Thoughts from the president

Together, we make SAQA a special community

by Deborah Boschert

As I come to the end of my time on the SAQA Board of Directors, I am amazed by all the things we did together during my two years as president. It certainly did not start off as we’d expected due to the pandemic, but we adjusted and found new ways to promote the art quilt and support artists. It’s been an honor to be a part of this pivotal time.

Our SAQA board meetings are full of planning, researching, brainstorming, laughing, asking questions, celebratconnecting people with the art quilt medium. Each SAQA staff person is skilled and dedicated to finding the best way to achieve our goals. The board and staff work alongside volunteers at the local, regional, and global levels. Volunteers are an essential part of achieving our mission, whether they work on short-term or continuing endeavors. If you’re interested in volunteering, reach out to your regional rep, a board member, or staff person. We love having conversations with

”I’m excited about what the future holds for each of us as artists. “

ing, experimenting, and learning. I am grateful to all the board members for their dedication and enthusiasm. Our board is supported by a stellar staff led by Martha Sielman, who has an amazing grasp of SAQA’s day-to-day activities as well as the big picture of how the art quilt fits into the art and quilt worlds. She has a true passion for members about how they might volunteer their time, expertise, and interests. After all, volunteers are the spark that keeps the SAQA engine going!

I am confident Mel Beach will lead the board in exciting new directions. From her earliest days as a board member, Mel asked insightful questions and made important connections between our mission, vision, values, goals, and our many activities.

As I look back on my time as a board member, president, and SAQA member, it’s the shared experiences that I cherish. At the SAQA conference in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2018, I enjoyed a delicious dinner with a group of members, and I recall the lovely conversations we shared. I have many memories of conversations with SAQA members at conferences, committee meetings, exhibition openings, and other special events. In the past couple of years, those conversations were mostly on Zoom, but they were often equally personal, memorable, thoughtful, and inspiring. Plus, I enjoyed seeing your studios or bookshelves, and even your pets.

I look forward to volunteering in new ways, and I’ll continue to take advantage of SAQA’s many member benefits. I hope you enjoy similar shared experiences. I’m excited about what the future holds for each of us as artists and for SAQA’s continued work to promote the art quilt. ■