Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Art Education (MA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Art
Advisor/Mentor
LaPorte, Angela
Committee Member
Schulte, Christopher
Second Committee Member
Zollinger, Rachel
Keywords
Burnout; Keepingness; Quilting; Self-Care; Stitch; Well-being
Abstract
This thesis explores how quilting can function as a reflective and restorative practice for art educators navigating the emotional labor of teaching. Grounded in arts-based self-study and informed by a/r/tography and serendipity methodology, the study examines how hand-stitching and journaling intertwine as embodied forms of inquiry. Through the creation of hand-stitched triangular quilt blocks arranged in a spiral formation and anchored by a central dragonfly motif, the research documents the lived experiences of a public-school art educator working within the complexities of contemporary education. Journal writings stitched onto the muslin backs of each block, alongside processing photographs and material decisions, serve as interwoven data sources. Findings reveal that ritualized art-making fosters emotional grounding, narrative healing, and professional renewal. The repetitive, tactile rhythm of stitching functions as a means of processing exhaustion, political tension, and relational vulnerability while sustaining identity across the roles of artist, teacher, and researcher. From this inquiry emerges Keepingness, a conceptual framework describing recursive, embodied self-care practices integrated into daily professional life. Ultimately, this study positions creative ritual not as an escape from teaching but as a methodology of care that strengthens educator resilience and re-centers well-being within art education.
Citation
Allison, B. M. (2026). Keepingness: Stitching Well-Being through Arts-Based Self-Study as Self-Care for an Art Educator. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6123
