To Inspire

My mother’s gift has been to share the magic of imagination and the joy of

creativity the possibility within us.

My mother’s grace and love are unconditional for any child who sits beside

her or whom she invites for a walk in her garden. For children, Kaye’s craft

studio was a place of adventure; where colours, textures and sparkles held

them captive in wonder of what possibility might come from one’s fingers.

Concentration lapsing only when alluring smells from her kitchen signalled

culinary delights awaiting eager tummies.

It was 14 years ago Mum proudly announced she was writing a book on quilting

and its application in cross-curriculum learning. As she nursed my children,

my nieces, and nephews her ambition and focus were sharpened – she

delighted in watching the young folk evolve, sharing with them the art of living

creativity and seeing the world with wonder.

Mum would often call me with excited news of an article or with a new

publication of academic literature and how it concurred with her theory on

creativity and learning. Her research for this book crafted over this time

provided her with much stimulus and energy to revise and practice on her

grandchildren the possibilities of quilting. I would sit with mum and review her research to understand how the book was evolving. Over the last five years I noticed an increasing frustration. 

Mum’s research notes were meticulous and clearly demonstrated her hypothesis

based on her firsthand experience with children at the Gerogery East Primary

School. However, she would come to review her notes obsessively, and spend

her time ordering and reordering them, rather than creating anything new. I

suggested she focus more on her story of how she started, what she observed in

the children and the examples of lessons. In time, though, it became clear that Mum was experiencing the onset of Lewy bodies dementia.

In 2019 Mum and I engaged Ember to help structure and translate Kaye’s

ideas and research. Mum’s journey at the Gerogery East School provided us an

inspiring road map on which to collaborate.

Ember is a scholar in her own right who with sensitivity has extended and

enriched Kaye’s creative process translating her life’s work into “this book” .

This has been a powerful process, to reflect on Mum’s experiences, the colours

and pattens of fabric connecting memory and most importantly restoring

dignity and sense of value as she reflects on the children’s wellbeing. When in a relaxed state Mum would spontaneously link the various academics to the ideas and experiences carefully documented in the quilted form. Mum got an enormous buzz from this process, allowing us to focus on the woman, not the illness.

The journey of this book revealed more than the passion and commitment to the

creative learning of children. It has also shown her family and friends a woman’s

courage and determination to stay present, to be the best person she can be.

Congratulations Mum, you did it!  xx

Katherine Herrmann, Daughter 2023