Sunday, August 17, 2014

winding down the week

chinese box taught by steve
the exemplar that steve pittelkow
made in his box class
that ran while i was teaching contact printing
at the morgan conservatory. 
it came home with me,
a gift.
lucky me!
as did kozo that
took on some coloring
natural, but not intentional.
(sigh)
i'm building a big book
after asking cecile for advice--
good, expert advice.
and i warped up the good wood loom
for a book cover in weft faced shifu
and would like to find another of these looms.
i've been looking-they closed shop.
if you know of one for sale, please contact me.
lokta on lokta
it's been fall-like this past week, 
rain and cool moved in and has taken some of the starch 
out of summer.
the new place
that is finally looking like a home.
no porches yet.
i photographed this
right before i completed the black walnut rectangle
that sits
near one edge.
one of the coolest projects i've 
given another
(with permission) 
was to make me a measuring device 
so, 
this tape
woven by the amazing susan johnson
traditional in many ways
measures some things:
 grace notes of birds,
whiskers.
a promise,
a thought,
or such-like.
some twills
linen and cotton and hemp
a useful thing for imagery
for framing thoughts
for fiber artists.
wednesday i leave for a two day workshop 
with some very good book artists.
and, this morning's news:
i caught a nice, big
TOAD 
in the have-a-heart-trap.
surprised us both!
in my haste to let her go i forgot a photo.
 she's back in the garden now.
tending her patch.
locally two amish girls were abducted and subsequently 
released.
this news has me heartbroken.
our culture is very sick
it seems that art makes the briefest of inroads
into the souls of people.
but i will keep making and teaching and doing what little i see
is right and good.
and if that is making a book to love
out of paper that was once a wild-grown flower
that's what i will do.

19 comments:

  1. wonderful things - the box, big book,kozo on loom, the new house in the woods and Susan Johnson's "tape without measure"- her work is simply beautiful. I hope the 2 young girls will be ok - what a horrific story.

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  2. Lovely meanderings Velma - and like you I take hope that acts of kindness, grace and beauty will shine small beacons of hope over our world, to help make things right. Your book will do just that...

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  3. jean, so many wonderfulnesses, the bad things must stop!
    fiona, thank you--i always say it's about baby steps...

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  4. what you make, do and share does much to bring some beauty & balance into this world.

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  5. the tape measure ♥♥
    re loom: have you tried school products in n.y.?
    the new house will hold so many good things for you.

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  6. Glad you are back in work mode at home. The measuring tape is sweet. I am now obsessed with finding a "good wood loom" any suggestions for me? Also, I read about the amish girls in our paper, sheez, people are sick. Love the big book that you are working on. xo C

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  7. chris-good luck and if you find more than one get me one! the amish girl story continues to morph and be uglier.

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  8. I love the walnut rectangle at the edge of things.
    xx

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  9. beautiful post I look forward to seeing where the making of your big book takes you Velma!

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  10. Velma, re small looms, if you want to enquire this far (Sydney, Oz) we have a local maker, Ron Stewart who hand-crafts Australian timber 'weave-it' (think in US called 'pot-holder') looms and he may be able to custom-make a similar loom from your photo - sorry no email but his # is +61 02 9543 1228, Ron or Linda Stewart. Alternatively, I have my cabinetmaker custom-make my moulds and deckles. Cheerio, Jenny.

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  11. judy, walnut on the edge...
    mc, me, too!
    jenny, thanks

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  12. A very thoughtful post Velma .... struck initially by the big book you are making ,then in love with your ideas about measuring with Susan Johson's tape - the grace notes of birds, whiskers ....
    And then the abduction, the sorrow, anger and yet acknowledgement that you will go on doing the wonderful things you do. Things that are right and good. Comforting.

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  13. susan, thank you for these words. going deeper.

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  14. love the shifu tapestry! and susan is wonderful

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  15. Hi V - so many rich shadings. Love the fact that the new place is nearing completion - very exciting - be good to be in before winter. B

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  16. barry--hope is a thing with feathers.....

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