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Thoughtful Thursday::Running Away or Moving Forward?

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I let the cat partially out of the bag in a previous post so it’s time to let it all the way out.  Mr. Powers and I have made a BIG life decision to move, out of the state and sometime in the next 3-6 months!  We have been thinking about moving for a year and a half at least now.  Each time we go on vacation we look at the housing market, talk to people about what it’s like to live there and consider the possibilities.  Some of our friends and family have probably heard our ruminations about moving to their town and have been let down by the wolf cry…but none of those places have felt right and we always had a major reason why it wasn’t the place for us.  The following are some of the things we have taken into consideration as we’ve made our decision:

  • Do we know anyone that lives here?  Friends, family or both?
  • Have we visited more than once and if so why?
  • What’s the weather like? I tend towards SAD so can’t deal with soggy or freezing or dreary long winters.
  • Oceans and Mountains are a plus!
  • West coast, not in our budget and we want to be close to family mostly on the East Coast.
  • Don’t land lock me, I’m not a mid-westerner.
  • Decent economy, colleges, tourism and other industry nearby.
  • Lower cost of living (and lower taxes a plus).
  • Not too small of a town, not to big of a city…looking for just the right size.
  • The South has it’s appeal, we’ve lived in various locations and liked the slower pace.

So, based upon the above did you figure it out?  We have decided upon Charleston, SC!  We’ve been there many times over the past 12 years or so and many times we have said to each other that we would love to live there.  It’s finally time, after considering numerous locations mostly in NY, PA and NC we finally made our decision about a month ago.  I have to say that going to Penland and experiencing a break was the final catalyst!

I’m ready for a little more of this!

Frankly, we never thought we would move back to the DC metro area but the almighty dollar and a promising job made us change our tune and I certainly don’t regret it!  Being back in the DC area has given me the chance to reconnect with old friends, spend time with family, visit New England, NYC (a lot since my brother lives there and my former job took me there for business) and generally appreciate the wonderful diversity of culture here.  BUT, we just don’t feel we “fit” here an  longer, isn’t that strange for someone who was raised here?  I’ve tried to find my tribe, really I have searched but they are not here!  After having lived in various other locations and now having returned to the place I was mostly raised I feel it’s time to move forward.

“When your reasons to move forward outweigh your excuses for staying put, you will move forward.”-Ralph Marston

When I tell people now that we are moving I always get the inevitable question “oh did you or your husband get a job there”…NO!  Each move we have made over the past 17 years has been for either a job or school.  For the first time in our adult life we are making a decision based purely upon freedom of choice.  It is so liberating that I think everyone aught to do it once in their lives!

I’ve thought long and hard about weather we could make it work here and if we are just running away but I can honestly say now that we are not.  We haven’t “Failed” at anything but we’ve made certain choices and in order to continue to live those choices we need to move forward, to a different location.  It’s that darn simple!  I am soooo excited about this big change.  It is scary, moving to a new place, moving a fledgling business and my husband’s construction business but it’s going to be worth it.

We have good friends who live in Charleston and right down the road in Savannah too.  Mr. Powers parents spend their summers not too far away (close enough for weekend visits but not close enough for daily drop in’s).  I love the ocean, it soothes my soul!  I miss the slower more relaxed pace of the south (my Daddy’s from Bamma I must have inherited some southern genes).  We don’t have our date fixed yet but the family and friends have been told and so far seem supportive!  Over the next few months we will be doing some serious downsizing and I’m beyond ready for this!  We will be selling, giving and throwing stuff away.  Loosing the extra baggage is going to feel great.  I’ll be posting about the process of moving, making choices to get rid of things and how it feels as we go.  I hope you will continue to stop in to see where we are and how it’s going.  If you happen to be one of my clients reading this, have no worries, together we will come up with a strategy to transition you to another organizer or continue to work with me long distance (via Skype, phone or internet consulting and coaching).  Moving is pretty major but when it’s moving forward there’s nothing to feel but excitement!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

 

Textile Tuesday::What I made at Summer Camp

by Filed Under: Art, Inspiration & Education 5 Comments

Now that summer is almost over and school’s back in session I need to wrap up my experience at Penland.  I’ve been writing for the last few weeks about my whole experience  but haven’t really posted much about what I made personally.  There was more experimentation than finished product but I’ll be sharing some of my creations.  I took with me my sewing machine and, several bins of materials (paper, fabric, threads, inks, brushes and more) even though I knew I wouldn’t use it all.  I wanted to have enough variety for whatever we ended up doing since I wasn’t quite sure other than “mixed media” surface design.

