Alison J. Stein
Very Curious Mind/ Under Construction
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Words

What you're looking at here is a place for my occasional casual writing.

My relationship with writing is long -- you can see my properly published articles and essays here -- and complicated. There are seasons where I feel very "writer-y" and those that I don't. So expect long pauses in updates, satisfaction certainly not guaranteed.

The Making of "Respect Authority"

“Respect Authority” is a fiber work made from vintage Girl Scouts badges.

First the particulars: It’s 18 inches in diameter. made of vintage and reclaimed materials, and will be a part of the Contemporary Art Modern Project (CAMP) exhibit Women Pulling at The Threads of Social Discourse: Don’t be Absurd, opening in Miami on October 17, 2025. 

As for what’s happening in this work:

Girl Scouts have been in the project of shaping “ideal” female citizens since 1912 — including, as it happens, this particular citizen for a brief stint in the mid 1980s.

As an organization, there’s plenty of good to say about what the Girl Scouts are doing and have done. There’s also no denying that the organization reflects and helps to shape culture.

Badges are peculiar little fiber artifacts that say so much about how our society creates and reinforces its often questionable values. While the badges I’ve included in the piece are retired, some were only set aside recently (in the 2010s) and some were brought back in other forms.

Even as badges change in appearance and requirements, there’s been a steadfast emphasis on being cheerful, helpful and obedient. In fact, the title of the piece was borrowed from a tenet of the current “Girl Scout Promise and Law”.

CAMP asked participating artists to document their process, which you may recall that I am very terrible at doing.

But look! I managed to remembered to do it a little! Some more thoughts on the process after the pics.

Thoughts on the process:

  • When I was a new artist, I often wondered how people made larger works. (lol I realize this is not large in absolute terms — but for a hand embroidery it isn’t tiny!) For me the answer has been to work modularly. In other words, I don’t sit down to stitch a piece that’s more than 200 square inches, I worked on many pieces that were 10 or so square inches, and then composed and assembled.

  • Yes, this is very much a collage informed approach!

  • I don’t love documenting the work while doing the work — this is probably why I struggle with it. The compromise I reached was to take photographs along they way and share afterwards, as you are seeing now. Helpful to be off social media for this one.

Fiber, Inspiration, On CreativityAlison J. Stein