured in a column, ‘More Joy, Less Overwhelm’
o ‘Umbrella’, magazine of the Quinte Arts Council, ‘Craft as Art’ issue, Winter 2022 – featured artist
Memberships
· Prince Edward County Arts Council
· Quinte Arts Council
· Craft Ontario
· Canadian Quilters’ Association
· Bay of Quinte Modern Quilt Guild
· Trent Valley Quilt Guild
· Prince Edward County Quilt Guild
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