Lets begin with some of the more informal exercises.  As I mentioned in my previous post here, we began working on black museum board in an 8″ x 8″ format.  We started with limited supplies, gesso, inks and colored pencils.  Here are a few of them in progress on my large almost 10′ x 3′ (fabulous!) work space.  Man I loved having all that room to spread out!  I was able to get messy and still have room to work!  I’m going to start talking more about this subject here on my blog because I became a little obsessed with observing how other artists work, are they neat and orderly or totally messy?  At what point do you stop and clean up your space because it’s too messy?  These are some of the questions I started asking fellow artists…but getting back to the class:)

Some of the pieces above came home with me unfinished and I’m continuing to work on them a little at a time but below are some details of completed pieces.

I loved how expressive, spontaneous and painterly these exercises were.  I found working on the black background both challenging (seeing colors in a new way) and liberating (leaving my “typical” color combinations behind).  I thought that the square format would be good for me (i.e. challenge me even more) because one of the things I really wanted to explore at Penland was my understanding of composition.  Sure, I’ve got degree’s in art but my past 12 years as a designer of repeat patterns has stunted my ability to create artwork with “proper” composition.  I found this out as I began to explore photography.  As a designer I tend to center or repeat things out in a certain manner so I wanted to throw that aside while there and focus on understanding composition better. 

Another very fun and liberating part of the class were the quick 15-30 min exercises we spent each morning exploring a certain mood, idea or expressing a feeling (these were centered around the discussions of various Astrological signs).  I had gone with certain expectations of this class (I tried not to but inevitably there were some) and I didn’t realize how much expressive drawing and painting we would be doing.  Some of these exercises were quite large in scale (compared to 8″ squares) and I enjoyed the movement involved in creating these!   Sometimes you’ve got to get your body MOVING to make ART!

We continued to work on these quick exercises at the beginning of each class almost to the end.  Sometime after the first few days we began to explore other ideas and expand beyond the small format and black background.  That’s when we started (not the whole class but some of us) experimenting with rust dying on fabrics.

We did a whole batch of scraps to see what kind of results we liked and from there I decided to create a silk scarf using the rust dying technique and some shibori pleating.  I had particularly liked the results of a couple of pieces of metal from our experiments so I used them to wrap my pleated scarf around.

Since this was quite a large scarf I used 2 pieces of metal and pleated and rolled from both ends to create different effects on both sides.  Then I used a wire that would rust to secure the whole bundle.  

This is what the bundle looked like after 24 hours and before I unwrapped it.  Promising but a little un-nerving.  There’s something exciting about the juxtaposition of using these industrial rusty, dirty metal pieces to “Dye” this beautiful delicate, “precious”, pure white organza silk!

I’m so glad I photo documented this unwrapping process!  I love the swirly shapes created by one particular piece of metal and once this was un-pleated and unrolled completely it would never look exactly like this again.

This is how it looked completely unfolded.  I love the results and it’s got me hooked on rust dyeing.  But wait, I wasn’t finished yet!  I decided to take this another step and I over dyed part of this with a coffee/tea stain using a bound shibori process to resist a large portion of the scarf from being dyed.

I let it dry and in the meantime spent some time trying to learn how to create a rolled hem with the appropriate presser foot.  I wasn’t pleased with the results so I decided to bring it home with me and create a hand rolled hem to finish it.  When I got home though, I decided to do a little more experimenting with the machine rolled hem and to my surprise I was able to find a great tutorial and with a little experimentation I was confident it would turn out successful so I bravely finished the two ends (the sides are selvedge edges).

I am totally happy with the results of the finished scarf and I have plans to create more, similar pieces in the future!  I’ve always loved shibori and dying but have been hesitant to continue to use chemical dyes as I get older.  I’ve experimented enough with them over the years but I don’t want to prolong my exposure to them.  The process of rust dying opened my eyes to a whole new medium to explore, along with other natural dying processes.

