Hi, I’m Zak. I make quilts that explore history, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. I explore the great human questions through the lens of textiles on my popular weekly podcast SEAMSIDE, and I get bring like-minded creative people together both virtually and in real life.
When I first told my partner's grandma, the first quilter I ever knew, that I was interested in learning how to quilt, she grabbed my arm, gave me a serious look, and said, "Buddy, you don't know how much fun you're gonna have."
And it's true, I've been having a blast ever since. I've been quilting since 2010 and it's been life-changing. I love working with repurposed materials like discarded clothes and worn-out linens. What interests me most is how quilts can be natural containers for potentially uncomfortable truths. You can learn more about my quilt work here.
My biggest quilting influences are too many to name entirely, but without a doubt, towards the top of the list is Irene Williams for her wit with fabric. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the quilters I co-create with, quilters like Heidi Parkes and Amanda Nadig.
I host a popular weekly podcast called SEAMSIDE where we explore the inner work of textiles, or in other words: how textiles make us more human. I’ve been privileged to speak with a wide variety of textile-artists: from banner-making activists to artists who bury scrolls in the earth, from cape-makers to performance artists. You can learn more about SEAMSIDE here.
I like what the sculptor Anne Truitt once said about why she felt so at home surrounded by the community of artists at Yaddo: she said she felt like “one of a litter of puppies”.
I feel my most connected in relationship to other makers, and I’m always looking for chances to bring people together. I believe it’s this innate drive that makes hosting the QUILTY NOOK such a natural fit. You can learn more about the QUILTY NOOK here.