Written and photographed by Caitlin Reclusado
The Phoenix Shop is home to a plethora of stunning textiles from around the world: Suzanis, Kathna quilts, Ikats and African mud cloths, just to name a few. But one of the most stunning you'll see in our shop doesn't come from some exotic corner of the globe. They are made right here in the Monterey Bay area by Dorcas Owens née Fassett, the third of five children born to Bill and Lolly Fassett. Her quilts are works of art, stories told in fluid shapes that are hand-stitched together, flowing from one fabric to the next. Her quilts are a kaleidoscope of vibrant patterns, often framing beautiful geishas, koi fish, herons and flowers, and each one lovingly named after one of her favorite holy passages.
Dorcas didn't start out quilting. Growing up at Nepenthe, she was exposed to a variety of arts and artisans. She and her brothers and sisters would paint, hike through the forests of Big Sur, learn folk dances and put on plays and dramas. While starting up Nepenthe, the Fassett family learned to use their ingenuity and creativity to thrift. One of Dorcas's beloved childhood memories was making Christmas ornaments from the tin cans that were used in the restaurant. There were no lights or money for fancy ornaments for the Christmas tree, so they would pound the lids flat and mark them with a variety of designs. Back then, the lids had a gold wash to them, so once they were hung on the Christmas tree, the firelight would shimmer all around the room in a stunning show of golden light. It dazzled her, and taught her that the ordinary could be made extraordinary. That you didn't need a lot of money to make something beautiful.
Dorcas is a wildly creative woman, not only making incredible quilts, but also colorful, happy pot holders and crocheted rugs in a rainbow of colors. She lets her intuition guide her creative process, and works with whatever materials she can find. One of her greatest inspirations has its roots in another experience from her childhood. An ancestor in her family was asked to go to Japan in the 19th century, and sent back a chest to the Fassett family, full of paper illustrations depicting Japanese folk tales. Her mother Lolly framed them and hung them up throughout the house. Dorcas would love to look at these illustrations of beautiful Japanese women and make up stories for each one. She felt drawn to their femininity, and felt that their grace resonated with her. Growing up in the wilds of Big Sur, didn't necessarily expose her to a lot of feminine elegance. She learned how to use an axe, how to repair things, how to be tough and strong. But seeing such beauty inspired her to find her own ways to connect to her femininity. She studied flamenco, ballet and belly dance, and is still drawn to the beauty of Japanese art, using it in many of her quilts today.
After she had her third child, she became deeply drawn to Christianity. She felt it helped her accept the uncertainties and trials of life, and so each quilt she makes is usually inspired by one of her favorite passages in the bible. Although she began making quilts by practicing traditional patchwork, she no longer follows a pattern for her quilts. She looks through her fabrics, picking a few special images to be central in her quilt, before searching for others that resonate. When she feels like she knows how it’s all going to harmonize together, the feeling is often so powerful that she has to take a break. At this point, she’ll go outside and read a book for a bit. After that, it’s just a matter of piecing it all together, of letting the shapes flow like water, into a mix of curves and angular slashes, just like the Japanese writing she grew up admiring. She doesn't have a big area to work on, and so pieces her quilts together on top of her bed. It gives her a large workspace, and shows her what the quilt will look like as a finished piece in its new home. When she needs to go to sleep, she carefully rolls it up for the night. It takes her about five days to create each one, and she loves sending them off to their destiny in a new home. She never lets them pile up.
Her advice to other creatives is that it doesn't have to be complicated. You don't have to follow some complex pattern if that's not what inspires you. Let yourself be open to the flow of what you are creating, and listen to your inner voice. Take breaks when you need to, don't be afraid to multi-task, and always try to have something creative going. Take responsibility for what you have, including your art, and work with what you've got.
Stop by The Phoenix Shop to see our many offerings by Dorcas Owens!