The finished piece has been over dyed with the coffee/tea stain on one side which created a beautiful grey which occurs naturally as the tannins in the tea react to the rust.  The neutral colors of this scarf are so versatile and sophisticated!

I may finish this piece off with a few beads at the ends to give it a little extra pizzaz but nothing flashy.  I love the simple beauty of it.  As you can see there was a lot of exploration and self expression that came out of this class for me.  I’ve got some other bits I worked on as well that I’ll probably share down the road but this give you a good idea of the amount and kind of work we did within the two week class.  It was fabulous!

 

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Friday’s Field Trip::Penland Surface Design Class

by Filed Under: Art, Inspiration & Education, Photography 82 Comments

I’m finally getting around to sharing the ART part of my experience at Penland.  It was such an inspiring time.  I loved the energy of working in the studio every day with a variety of other artists.  I don’t really have a studio space at home so I often feel guilty if I leave my art supplies out for a long period of time but for me I need to be able to walk away and come back to my work.  I learned a lot about how I like to work while I was there.

Knowing yourself as an artist means knowing how you like to work, for what period of time, when to step away from something and knowing when to push through and let the inspired moment sweep you away.  Being in a class for the first time since some graduate classes I took back in 2004 offered the balance of exploration and structure which also helped me grow as an artist tremendously.  The irony of this is that as a designer I was trying to loosen up and allow myself to be more free and expressive (and abstract).  Each day our instructor began the class with short exercises that allowed us to be gestural, free, expressive and not to over think what we were doing.  These were fantastic and fun.  I didn’t always like the outcome of what I created but that wasn’t the point.  It was about just getting out of my own way and letting whatever creative expression inside the chance to escape.  Some of the works created by the class in these short exercises are below.

Another fun aspect of the class was that our instructor, Jason Pollen (check out his amazing work if you don’t know him!) used Astrology as an inspiration for us to focus our creative energy on.  Each day we discussed a different planet, the corresponding sign and the energy surrounding it.  In this way we were encouraged to channel certain emotions or energy to put into our work.  This class was primarily a surface design class and we began with limited materials and an 8″ x 8″ format using black backgrounds.  The way we see color on black is different and this encouraged each of us to shake free of the “normal” color combinations we might use.  We started with only gesso and color and eventually were encouraged to add stitching, collage or whatever else we wanted to.  I find it tremendously helpful when I’m creatively stuck to really limit my options, within more restricted boundaries I find my self stretching to explore those limitations.  After a few days experimenting and playing in this smaller format most of us began to explore other mediums and formats for our work.  A group of us in the class began raiding the iron departments scrap pile and we began experimenting with rust dying.  There is a good description of this process over here if you want to learn more about the technical aspects.  I loved how as a group we got swept up into this creative process together.

Rusty metal pieces laid out with fabric for rust dying.

Completed pieces of rust dye fabrics.

Another process we began to experiment with was Encaustic painting.  Although this was not a class in Encaustic one of our classmates was using encaustic and there was also a class being taught so those of us interested in experimenting with this process got the chance to give it a try.  As you can tell we covered a lot of ground in this class.  It was so freeing and inspiring, I came home with several new materials, techniques and ideas to work through more thoroughly.  Both Jason and our studio assistant Debra Smith were fantastic about assisting and encouraging each of us in our own directions.

Jason working on one of his stitched pieces for the auction.

Debra’s scarf and a collaborative piece by Jason and Debra, donations for the Penland fundraiser auction.

Debra modeling a purse made by one of the students for the fundraiser auction.

Below are a variety of samples of fellow classmates work and working shots.  My class mates ranged in age from 18 to over 75 and came from both the east and west coasts with all different backgrounds.  Each one of them was an inspiration to me.  I am so glad we all got to meet and work together:)  Thanks to each of you!!One of the final projects I worked on was a collaboration with 3 other students which we donated to the Penland Session 4 fundraiser auction.  I love to collaborate and this piece turned out well.  I wish I knew who bought it…

Next week I will be back to share some of the work I began personally in class.  Some of what I started is still incomplete but hopefully won’t be by the time I post again.

