Finished but not the end

The quartet from the community art project “Well Used, Well Loved.”

A couple of weeks ago I completed the four panel series from “Well Used, Well Loved.” (WUWL) The outer two panels are woven in a brocade weave with miles of shifu – paper spun thread with text from WUWL participants. The center two panels are hand dyed and woven linen with embroidery and a red shifu thread couched on to the surface.It has been photographed — with a bit help help from Photoshop – because it as too wide for one shoot! The whole piece measures 12′ wide by 6′ tall.

“Well Used, Well Loved.” detail of two center panels

I have a commitment to exhibit the entire project in a wonderful gallery – stay tuned for more details!With the completion of this project, I inevitably have my eyes on my next endeavor. Having been an artist for well over 4 decades, I know that one piece of art leads to another. In this case – the project “Well Used, Well Loved” has got me thinking about subjecting my own woven cloth to more “weathering” before embroidery. So that’s where I am headed right now – to weave some cloth — then heavily wash it, bleach it, pound it, burn it and put some pieces in the garden for the winter!

Woven brocade cloth inserted into old door.

Each project or piece of art pulls me further on the path of exploring and expanding ideas, pushing the materials and medium of weaving .And then sometimes I get an opportunity to look back at my art — and see a continuous thread of inquiry. I recently gifted an older piece (1974) to a dear friend. This piece titled “Come In” shows early evidence of my curiosity about weathered works.

“Come In” detail Woven brocade cloth inserted into old door.

I see

Thru the eyes of a puppy

I am back home from a month of sailing on the coast of Maine.

Witness at Merchants Row

We have a 30′ sloop named Witness – actually she is the third boat named Witness that we have owned. For over 30 years I have sailed these waters with some awareness of the connection between sailing and observing/seeing.

August sailing journal

But this summer, after four weeks of living aboard, I think I finally “got it.” What I came to understand is that these weeks have been literally about just seeing – observing and witnessing.Prior to heading out to sea I packed a pile of drawing supplies, three journals, paper to write on, to draw on and paint on. I packed paper to spin along with my drop spindle. I packed needles and linen thread. I packed scissors and a knife. I packed several books to read. I also packed a small iPad with headphones and the reference guides to the energy work I am studying. I was prepared to be busy and fully occupied.

Shifu spinning at sea

It quickly became clear the the muses of the ocean had other plans for my time and attention. When we were under way, either by sail or power, I used my full attention to navigate our course. A few times when we were at anchor I was able to draw in my journal or the ship’s log to document our cruise. Twice I used my spindle to spin paper into Shifu thread.But for the most part either by choice or design – this past month I spent my time just looking. I observed the waves, the tides, the wind direction and speed, the motion of the lobster buoys, the seaweed, the porpoises and seals, quahogs and smooth granite ledges.I heard the cry of an eagle, the huff of a harbor seal, the thwack of the halyard and the hum of an outboard motor. I smelled rotten fish, dewy evergreens, stinky boots and diesel fumes.

Vinalhaven sunset

But mostly I saw the beauty of the natural world that my heart was thirsty for.I saw a deep connection between my husband and myself.

Thru the eyes of a puppy

I saw life through the eyes of a puppy.I’ll admit it is really wonderful to be home where it is dry and warm. And it’s wonderful to be back in my studio with room to make art. But all this feels deeper and richer for the past month of simply witnessing aboard “Witness.”

I’m glad I wore a T shirt today.

Each One: The Button Project – detail

Sitting in the brilliant sun, lap top in my lap (how ironic) in the waiting area of a windshield replacement shop – I am feeling grateful for small measures. I am glad that I wore a t-shirt today – it’s hot here. Life offers multiple opportunities for gratitude – and I’ll certainly step into this simple gesture right now.There are a many of other things I am grateful for as well – and that’s where this blog post will go.1. “Each One: The Button Project: a 9/11 Memorial” has been invited for exhibit at the September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York City! The curator Jan Ramirez reached out to me this winter – and the piece will travel to NYC for exhibit from March until September. I’ll post more information when the details are settled. Thanks to the City of Portsmouth NH (who owns the piece) for graciously loaning the work to the 9/11 Museum.2. “Well Used, Well Loved” my current and on-going community art project is in a winter phase – meaning I am germinating ideas and closure – even though there appears to be not much happening on the surface. Check out the blog link to learn more about this long term community art project that focuses on age, beauty, attachment and impermanence.

