Soaking in and Listening
This has been a soaking in and listening kind of week.
I am alone in the household for this week. And there has been a lot of rain—a few hard rains to listen to at night. Mostly gentle, steady rains in the afternoons. All the leaves are water-filled green. The air is grey and rich.
And, as the perfect accompaniment to rainy weather, I have plowed through two long meaty novels that stir up memories, families, hurts, healings, places characters leave and then return to, and dreams that sort through history.
It is good.
In my studio, the mood of the week has unlocked some doors in unfinished projects.
This is a detail of one on my easel now.
I was drawn to a photo of a sink hole with a house perched precariously, or stop-action depicted in the act of falling in. It’s a powerful metaphor for the experience of a family feeling the earth cave out from under them.
But this piece has been through several stages. I had created a different house, then decided it was wrong. Ripped it off. This new house emerged.
The left half of the quilt is unfinished. I know I need to redo what I put there initially. (More ripping!) I’ve been far too literal. Even though I see this image as a metaphor, I’m depicting it in a straight-on photographic way.
Thinking of memories and families this week, I been inspired to complete the work with images of other houses. More houses. Perhaps from other times. Perhaps from dreams. And somehow I’ll connect them to the main house and the sinkhole too.
Now, I’m re-energized to explore the story of the work.
A second work-in progress explores some familiar territory.
I’ve placed the ladder-backed chair (a favorite image for me, indicating memory and places gone) in a surface of patterns and colors, plus some photos of a secret garden I discovered in Natchez, MS, and images of water.
The process of this one has been much easier, though it also lurched in unexpected ways. I had a plan and a sketch, and I executed exactly what I planned. But when I looked at what I thought would be the finished product, it wasn’t finished at all. I had created the theater set, but there was no story or memory in it.
I have enjoyed discovering ways to go deeper into the images. I’ve pushed some things deeper into the picture and pulled some things forward, physically creating more visual layers, and also trying to listen to the images for stories and memories that are stirred in me.
For me, creating works that are pleasing and meaningful to me goes back and forth between the technical (printing fabrics, stitching, etc) and spending enough time with quiet listening.
I’ve been grateful for this week. For the rain. For the quiet. For the good books. For what they have given to me.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you are interested in seeing some of my completed works that explore family memories and stories, they are in two galleries n my website. I invite you to do some exploring.
GALLERY – HOME IS WHAT YOU REMEMBER
GALLERY – STORIES AND JOURNEYS
If you are looking for some good reads, I recommend the works I just finished:
I Know This Much is True – by Wally Lamb
We Were the Mulvaneys – by Joyce Carol Oates.
For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating
Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
How I keep in touch:
BLOG POSTS - once a week: If you would enjoy receiving blog posts by e-mail, please subscribe here: I post and send by e-mail each Sunday evening. BLOGS-BY-EMAIL
NEWSLETTER – about once a month: If you enjoy more detailed behind-the-scenes stories, as well as FIRST LOOKS at new works and members-only discounts, I hope you’ll become a Studio Insider. You’ll hear from me about once a month. NEWSLETTER