Daughter by Steph Rue

As a papermaker, my studio is littered with paper scraps. For me, creating something beautiful out of scraps and remnants is a form of resistance. I think about the act of elevating that which often gets discarded, forgotten, and overlooked. Or to present broken, discarded scraps with dignity; to retell their story in a new form, with attention and care. The act of stitching, of mending these discarded pieces, is an act of hope.

This quilt is a letter to my daughter. It is an offering of safety, a beacon, a reminder. I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea of safety, in light of increased and ongoing anti-Asian violence, especially towards Asian women. I included images of my daughter’s great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mother (myself). Texts are from the Bible or Buddhist prayers that my daughter’s great-grandmothers would chant repeatedly, to fortify themselves.

Growing up, I was instructed to memorize Bible verses as a child. My hope is that my daughter, all daughters, remember this “verse” and write it on their hearts: “Daughter, you deserve to be safe.”