Detail of new art with Shifu embroidery

3. Pecha Kucha is a local presentation of 10 area creatives who each get 20 slides for 20 seconds each image. I will be a presenter this week – February 23rd. 7:30 at 3S ArtSpace My topic is “Across the Divide: community art in turbulent times”. It’s free, it’s local and it’s creative. Hope to see you there!4. New art – Last month I was an artist in residence at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson VT. For an entire month I had the space, time and opportunity to focus on my work. In preparation,  I spent time last fall weaving works that I hoped to complete with embroidery and other details during my time at VSC. I was able to complete two large works as well as 5 smaller pieces.  I hope to have these news works up in my gallery soon.

Shifu paper prior to cutting and spinning

5. The process of making thread from paper – Shifu - continues to fascinate and motivate my work. The act of writing or drawing on kozo paper – then carefully cutting it into strips and spinning it into thread has held magic for me for over a decade. Most of my current works employ this thread – so each piece has some hidden text or image embedded into the cloth. This technique is also an easy way for me to include the thoughts, images and words of others into my work. And this work is portable – when I travel for the next month I will be taking my drop spindle and papers to spin.

Drop spindle and papers for spinning

Enough is enough

For the month of January I am an artist in residence at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT.  I get three meals a day, a studio that is spacious and well lit and a comfy room in a house only steps away from everything.

Enough is enough

This retreat is a true gift. Each week there are visiting artists who present their own work as well as visit our studios for conversations and critique. It’s been decades since I’ve had this opportunity.This morning I had the opportunity to speak with VT Studio Center visiting sculptor David Hess about Well Used, Well Loved.

Text on kozo paper prior to spinning

He loved the simplicity of the Shifu spun threads wrapped on the mat board – with each persons name – the elegant beauty and unique character of each bundle of threads.“Why do anything with them?” he suggested “— they are perfect just as they are.”I am reminded of this poem by David Whyte:ENOUGH -This few words are enough.If not these words this breath.If not this breath, this sitting here.This opening to the lifewe have refusedagain and againuntil now.Until Now.”With these words – I will honor that these threads are ENOUGH. They will stand on their own as beauty and wisdom.

Patience and perseverence

Hand dyed rayon threads for my new series.

As a weaver for over 40 years, I am well acquainted with patience and perseverance. To create my artwork requires massive amounts of both of these attributes.I believe that by following this pattern of consistent and steady work I not only create strong and weighty work, but my personal character and my artistic vision are strengthened. The rewards for this path are never immediate – but they do show up (think of the turtle in the Tortoise and the Hare fable).

Journals and towels from WUWL

“Well Used , Well Loved” (WUWL) my on-going community art project is one such pathway of persistence and patience. Currently this project is in a nesting phase.  This resting is perfectly aligned with the seasons. We are about 3 weeks away from the Winter Solstice and the word Solstice comes from the Latin for “sun” and “to stand still”.  My latest WUWL blog post explores this period of creativity – this time of pausing, a fertile suspension of time and effort.Winter has always been a deeply reflective and creative period in my life. This winter will be no exception. I’ve been working on a new series currently titled “Sinking Houses” -  expanding on images that I sketched out last fall during the first waves of the European/Syrian refugee crisis. I am weaving several pieces that I will bring with me when I go to VT in January. I have had the good fortune of being a recipient of a fellowship to the VT Studio Center for one month! I will have a whole month to embroider and embellish these pieces.

Sinking House #1 in progress

When words become thread

cut kozo paper ready to spin

When words become thread – text becomes textile. This is a process that has captivated me for over a decade. I recently wrote a blog about my current community art project “Well Used, Well Loved” that is grounded in this process. Please visit he blog to see and read more!