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Friday Fieldtrip::Penland the Full tour

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Photography 6 Comments

It’s Friday and I’m away again on another Field trip! While I’m out scratching up more field trip fun I’m sharing the first of a few posts about my recent trip to Penland School of Crafts.  To start with I’ll show you around the campus so you get an idea of the setting, the views, the buildings, accommodations (for some) etc…I’ll get more into the creative specifics of the class I took with Jason Pollen next week but for now I hope you enjoy the scenery:)Penland the Full tour

Welcome to Craft House.  This is the first building I was greeted by when I drove up and I quickly found out it would be my home for my 2 weeks at Penland.  I stayed in the 3rd floor dorm, where there were many other work study and “over 30-under 40” students.  They seem to do some divisions by age, probably not a bad idea. Inside the 3rd floor dorm rooms a “typical” individual non-private accommodation (above).  Not bad especially with the windows and fans (they provided us with).Below are some of the typical views looking out across Penland road and along the walkways that run across the campus.  Craft House has a fantastic big porch with swings perfect for enjoying sunsets, reading, having a glass of wine and relaxing (although I felt short on relaxation time with all that was crammed into the schedule!).

My next stop upon arrival at Penland was over to the Pines dining hall.  I spent many hours in this building both eating and fulfilling my work study hours.  I worked about 3-4 hours a day in addition to classes from 9:30-4:30.  It was a lot of work but it was fun. Apparently almost 45% of the students attending Penland do so on some sort of Scholarship!  If it wasn’t for these scholarships so many people wouldn’t be able to go, me included!  I definitely plan to go back, if they’ll have me.

Above is an installation sculpture on the porch in front of the coffee house by one of my favorite artists Patrick Dougherty.

The meals were really diverse and always included a vegetarian option and a great salad bar.  They make a fantastic Wasabi salad dressing, man do I miss it and miss not having to cook (but really I love to cook).  Each day the big chalk board in the dining hall told the daily events.

Some of the veggies and herbs are grown at Penland but they feed on average 250 people at lunch and dinner during their 5 summer sessions (each 2 weeks long).

Some of the buildings at Penland are on the National Historic Register (such as the Dye house below) and others are fairly new.  They are also in the process of building a brand new dorm building. 

Print Studio

Clay Studio (outside kilns)

Metals Shop

Glass Studio

Northlight, houses Photography, Book making and a large hall for social gatherings and Yoga:)

Lily Loom, houses textiles-weaving and surface design as well as the Main administrative offices.  Below are a few of my other favorite spots and views I found upon wandering the grounds. 

Porch at the old Dye House

Hydrangeas in bloom by the entrance to the Supply store (back of Craft House)

“Cheryl’s Gate”, named so after a class mate who helped me appreciate the intricate beauty of this old gate (not that it needed much help!)

Old stairs (not in use) covered in Moss on the side of Craft House and the supply store

View at dusk looking out the front door of Lily Loom

Walled garden leading behind metals and clay to Lily Loom, it’s covered in clay tiles and found objects and I could always find something new as I walked past it.

The Red neon box up between the Print studio and Northlight.

View out the side of the Pines on our last morning.

That concludes the walking tour of Penland!  I hope you got a feel for what the campus, grounds and facilities are like.  It’s quite a wonderful experience and I even heard rumors of them installing some Air conditioning sometime in the near future (in the spots that really need it).  Have you visited Penland or another similar school?  What was your experience like?

 

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Friday Field Trip::Textile Museum Green

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Museums & Galleries Leave a Comment

I saved a few field trips up for you for my time away.  I hope they keep you coming back and you find them just a little interesting.  Back in June (which was not that long ago, boy time is flying this year!) I went to see the Green exhibit at The Textile Museum.  If you have been following my blog over the last couple years or if you happened to read my old blog you know that the Textile museum is probably my favorite museum.  It is a little hidden jem in DC, not far from Dupont and nestled in a row of Embassy housing.  I love going there and upon arriving at the street of the museum I feel transported to a more serene place, it’s almost gentile and reminds me a bit of Savannah or Charleston.  In the midst of the city here is this small treasure that’s quite and peaceful.  I wish that more people knew about the museum but I’m also glad that for now it stands in a hidden corner of the city.

