A full on first day back at work on tuesday. Back to back meetings.  A bit of nipping back and forth from the office to the train station in late summer sunshine. I was beetling back there later in the afternoon to meet Janet Read who was bringing LB’s justice quilt. On the way I had a message to ring the Coroner’s office…

The quilt.

Wow. Wow.

How to describe LB’s justice quilt/The People’s Art Work?

Impossible to coherently comment on such an explosion of * action * thought * love * creativity * skill * artisanship * activism * artistry * celebration *  collectivity * humour * brilliance * colour * feeling * commentary * commitment * resistance * buses * determination * delight * wonder * optimism * life * LB * Dudes *

It’s just extraordinary. A sneaky peek at two sections:

…. …. Wow.

Deep, intense richness. Resistance, empowerment, action, solidarity.  Things that should be. Things that should never, ever, be. I don’t know. It’s off the scale of brilliance.

The quilters – Janet Read, Janis Firminger, Margaret Taylor and Jean Draper –  are stitching legends. So much thoughtfulness, skill, creativity, work, dedication and commitment (and I hope fun) contributing to the production of this unforgettably beautiful artwork. It completely captures the random, chaotic, beyond unwanted, ‘stitched in the moment’ social movement that has emerged in response to LB’s death.

Thanks to everyone who produced a patch, from tots to Mrs S in her eighties. My lovely niece Ally Rogers deserves special mention for her memories of her quirky and beyond loved cousin.

The quilt will be launched at the Disability Studies Conference next week. What happens to it after then will be decided, celebrated and shared at #107days. A space that continues to generate positivity and awesomeness.

And the Coroner’s office call? Eclipsed. Tossed to one side for now.