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 Chris Lindgren - Saskatoon, SK
In 2008 the Annual conference was held in my city, Saskatoon, and so I attended for the first time. There were many significant moments for me, but I would have to say the most important by far was listening to a dear friend, Marie Anne MacLean tell a story at the Saturday night concert. It was very typical Marie Ann: witty, funny, warm and heart-felt. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Marie Anne has been significant to many of us, not just because of her gifts as a storyteller and writer, but in her warmth to new people in a group and her hospitality to traveling storytellers and musicians. When I heard that she would be the next Storysave storyteller, I knew I had to make a block for the quilt. I sent her an email and asked for ideas that might connect with the material she was planning to put on the CD.
She replied with a long list of stories, but also some suggestions for an overall image that might represent the prairie material. It is her
description of a field with a single tree to one side, a road and telephone lines leading into a small toWn that I used. I think Marie Anne mentioned something about it being a "common image", but in fact it seams to fit, "It is part of our lore". I would have to agree. I had to put the name "Thumbprint" on the elevator of course, even though I know that the Thumbprint in Marie Ann's stories is a lot bigger that three houses (about the size of Humboldt, wouldn't you say?) but that was all that I could render with thread on this little square.
The tree in itself is significant. Marie Anne said that there is one
tree especially mentioned in one story, and I think I know exactly which tree she would be talking about. (These jokes about solitary trees in Saskatchewan have some foundation in some areas of this province.) Many storytelling groups use a tree as their logo. Our National organization does, but I also remember Marie Anne telling me 20+ years ago that the group in Edmonton had a storytelling tree for a logo. She told me this as she presented me with a hand painted T-shirt with that tree on it. I wonder how many other people out there have T-shirts painted by Marie Anne. A gifted and generous spirit. So there is the tree, the prominent image of my square. My way of honouring a friend and wonderful storyteller, Marie Anne.
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