The current exhibit is all about Green: The Color and the Cause:: re-purposing of materials (textiles) for textile art.   For someone who is a huge fan of the museum you might think I’d follow the rules but I’m a bit of a rule breaker when it comes to taking photo’s…so here are a few.  I don’t have a lot of details but the online catalog is quite extensive and you can find additional information about the artists and the cause here.  These are just to whet your appetite…Enjoy:)

I do apologize, some of these photo’s are not the greatest but that’s what happens when you are sneaking around behind the back of the guards trying to get a few shots.  I hope these peak enough interest for you to visit the online catalog or better yet, the show in person.  There were a tremendous number of contemporary entries and a slide show that shows the work of all of these talented textile artists.

Friday Field Trip::Pile of Craft Roundup

by Filed Under: Art & Design, Handmade, Inspiration & Education 1 Comment

I’m currently on my way to my biggest field trip of the year!  I’ll be at Penland School of Craft for the next two weeks so postings will be spare in my absence.  I can’t wait to participate in The Art of Fiber Collage with instructor Jason Pollen! I’ve shared bits and pieces about this upcoming excitement but honestly, this is something I’ve wanted to do for over 10 years.  Since I now have the flexibility being self-employed I took the opportunity back in early spring to apply for a scholarship and YES, I got one!  I’ve been super busy over the last week or so preparing for this “Camp”.  The list of supplies is lengthy and I’ve been challenged to remain very organized in my preparation!  Even though I typically am very organized about travel, this trip requires many extra supplies including art and craft and some borderline camping type supplies.  Laundry facilities will also be limited so I’m having to pack more clothes than I normally would for a two-week trip.  Lists, lists and checking my lists…The last remaining item for me to decide on is my sewing machine which was listed as a item that is suggested but not necessary.  I guess if I can fit it in the car then it goes!

While I’m away I’ve prepared a few posts and in the spirit of Field trips I’ll leave you with some favorite items from vendors I saw when I helped my friend Betz White with her booth at the Pile of Craft show in Baltimore.

Pile of Craft Roundup

I love when craft crosses over into organizing, these re-purposed denim & fabric buckets fit the bill for anything from yarn to makeup or mail sorting.

The “neighbor’s” on one side had these adorable figurines.  On the other side of Betz was Volta Organics.  The photo I snapped wasn’t so hot but do check out their products.  I fell in love with the Vanilla and Pepper scrub (they were brilliant to put a sample of this in one of the bathrooms at the show!).

Across the way from us were these beautiful Japanese print and sewn textiles from Namoo.  Again, these HUGE paper clips are another crafty way to get yourself organized.  What a great way to keep papers sorted by category!

The worn but beautiful architecture in this old church is a charming setting for the show.

I didn’t catch the name of these two vendors but I love the “scrabble” coasters and leg plant ID “tags”.

Gorgeous threads from re-purposed goods made by Malagueta fall into my wishlist category.

I crafting in motion and several booths including Hello Craft and Carlybird Weaves had demo’s set up.

And finally a few familiar finds including Claire McDermott’s recycled skateboard accessories and jewelry.  There were some brilliant repurposed and recycled items at the show, I love seeing this category evolve and become more sophisticated.

One last thing we did before we left the show was step into the photo booth of Annaeka Photography and get a little goofy.   What a blast to have an old school photo booth right at the show!  We accidentally walked away without picking up our photo’s and Anna was super sweet to send them to me right away, thanks Anna!!

I’ll see you back here with a full report of my field trip to NC in a few weeks.

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Wednesday Wellness::Confronting Risk and Fearlessness

by Filed Under: Wellness & Mindset 2 Comments

Confronting risk and fearlessness takes a good bit of courage and practice!

I’ve been taking on a lot of “new” lately which requires a healthy dose of fearlessness.  I’ve always thought of myself as pretty adaptable to change, but in the last several years the fear of risk has caused me serious pause (paralysis even) at times.

Somewhere along the lines in my corporate design job and suburban lifestyle I got a little too comfortable (in my opinion). 

Then the unthinkable happened (loosing my job).  This was the thing I was most afraid of (but secretly wished for as well!).  Afterwards I decided not to rush myself into anything which was a good choice in hindsight but…

I spent the better part of last year practically paralized by fear of the unknown. 

