.daily stitch - a 21 day practice.

 

During my 3 week residency at the Grunewald Guild one of my projects was a daily slow stitch practice. I started my studio time with a free stitch on a 8x13 inch piece of fabric (Japanese linen layered with drop cloth). Each day has a unique design that was inspired by a moment of the day, usually a thought or observation from my walk into the studio. It was a really grounding project that helped me be more present and observant to my surroundings. Each piece usually took between 1-3 hours, depending on the design and amount of stitches. The residency ended at the end of February but I finally unloaded pictures from all 21 stitches. You can see them all on my website.

 21 day stitch practice. 

.hello 2023.

Hello, 2023! I started this piece, "Crossing the Threshold," on the last day of the year and finished it yesterday, the first day of 2023. A visual memory of that strange moment of transition, nothing feels different, but we are in a new year. I'm playing with a design idea that came to me in early 2022, drop cloth woven together and stitched. It's simple and intuitive. I started with a basic idea and then let the design unfold. That is what I enjoy most about fiber, the practice of watching something evolve. It feels like all I have to do is stay in the flow. 

I attended a new year's breathing event yesterday, 30 minutes of being guided with different breath patterns to access alpha waves. It's another way to find that flow. During the breath guide encouraged us to attune our bodies and breath. I've been thinking of a word for 2023, not sure what to choose. Last year I selected gentleness because things felt so chaotic. Then when I heard attune, it caught my attention. It's such a beautiful word. You can almost hear it resonating. When I think of the word attune, I think of alignment. Later last night, I looked it up and the definition is to find harmony. That sounds like a wonderful guide for the new year, so it's my word for 2023 - attune. 

I hope you had a wonderful first day of the new year. Do you choose a word? How do you mark a new year?

Piece:
Crossing the Threshold
14' x 14'
Cotton, drop cloth, DMC #8 cotton pearl thread

.goodbye 2022.

 I started a small stitching project this morning, one last piece of 2022, a moment to reflect on the past year. It got me thinking about my relationship with making art this past year. It's been such a full year, but somehow I gave time to curiosity + creativity. I made it a priority to explore fiber. I wanted to reflect on the pieces I've made, so I looked through my pictures and was amazed to see much work I have done this year despite all the other demands on my time. I was also excited to see how I allowed myself to explore with the freedom this year. The pictures show a more expansive approach than maybe I've had before. I hardly made any jewelry, but I focused on fiber and allowed myself to push myself. I even took on a strange paper mache project, something I'd like to explore more when the weather warms up. I'm ending the year excited and curious about my art practice. I'm not sure where it will lead me in the new year, and that feels like success to me. I'm also working on a reading list to accompany my creative time that I'll share later. I'm also hoping to write more and blog more, to share and process. Happiest of new years to you and yours! 

Here are some pictures of projects from the year....

a quilt inspired by the silence of January made on some snowed in days with pine needles collected on a walk. 

a creative exercise, I collected the bark and leaves on a walk and composed this piece.

I made this little flag/banner after a rough few weeks with covid-19. I've never worked much with red but it's a color that really came into my life this year. I also made the fabric banner with tied fabric for the holidays. A simple project that brings so much joy to look at. 

I took an amazing class with Amy Tavern about design and made this piece after the class with found bark and steel that I made into a chain.

a slow Saturday winter project. I bought a drop cloth from a hardware store and then woven + stitched it. I love this and still playing with this idea.

In April I travelled to Eugene, Oregon and took a washcloth weaving class. It was so much fun! I totally fell in love with weaving again. I hope to make more in 2023.

This was just fun freedom! A wire paper mache project. Not sure what this is but I love the shadows and the alpha brain flow it allowed me.

.weekend.

I had the best weekend. ever. I completed my orientation and testing at a local makers space on Friday!! Which meant that I spent 13 hours between Saturday and today in the jewelry studio space creating! It felt so good. so good to have a full studio with torches and all the tools I could ever want. Both yesterday and today I had to force myself to leave the studio. There is always another projects I want to try. 

Tonight I came home after 6 hours in the studio and realized how much energy I had - it struck me = comparing my energy to how I feel at the end of a work day and my energy after a whole day in the studio is drastically different. I finally admitted to myself - I want to jewelry. I don't want to do jewelry to recharge my energy from the areas in my life that drain me. I want to do jewelry to do it. To do something that feeds my soul so fully.

This has been such an amazing year - in the raw unfinished imperfect way - that has refocused my mind - enlightened my soul - healed my spirit - pronounced my unspoken truths. I am excited for 2015 and all the needed/necessary/exciting changes that are going to happen.

I also updated my etsy shop for the last time this year. Be sure to check out the new wears - lots of beautifully raw tarnished copper pieces and fiber/metal pieces (see some of the pieces pictured above). Thanks for all the love and support, always. If you find something you like for yourself or a loved one - all jewelry purchased by Wednesday, December 17th is guaranteed to make it to you before the 25th. Perfect for easy last minute shopping (I'll even wrap it and mail it to them if they don't live where you live!!).

.new projects.

I can’t help but be a little on edge. 

There is no reason to be. Habits ingrained into me. 

Acknowledging these learned ways and deciding to unlearn them. 

Deciding to be patient with myself. 

Deciding to turn down the volume of their remarks. 

Deciding to be present in the moment. 

Deciding to be honest with myself. 

Deciding to speak my truths/wants/boundaries. 

Deciding to let go just a little bit of my expectations. 

Deciding to absorb the beautiful energy and see where it takes me. 

Deciding to explore this new place.

*gratitude*

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Photo: This is a weaving project I was working on last night. I found this beautiful oatmeal colored yarn at the goodwill last week and envisioned a weaving projects...here it is unfinished. I have always loved fibers but it seems to be growing in strength lately. I decided to just try something, making a weaving frame from an old photoframe. I think it might become an earring holder. We’ll see...

.mixed media ring.

I love the combination of metal and fiber. It's such a beautiful balance between the harsh and subtle. I am taking metal smith classes this summer at a small art center and with every class I am reminded of how much I love working with metal - making jewelry. I just get lost in the process and the journey of a design unveiling itself.

Do you have something like that in your life? What is it?

This is the first ring of the summer season. It's a little less practical than I have made before and much more contemporary but I playing with design and finding my voice in metal.

.turmeric.

I've always loved yellow. It's so vibrant not matter the tint, it just grabs you. I first fell in love in middle school. So much so I actually spent my entire spring break of 6th grade painting my room buttercup yellow with help from Mama O'Dell (looking back, why would you offer YOUR spring break to that? Thanks Mama!). It has fluctuated through the years but as of late mustard yellow and a good golden rod really get me going. So when I found a huge spool of rope and a big bag of turmeric in Blantrye a few weekends ago I started thinking/dreaming of fiber art/natural dyes. I don't have any jewelry making supplies and my hands are begging for something to fiddle with, so weekend with no dancing allowed met idle hands. This is the photographic journey in 6 steps...

There will be more to come (sorry in advance...). I'm soaking another necklace in black tea right now and found this page with so many crazy dye ideas.