Mary Jane Konstantin

What is Patriotism?

40” x 40”

Patriotism is such an extraordinary concept.  Why are we loyal to our country, our hometown, or even our school?  Lin Yutang’s explanation in his book, The Importance of Living written in 1937, resonated with me.  The nostalgia for happy experiences, that sense of joy and safety associated with good memories is the cornerstone of loyalty.  Food is often associated with family and friends, that sense of belonging and community, which is at the heart of his definition of patriotism.

I learned to embroider and crochet from my grandmother when I was very young, probably six or seven, but put them aside for most of my adulthood.  When I picked them up again the muscle memory came back instantly.  Inspired by the @tinypricksproject, I’ve recently started to add hand embroidery to quilts and labels.  Check out their Instagram feed if you haven’t already.