I was unwilling to make a decision about what I wanted to do next because I was so afraid of not doing it perfectly, failing, not being happy with my new choices, not pleasing those around me etc…I’m sure you can probably relate right?  I can’t say I was exactly aware that I was paralized by fear but somewhere along the lines when I decided I’d had enough and set my intention on Clarity things slowly began to change for me.  I started to move towards risk and allow a little bit of fearlessness to creep into my routines.

Confronting Risk and Fearlessness

What I’m coming to realize now is that it’s healthy and rewarding to invite risk into your life but the consequences may totally upset your balance for awhile.  I’m learning to live within this new state of unknown.  It is not always easy, sometimes I feel like I can’t get a deep breath, sometimes I am just exhausted and sometimes I need a day with a book or time at the pool to totally recharge and feel that deeper sense of calm inside me.

The big risk of deciding to start my own business in a field that I was formerly almost unfamiliar with didn’t feel so much like a leap off a cliff but now that I’m falling (into grace) I can look up and see how far I’ve come and that I have my parachute attached.  Somewhere inside myself I know how to do this, it came so much easier when I was younger but I’m learning to take on risk and to be more fearless by taking baby steps each day.

I’m taking more risks in my art, trying new techniques and approaches and being less judgmental of my own work.

I’m pushing myself to talk about my business in front of strangers on a regular weekly basis!

I am changing my dietary habits to reflect changes in my body (I’ve gone almost totally gluten free).

I’m re-trying things I use to love doing but somewhere along the lines stopped doing (swimming, tennis, bike riding).

I’m attending ART Camp (this is a bucket list item).

I’m growing food for myself (in a community garden plot).

I’m letting my grip on money become a little less rigid.  It will be there when I need it but I also need to enjoy the present, not in an extravagant way but I’m also no longer going to deprive myself of certain things-BALANCE.

That last word, that’s what it’s all about.  Striking a new balance between risk and easy…

What are you afraid of, what risks would you take if you knew you would not fail?  Living in fear is not living well!

Loving & Embracing Change

by Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Photography, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

Have you ever really pondered how embracing change works?

If you want something in your life to change, you have to change your actions right? I’ve announced here that things are changing as I shift over to my new business face for this blog.

It’s scary, it’s exciting, it’s fun…I LOVE CHANGE!  Loving & Embracing Change

Loving & Embracing Change comes rather easily for me. But I realize that’s not the case for everyone.

I use to live by this motto and seek out ways to invite change into my life but somewhere along the lines as I got older and more settled into the comfortable life I’ve created, I’ve also become a little afraid of change.

That’s sad right? I’m looking back and saying to myself, HOW, WHERE AND WHEN did this happen? I don’t like it and I’m going back to Loving & Embracing Change!

Part of why I think I’ve been drawn to my new calling as an Organizer that it’s all about helping people through a process of change. I’m fascinated by what the a catalyst for change are in peoples lives. It seems so often that people don’t change something until they HAVE TO. Why is that? By being more aware can we invite and embrace change? This may be a lot easier for some people’s personalities, astrological signs or nature but I’m convinced that it can become easier to embrace change by practicing it regularly and in small ways, working our way to more “risky” changes.

I’ve always been the kind of person who invites change into my daily life, ask my husband, ask my friends…I re-arrange furniture, artwork and re-organize closets at the drop of a hat. Then I sit back and observe how one change is the catalyst for another. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of making a change to consider creating change proactively rather than reacting to something.

We can invite creative action and can embrace the kind of change that is rewarding and lasting.

Allowing things to change as you react to “stuff” happening in your life isn’t a bad way to go either but if  you can decide consciously in action and create an intention for your change then you will shift the change from reactive to creative.  Now that’s the kind of change I want to encourage!

This process is so amazing to watch; once you have laid the ground work you can sit back and let the dominoes follow the new pattern you have laid out!

What is a catalyst for change in your life? Is it reactive or creative?

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef at the Smithsonian

by Filed Under: Art, Inspiration & Education, Museums & Galleries 2 Comments

Today’s post is going to be short on words and heavy on photo’s.  “To briefly summarize The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef (HCCR) is a project of the Institute For Figuring (IFF), a Los Angeles based non-profit educational organization whose mission is to develop creative new ways to engage the public with science, mathematics and the technical arts.”- IFF & HCCR  Hyperbolic geometry is creatively modeled by the forms created through crochet.

