Every year the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild chooses a theme, and challenges its 300 members—quilters in metro Atlanta—to submit a block inspired by the theme.

The blocks become a show that travels the state of Georgia.

This year the theme is matriotism.

Matriotism (a word my auto-correct insists should be “patriotism”) can mean love of the Earth or a more pacifist and inclusive patriotism.

Or it can mean a celebration of women’s influence on society. This was what the Guild meant when it decided to create “an exhibit of quilts inspired by outstanding women for their positive contributions to the first 250 years of our nation’s history.”

How I Found Out

The matriotism art-quilts were unveiled on October 31 in Atlanta, and my friend Dianne Hiltman, a member of this guild, saw them. She wrote, “You were the subject of a quilt, and I wish I could claim to have made it.”

Here is the quilt:

#136 by Angela RaymondAngela Raymond’s Words

Janisse Ray is an environmental activist, writer and professor. She was born in Baxley, GA in 1962. Her book Ecology of a Cracker Childhood calls attention to the ecology of the vanishing longleaf pine forests that were once abundant throughout the South. As an environmental activist, she has campaigned on behalf of the Altamaha River. She has received numerous writing awards. Her professorships and seminars teach others how to spread their stories.

Inspiration: I am inspired by her love of the natural world and her dedication to its preservation. I am equally inspired by her journey: From a poor kid growing up in a junkyard to an ecologist, writer and college professor. Her journey embodies the American Dream, and her devotion to the environment exemplifies what is best in America.

I Was Undone by It

To have an art-quilt made in honor of my work touches me deeply. The honor feels like a little bird making a nest in my throat. I feel stitched-down, colored in, joined.

Then, when I looked online at the show entries, I was stunned—the beauty! the creativity! the art! the love of nature!

I was so moved that I wanted to share a few of the art-quilts with you.

1st Place

Congratulations to Vickie Lord, who won first place for a quilt honoring Agnes Northrup (1857–1953). Northrup designed stained glass for Tiffany Studios. Check out the quilt.

Notice in particular the stitching of the sun.2nd Place

Melinda Rushing won second for her “Ode to Alice Walker.”

“Ode to Alice Walker” by Melinda Rushing. Don’t you love that a framed art-quilt is hanging on the wall of this room? Alice is a Georgia author.3rd Place

Margaret Williams stitched a quilt featuring Rosalynn Carter, which won third place.

“Rosalynn Carter” by Margaret Williams. Notice Rosalynn’s face, her hair, a butterfly on her heart, all those roses. I can’t wait to see this one up close.4th Place

Gail Scogin won fourth with a quilt inspired by Rachel Carson. About the environmentalist, Scogin wrote, “Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring (1962) launched the modern environmental movement and led to the establishment of Earth Day in 1970. As a biologist working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she understood the devastating impact from the widespread use of pesticides, especially DDT. With poetic language, she warned that if we did not change direction, we could one day encounter spring without birdsong.

I particularly love the way Gail Scogin wove words into her textile design. And look at the songlines coming out of the warbler’s throat.Wild Card Quilt

I come from long lines of quilters. My second book, Wild Card Quilt, is a collection of linked essays that examine community—human community and wild community—and why we need both. The hearthstone of this book tells of sewing a quilt with my mother.

I put the two most beautiful squares, the ones with pieces of swallow-tailed kites, midway down the quilt so they wouldn’t be hidden by pillows. I chose four with turquoise for the corners. Then Mama and I floated above the bed with squares in our hands, like two monarchs, arranging the garden below, careful to balance the red salvia with the green coontie with the orange fireweed.

—Wild Card Quilt

I am not a quilter, although I’ve collaborated with my mother on a few.

But I admire quilters. They turn scraps and remnants into beautiful, warm, comforting covers—they make art in hidden nooks of the world—they add joy to life—they change the world quietly.

Long ago, my book-selling father stashed many boxes of Wild Card Quilt, and my mother continues to find more and pass them along to me. Recently she gave me another few cases. They’re hardback, signed and dated.

I would like to offer a copy of the book to paying subscribers for the cost of shipping. To order one, go to my website and at checkout enter a coupon code, which is behind a paywall below.

Offer is good until Nov. 19.

You Can View the Exhibit Online

This link from the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild will get you to the online show of Matriotism: Celebrating 250 Years of Inspirational American Women Through Quilts.

#111 was inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

#122 brings attention to Sacagawea’s contributions.

#130 celebrates Lady Bird Johnson.

#135 honors Dr. Sarah Davies, coral researcher.

#143 is an ode to Dorothea Lange, photographer.

#148 was inspired by Georgia O’Keefe.

At least four quilts were inspired by Dolly Parton.

