Shibori, My Just One Thing

and a few others. . . wearable art, writing, felting.

Today I focus on documentation.

I begin a new notebook.

The weather 

sunny and warm.

I must dye silk today.  

Black magnolia devore and charmeuse.  

The trees are brown.  

There are scatterings of green, copper

and rust red in dried leaves.

I formulate colors

drizzle tones on shibori

pole wrapped silk.

I strive for impeccable documentation

add fuchsia to yellow green

The hardest part about Shibori dyeing during spring in Kentucky is the rain.  It's hard to for the fabric on the poles dry.  Time for inside projects.  I bring the poles inside and work on writing and publishing and making videos. 

When my daughter was a teen and living with her dad she wrote me a tearful letter. I couldn’t see the tears, but I could feel them. She was writing about what a difficult time she was having trying to fit in at school. Wondering about her future. “What will I do after high school? How do I know the right answers?” In response I wrote her a poem.  At a workshop last week, Larry Vogt and I made a video recording of the poem and his music.

Creative Legacy

What are we doing with all that we create?  Lately I have been thinking more about my legacy: what gets passed down, what stories are shared.  This past weekend while I was at the Kentucky Craft Market selling my shibori dyed and FeltOOM  felted  wearables, I attend a KCHEA workshop.

Kentucky Craft History & Education Association
presents

CRAFT HISTORY: Preserving Your Personal Legacy

Have you ever wondered what might become of your
craft legacy or that of a family member?

 On Pondering My Creative Legacy

Create that which comes from nothing

from deep within

that which you have made manifest

and shared

thus the beginning of your legacy

that which you will pass down

the past in your present

which will become your children’s

all children’s

inheritance, heritage

the history/herstory which they will cull from

dig into, rummage through,

to gain insight of where they came from

in order to begin their journey

draw their map

carry on your wisdom

put it into their own experiences

in order for their personal wisdom

to sift and filter into materials they will gather

and create from

to begin the creation of their own legacy claim.

In order to know and better understand our creative legacy

we must know why we create in the first place 

for whom we are creating

this why can be uncovered in our stories

the stories we remember from the first time we shared

the first letter we received

the first poem we wrote

our earliest autobiography

perhaps from an elementary school assignment

our first interview,

our first biography

If these were not saved begin a legacy recall writing notebook

where the memories of  past creations will be uncovered and collected

In your early legacy recall writing  notebook start with your earliest memories of the things your created

If you have a box of memories gather together the pieces most related to your creative self, accomplishments, spiritually, academically and professionally  (March 11, 2015)

". . . Wearable Art Guru."

In a post promoting the upcoming Fantastic Fibers Show for which I am one of the juror's, TAFA, The Textile and Fiber Art List referred to me as "wearable art guru."  What an honor.  Well I guess I do spend a lot of time thinking about, talking about, wearing and creating wearable art.   I am addicted to pleasure.  It's why I make so much art.  Creating gives me pleasure.  It's why I make so much wearable art.  I know that when others wear it they get pleasure, and they receive the added bonus of all the energy that the art carries.

Performing poetry with Larry standing in front of a merino scarf felted on the FeltLOOM gives me pleasure as I wear my Shibori Dyed Poetry Skirt and shawl.  And I love seeing Awa model another one of my wrap around poetry skirts in the LFC Fashion Show.

And most important is when your grandsons come to your poetry reading, listen to you perform and give you a big hug afterwards.  Hence, share your work.  Take the risk.  It's worth it.

Kentucky Crafted, The Market is coming soon.  March 7-8 in Lexington.  This is my favorite time of the year to create new work for my booth.  No. 311.  A little bit I follow trends.  Like orange and blue and turquoise.  But following the seasons is more fun.  And since Truly Wearable Art is a "Power Tool," it can be worn all year, any year, anywhere, when you want to make a statement.  After I Shibori pole wrap the silk or Felted merino wool,  I create palettes to reflect the colors surrounding me.  Palettes that will compliment your wardrobe.  In late winter, aka early spring, I add a little bit of each colors compliment to my formulas as I prepare to drizzle the dye.  I am always amazed at how well the fabrics I dye blend with the natural scenes.  After seeing all the Chihuly installations at Fairfield Gardens a few weeks ago I was inspired by the bright contrasts.  Be Bold, Be Striking. Take the risk to express your self.  It's worth it!

A New Year begins with Wabi Sabi

The Wabi-Sabi principles that all things are impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete just about sum up my life.  I try for perfection, I really do.  However, something always shows up slightly askew. I respond, then accept it, share, and move on, make more and share again. I will not let a tiny flaw or typo hold me back.  As the year begins I pull out all my old journals and make new ones to continue my daily writing practice and develop and record a clear and strategic road map for 2015.

"Pare down to the essence, but don't remove the poetry."  Leonard Koren

 What I am Dreaming

freedom to create

being of service 

writing more

and sharing. 

Online and in person

one to one to many

exploring my story

personal, deep, and now.

If there is no risk involved

there is no point.

There were many Garden Girls involved in this morning's writing practiced that I pared down into the above poem. They, too, will be resurrected this year.  They are working on publishing their own journals.  I will let you know when one is available.

This year will be filled with continued exploration of shibori   dyeing fabrics other that silk.  I like the idea of using hemp and will come to accept that the Vinyl Sulphon colors are not as brilliant as when I dye silk. I will keep using them, however, because of all the colors I have already learned to  formulate. (I prefer to use my learning curve moments in other ways :)) And I love the Wabi-Sabi of shibori, always consistent, yet filled with variables that tease and delight expectations.

More merino and alpaca vests are on their way.  Using the FeltLOOM I have discovered the 1/3# bats available from the FeltLOOM are the best.  Save the date March 7-8, 2015 for the Kentucky Craft Market in Lexington!

Wearable Art on the Wall and on the Body

Above: Gallery Photo of wearable art.  A pieced poetry skirt with 10 yard waist band and below it is seen from afar.

I love that I can take my art off the wall, wrap it around me a read my story, The Coffin,  at my Only 2 Years Until My 70th Birthday Party, and that I can pose with my amazing grandsons, Chuck and Avery.

The skirt was created by pole wrapping crepe, charmeuse and devore silk and shibori dying it in a combination 72 colors of shades.

This is the same techniques I use for dying many of my designs, including wool and merino felted to silk and then layered using the FeltLOOM.www.feltloom.com/

Soon, I will have my Etsy store stocked.  That is my New Year's resolution.  In the meantime feel free to email me any time.