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is a woolly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world.” by Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim

Demonstrations of crochet are on display during exhibit hours.

This ongoing project has had over 10 exhibits worldwide with one of the most recent and current exhibits on view now at the Sant Ocean Hall, Focus Gallery, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History with contributions from over 850 participants who collaborated in crochet and assembling this coral reef.  Another exhibit also currently on view is The Bleached Reef at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (NYC, NY).  Each coral reef exhibit is a unique installation with different contributing artist and different themes.

 

Crochet Coral Reef at Smithsonian

If you or your kids are fans of the spectacular wonders of the underwater world I would highly recommend you take a visit.  One of the fascinating things about the exhibit is the unique materials that individual contributors used.  The majority was certainly various types of yarn but I also spotted recycled plastic bags, wire, beads, VHS and cassette tape, plastic zip ties and various other materials.  I’m sure you could make a game of “I SPY” at the exhibit to identify more variety of materials.

I loved the way they arranged this exhibit in colors that spanned the rainbow.  It seemed that every color and perhaps color combination were represented.  The forms range from super realistic replicas of coral formations to shapes that are beyond the wildest imagination and look to be straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Crochet Coral Reef at the Smithsonian

While we are on the subject of coral reefs I recently got to see the short film “The Coral Gardener”.  The purpose of this exhibit and the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is to educate and bring awareness to the world’s disappearing reefs.  Did you know that coral can be propagated like a plant and cuttings can be taken and “rooted” to replant the reef?  This award winning short film shows how scientists and volunteers in Fiji are doing this.  If you get a chance to see it, it’s a truly a sign of hope for the worlds reefs.  I hope you will get a chance to view one of these spectacular exhibits yourself!

Mundane Monday::Bread Tabs

by Filed Under: Art & Design, Inspiration & Education 4 Comments

To continue my post about collecting and using Mundane items in craft and art I’ll share with you a little project I began earlier this year.

I’m an artist and therefore I’m a collector (I don’t really know any artists who don’t collect SOMETHING odd or beautiful!).

Starting with stickers and stuffed animals in childhood I’ve now elevated some of my collections to things a bit more valuable but sometimes I love to collect the “Mundane”.  These types of collections usually begin with an idea or something that sparks my interest, visually or otherwise and it runs its course, I explore the possiblity and eventually let go of the collection.  Thank goodness for that because I’d probably be considered a “Hoarder” if I held onto everything that ever caught my fancy or sparked a creative idea!

So, I’ve been collecting these little colorful plastic bread tabs (tags, clips, whatever you call them) for about 2 years now, maybe even 3.  My friends and family have also been collecting little stashes of them for me.   They are always asking if I’ve started to use them yet.  “What are you doing with these again?”  “Oh, I’m not sure yet.” I say…”I’ll use them in some art project.”  Well, I finally am!  I was inspired to start playing with them about a month ago.   I love the colors and the shapes and I can’t even tell you where all I’ve found them.  Most recently I found a whole bunch at the county fairgrounds imbedded in the partially frozen gravel and dirt.  No, I didn’t sit there and chip away to get every last one but I got a few.   Like anything, once you begin looking you will see them all around.  I feel I’m picking up the currency of a future piece of artwork when I find one and this series of work is titled “Our Daily Bread”.

Here are a some of the works I’ve created so far.  They are really just studies and play, experimentation with something mundane to see where it will lead.  It may lead to more experimentation and it may lead me to a larger work, design or collection of work.  For now, I’m enjoying the “mundane” possibilities.

I’m very interested in not only exploring the form/shapes and colors but also some more esoteric meaning I’ve begun to associate with these bread tabs.  The title of the series “Our Daily Bread” refers to a Christian passage in the bible (Matthew 6:11) but I’m not really exploring anything associate with religion here.  What I am exploring are the practices of breaking bread, sharing meals and the issues surrounding food and agricultural shortage around the world and found currency.   If you have any thoughts you would like to share or comments about this new project please leave them here!

Do you collect anything “Mundane”?

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