I Hope You See it in Person

Atlanta History Center, January-April, 2026

Alpharetta Arts Association, May 2026

Georgia Celebrates Quilts®, First week June 2026

Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum, Carrollton, Mid-June to August 2026

Jekyll Island Arts Association, September-October 2026

Booth Museum of Art, Cartersville, November 2026-January 2027

Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, April-June, 2027

Georgia Museum of Agriculture, Tifton, August-September 2027

In Other News🦬 DNA Anthology Exceeds All Expectations

Co-editor Hilary Vidalakis and I met via Zoom this weekend. Hilary is working with an impressive assemblage of writers to prepare the essays on DNA surprises for publication. We have received excellent work, and the anthology promises to be stunning. You’ll be hearing more about this. A $1,000 award goes to the best essay in the collection, and that winner will be announced at time of publication.

🦬 This Is a Final Call for DNA Essays

If you have an essay that

pertains to (or at least mentions) a DNA test

is already written and ready to go (or can be readied within a few days)

you’d be willing to publish under your name or a pen name

please send it to me, at the email wildfire1491 at yahoo. I’ll forward to Hilary.

🦬 Two Writer Names Missing for DNA Anthology

Somehow I received two entries that do not include the author’s name. One starts with a line about “massive woods behind my house when I was a kid” and was written by a man, perhaps with the surname Young. The other is titled “The Secret Power of Secrets.” Despite numerous searches through email, I am unable to find the authors of these two essays. If one of these is you, would you be in touch?

🦬 Kickstarter Fulfillment Soon Underway

The Kickstarter launch for Journey in Place has ended, and I have now ordered all books. They are arriving and will start to go out to backers early next week. If you supported the launch of this (really interesting) book, you should have your copy in hand by the first of December.

🦬 I’m Recording Journey in Place

I’m in my closet, recording the audiobook for Journey in Place, this week. I record to a Shure microphone plugged into my Mac laptop, using the app GarageBand. Each chapter gets saved in a MP3 file, and these get loaded to Amazon’s KDP. I’ve been managing about five chapters a session before my energy flags, and that takes a couple of hours, so progress is slow.

🦬 What I’m Listening To

Alec, my friend the beekeeper at Wild Light Honey, sent me a 2-minute clip of Joseph Campbell talking to Bill Moyers about the need for each of us to have a “sacred place.”

🦬 What I’m Reading

An analysis by Phoebe Weston in The Guardian, “The nature extinction crisis is mirrored by one in our own bodies. Both have huge implications for health” says “The greater the richness of species surrounding us, the more healthy microbes make their way to our bodies.”

Note this beautiful line:

The desire to keep our own microcitizens healthy is another reason for people to demand we live more nature-rich lives, and take urgent action to preserve a thriving natural world.

I’ll be writing more about this fascinating subject later. Many thanks to Doug Denton for forwarding this article to me.

🦬 Send Your Secret on a Postcard

Postcards have been arriving for my postcard project, Wild Confessions: Postcards from the Interior. By the first of December, I’ll publish anonymous secrets that arrive on postcards in Trackless Wild. Here’s what to do.

Write your secret on a postcard. No rules, no return address, no names, no identifying evidence. The secret can be a sentence, a drawing, a fragment, a confession whispered to the trees. The secrets can be big or little.

If you create your own postcard, the standard size is 4 inches x 6 inches, on paper that is cardstock or thicker. That size will require a postcard stamp, which costs $.53. However, a postcard can be any size. Those larger than 5 inches x 7 inches will require a letter stamp of $.73.

Mail your postcard to Janisse Ray, 895 Catherine T. Sanders Road, Reidsville, GA 30453. USA, if you’re in another country.

I will be sharing these in Trackless Wild, as testimony to the mysterious, untamed lives we all lead.

🦬 Beware Auto-Pay on Your Substack Subscription

This week I received an email from a long-time reader, supporter, and friend.

I love your work and have benefited from it!
You know that.

Substack renewed my account. I didn’t know it was on auto-renew. I contacted customer service. Nothing indicated that the auto-renew was stopped. The next advice was to contact you. I hadn’t intended to renew because of budget concerns, but it’s paid now, so I’ll certainly take advantage of it. All I’m asking is for the subscription not to renew in 2026.

Thank you!

I (Janisse) firmly believe that we need the ability to consciously decide every time we spend money. That’s our right. Anything less borders on deceit. Although Substack as a platform has been infinitely useful and good to me, I’ve often complained about what I consider its unprofessional practices, including

assertive movement of people toward becoming paying subscribers of a newsletter

activation of auto-renew without customer choice

continuing to charge higher subscription rates even when a newsletter has lowered them (as in the above customer’s situation)

I was able to go into the dashboard of my newsletter and turn off auto-renew for this customer. I sent her an email and apologized profusely.

Therefore, please take note. I need your financial support of my writing and ideas. I need investors and backers. I have a baby to care for and many world-changing projects—some philanthropic in nature—left to complete.

However, your happiness—your satisfaction with our relationship, with what I offer and what you receive—means the world to me. The energy behind the money matters. I need your emotional support first and foremost.

Therefore, please take note of your subscription settings for Trackless Wild. If you have any issues, be in touch. I offer you satisfaction or your money back. Guaranteed.

Be well, be of good service, be wild. 🦬

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