Sunday, March 2, 2014

winter to summer and back again

the last class was exciting
going deep
four days
13 humans
and blue fairy wrens
(among other feathered beings)
 i love the variety 
 of needle books
my students had.
did i say i had 14 students in the two day class
12 in the four day class
and we worked.
 we made and made and made
 we shared
 we built
 we discovered how a few crinkles
can enhance the dullest of papers.
 these folks kept saying "why not?"
and making my predictions
dust and ashes.
oh, i learned so much! 
 proving my predictions wrong
 some came despite
difficult circumstances--
 there were stories
involving 
toilets and firearms and other things
 some folks just took off
like sky writers,
you know,
those pilots who write letters
across the blue heavens.
 many, many books were made
 new spinners fell in love
with paper,
kozo and lokta
 and some book artists 
combined their learning from class one
with our class.
when natural dye pots were unavailable
we decided to make a few ecoprints instead.
when one said the red was colorfast
she was right
 and then,
well,
my beautiful little canon
powershot
spurted from my pocket
into the rinse bucket.
so there are no more photos.
but
as a few come into my inbox
i will share them.
let me tell you this:
four days is entirely enough
to really get somewhere
with paper and shifu and books.
we ended with stationers bindings in classes one and three.
and they were all amazing.
THANK YOU ALL.
if i could hand pick students, 
you would be the exact ones for me.
it was amazing,
toilet jokes and all.
a few more stories
may come along
as i try to get my brain
wrapped around back to school
and a dentist appointment
and then income tax forms.

18 comments:

  1. Sounds truly wonderful Velma and I'm so happy you have left our shores filled with so many wonderful memories. Until next time...

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  2. Inspiring!! Sounds like an amazing group dynamic. Hope your re-entry to school is OK...

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  3. Thanks again Velma for the paper play days in Halls Gap.
    My brain is running or should that be sky writing all over the place with possibilities.
    I will keep you informed.
    Cheers Jan

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  4. Thank you so much Velma, there were a couple of photos on my blog, wish I had managed to have the extra days but 2 were a start and I am still making string and small books and generally keeping up with the inspiration that you left me with.

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  5. I kept thinking of you being here Velma ... but much was going on... so no leaving town to pop in and say hello! So near yet so far!

    From all the posts, photos and news it seems as if it was a tremendously productive period. The Grampians are something yes ... must have been so dry!

    May your time here live long in your memory!

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  6. oh myyyyy - so much to love (so so much to love)

    xxxx

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  7. Oh wow this looks so great, I am quite envious.

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  8. sue, fun and a good bit of hard work thrown in.
    fiona, you and barry were such a treat…i am so glad to have met you outside of the ethers!
    valerie, all is well and i survived MONDAY!
    jan, sky writing is exactly it! you were great to have in class, and i am really and truly here in the below zero temps (again).
    penny, they were a great start and send me a photo now and then, too!
    sophie, i know. oz is too big to catch up with all of my blogfriends! someday…
    ronnie, yes. yes.
    debbie, it was great. i am so glad it happened!

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  9. V - people hungry for the artistic fragments of living often surprise. Glad the visit went well. Head north next time. B

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  10. barry, yes, that's true. i will try to spend a bit more time in oz, north especially!

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  11. Not just north we have a lot to offer in South Australia too!! I always have spare beds.

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  12. oh man, those aussies are made of excellent stock aren't they?

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  13. penny, how can it be that australia keeps growing everytime i visit, and my time there just shrinks!
    neki, they are fine and friendly people.

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  14. It looks like an amazing time, Velma. I am inspired by the little loom .

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  15. judy, i still feel like i'm a very lucky person. such an easy way to weave a sample, and to have 4 selvedges.

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  16. Catching up and loving these images.

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  17. robyn, i'm finally feeling like i've caught up, too!

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