Marilyn Cocking Envelopes Us in Warmth

"Remembering, when I was small, a quilt on my grandmother's bed called "flower garden" and I knew I had to sleep on it, but couldn't." I became a sewer, a knitter, a crocheter creating with fiber from fabric to yarn.  The colors in fabric patterns become the palette of my piece. It is not just one color like a painter would use, it is a multitude of color that bounces off each other, that balances each other coming together creating a quilt.

I am a utilitarian quilter meaning my quilted pieces are to be used over and over again and are by no means museum quality. I want my quilts to be used. Although the quilts look to be traditional the diverse quilting patterns, the stitching, is what creates the uniqueness in each.

Quilting is fun for me - the challenge of designing one, the satisfaction of creating one, the excitement in choosing the fabric can be outrageous to traditional.

I have had the honor of creating a quilt for UniFem at the United Nations. Obtaining the quilting blocks made from the fabrics that were produced in each of the seventy-two different countries or so that participated was just amazing. The quilt is a tribute to the work being done for women around the world by the UN and other organizations. Presently the quilt is being re-hung in the newly designed UniFem offices at the United Nations.

The U Thant Memorial is in the process of being designed by his daughter. U (Mr.) Thant was the second President of the Security Council at the UN. He was from Siam, now known as Thailand. It was asked of me to make a quilt to be on display.

I am also working on a quilt that represents PEACE, words that express the meaning of peace. Once the Peace Institute in Washington DC is built PATH TO PEACE is to be laid on the floor outside the door of the conference room - PATH TO PEACE is as wide as it is so you can't walk around it and it is as long as it is so you can't step over it so when each attendee walks across it each will absorb the spirit of peace so that a peaceful resolution will come about to end the unrest.

I continue to sew, knit, crochet, do crewel work (needlepoint) for the pure enjoyment of creating useful art."

--Marilyn Cocking

Mrs. Cocking's work envelopes you with warmth, figuratively and literally. Each piece has a meaning as seen in "Dragon", a use as seen in the Christmas table runner and napkins, and some a sense of humor as seen in "Just When You Thought Everything Was In Order..." The colors, the fabric designs, the shapes - some with origami stars, and the quilting create that palette Mrs. Cocking speaks of. The balanced beauty of each does have a way of calling out to you -- "Come, let me envelope you with the warmth you seek." -- as she captures the mere essence of humanness with each creation - the feeling of warmth, the feeling of being safe, the feeling of being loved, the feeling of being healed all of which are welled up inside of us. Even though these are all physical feelings, they all surround the central core of each of us, our soul.

Her works have set many a fine table, adorn a dresser, covered little girls' baby dolls, have been worn by friends, family and complete strangers, and used as totes, and handbags. So many uses, and yet so many lives have been touched throughout the years.

Her missions to complete "Path to Peace" and U Thant's memorial are only the tip of the iceberg of her many plans, designs she has set out to create. And if only we can see them all...

Do visit SoBoBo during the month of October because Marilyn Cocking, October's Artist, will have her work on display from October 1st to October 31st. A must see!

You can meet Mrs. Cocking at her opening reception on Thursday, October 4th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at SoBoBo Gallery, 42 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford. It will be a pleasure to see you!

You might want to arrive at Firehouse Gallery at 6:00 on October 4th first...for the Opening Reception of "Sci-Fi"...it will begin an evening of enjoyment and the Walnut Beach Art Stroll. See you then!