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Meet Our Researchers: Quin Steinmetz

As a small liberal arts university, Wesleyan distinguishes itself by its scholar-teacher culture and focus on interdisciplinary research. Learn about the work of some of our creative minds, who are making a difference in the world.

College of East Asian Studies

Quin Steinmetz, '23, completed a senior capstone project within her major field, the College of East Asian Studies. Quin sought to raise awareness of the CEAS Collections and to make them more approachable. From the larger collection of works of painting and calligraphy, prints and rubbings, rare books, textiles, ceramics, and other miscellaneous media from China, Japan, and Korea, Quin chose to focus on Chinese embroidery and textile objects. She made these objects “touchable” by creating stickers. Enjoy this interview to learn more about Quin's work

What question are you trying to accomplish with your research? Why that question? What prompted your interest?

After working with Wendi Field Murray in the College of East Asian Studies Art and Archival Collections, I knew that I wanted to do a capstone project that revolved around making the collection more accessible to anyone on campus. But, getting the whole collection out there in the public would be too big of a task for just one person and one semester, so I decided to narrow my focus down to a few objects and create something that would promote outreach of the CEAS program and shine a light on the existence of the CEAS Collections. In the end, I created stickers that would highlight some of the features of the objects. Stickers are fun to look at, small, and collectible, something that is perfect for outreach and advertising. 

I also wanted to do research on the objects that I chose. The CEAS Collections are lacking in information about many of the objects, and I knew that any amount of new information I could find would be helpful to Wendi Field Murray. Also, I wanted the stickers to have an element of education. The intent is that when one picks up a sticker, he/she/they would be able to read about what that sticker represents and learn more about Chinese textile culture.

What was your first research experience?

The first challenge was narrowing down what types of objects to focus on for my capstone project. Wendi Field Murray sent me a list of the hundreds of archives and objects that we had in the Collections, and I combed through it to seek what piqued my interest. After some thought, I decided to focus on some of the Chinese embroidery and textile objects we have. My mother enjoys sewing and occasionally embroidering small designs on her work, so I have grown up to appreciate textiles. Additionally, being of Chinese descent, I wanted to focus on something that would help me learn more about Chinese culture. 

What questions might future students answer about this area of study?

As far as I know, no one else at Wesleyan has researched Chinese textiles. There have been a few previous students that focused on some objects in the CEAS Collections, but I didn’t interact with those research projects while working on mine. I hope that students in the future will be inspired to look further into some specific objects from the CEAS Collections. There are so many amazing objects that we have that are just sitting in drawers right now waiting to be appreciated by students, faculty, and guests. I think that further research on these objects will make the collection feel more integrated into the Wesleyan academic community and open up more opportunities for the objects to be featured more in classes and exhibitions. 

What is your favorite library database or book?

I was surprised by how many books Olin Library has on Asian Art and Chinese Art. I even found a large book dedicated to information on the history of silk textiles. I also needed a rare book to research more about a Chinese child’s hat. Online the book cost $200, but through the library request form, Olin was able to locate the book at a university in Indiana and ship it here so I could access it for free. I only wish I would’ve taken advantage of the library collections earlier in my time at Wesleyan.

How can someone learn more about your work? 

Please contact Wendi Field Murray if you have any questions about the CEAS Collections and if you are interested in continuing research on the objects within the Collections. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I would love for the stickers that I have created to be seen around campus and the Middletown community. My hope is that the images interest people and inspire them to learn more about the College of East Asian Studies and what it has to offer.