Ahhh August ...

 

“I suppose that’s the way we humans are, thinking too much and listening too little. Paying attention acknowledges that we have something to learn from intelligences other than our own. Listening, standing witness, creates an openness to the world in which the boundaries between us can dissolve in a raindrop. The drop swells on the tip of a cedar and I catch it on my tongue like a blessing.” 
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer is one of my favorite books, my desert island book, a book I return to, often.  This month I am beyond fortunate to go see Kimmerer teach, in person - a wish come true!! 

Her thoughts and words are so timely now, as we are blindly racing toward environmental disaster.  Kimmerer speaks of respect and reciprocity, for ourselves, our surroundings, our world and others.  

I highly recommend this book to all!!! 

click below to learn more on Goodreads:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Robin Wall Kimmerer

click here to find an independent bookstore to purchase Braiding Sweetgrass

happy reading and peace, Virginia

The end is near ... the end is today :)

I am sad to announce that  'A long distance relationship' at the Attleboro Arts museum, ends today, at 5PM!!! It has been quite a well received exhibit, and it offers much appreciated information about the Boston Marathon and running in general.  I am honored to have been involved with such a wonderful show.

The invitation to participate introduced me to the world of women running and the amazing history of the Boston Marathon.  At the bottom of this post you will find a number of books that I read while preparing for this show, and which I found really interesting!

Thank you Mim Fawcett, the musuem director,  and the wonderful staff at the Attleboro Arts Museum for including my work in this provacative and inspiring show.

'she rns ...' organic embroidery, beads and wire (2016)

My third piece that I submitted for this exhibit is one of my organic embroidery pieces, called 'she runs ...'  Here's is my thoughts about this piece.

At this year's Golden Globe, Oprah Winfrey told how life-changing it was to watch Sidney Poitier accept the Oscar for best actor at the 36th Academy Award.  To see a black man celebrated on TV enlarged what this young black girl believed that she could accomplish in the world.   Many minorities speak of the importance of seeing themselves represented in successful and significant roles.  This was true for women's running.  As recent as the mid1960's, it was socially unaccepted for women to run. It was widely believed that it was dangerous for women to run, especially long distances; women didn't have the physical endurance, their uterus would be dislodged and fall out, running would prevent healthy pregnancies, women who ran would become unattractive, develop muscles and extensive body hair.
Men were making these assumptions and rules and many women believed them and repeated them.  In 1983 I was jogging in my hometown and I was flagged down by a neighbor, a younger woman whom I admired and who I believed was openminded about women's roles.  However she stopped me to warn me that running was dangerous, "women's organs are held up by spider webs and running can rip these webs."  I didn't stop jogging, however, her words haunted me.  My family was not athletic and I didn't know of many women athletes.
But fortunately there were many trailblazers in women running who were challegning these untruths;  Julia Chase who in 1961 at the age of 19 challenged the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)'s ban on women from competing officially in all U.S. road races;  Arlene Pieper, who in 1959, became the first American woman to run the 26.2 mile distance, finishing the Pike’s Peak Marathon in 9:16; Roberta 'Bobbi' Gibb, the first women to run the Boston Marathon in 1966 and Kathrine Switzer who brought much attention to women's running in 1967 as the press witnessed and photographed Switzer being physically accosted by marathon officials because she was running with an official number. These are just a small number of women who courageously challenged societal norms and broke rules.  Because of these trailblazers any woman, young or old, fast or slow, competitive or not, can lace up their running shoes and run.

"I hadn't intended to make a feminist statement," said Gibb. "I was running against the distance [not the men] and I was measuring myself with my own potential." http://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/chapter25.cfm

I wanted to share some of the wonderful reads that I discovered while doing research for my pieces for #alongdistancerelationship exhibit at @theattleboroartsmuseum. I truly fell down the rabbit hole of research & loved every page!! I started reading about the Boston Marathon & then moved to women running! If I was asked to recommend one I would say ‘the long run’ by Catriona Menzies-Pike, but all of these were informative & enjoyable. #bookrecommendations#bostonmarathon #researchjunkie #rabbithole#womenrunning #womenwhorun #kvswitzer#catrionamenziespike #thelongeun #ambyburfoot#billrodgers #rebekahgregory #survivor#bobbigibb #goodreads #ilovelibraries #

thank you & peace,

virginia

SOS ... any suggestions for my #100DayProject?!??

It is that time of year again!?!? The100DayProject starts its 5th year tomorrow, and even though I am still in the throes of moving I must participate.

And I use the word 'must' for a few reasons. One is that I love participating in creative community challenges. Two, this is a perfect catalyst for me to unpack and find my paints and studio after this chaotic move. And lastly I choose 'must' because this desire comes from deep inside me which is how Elle Luna describes one's passions in her inspiring book:

The Crossroads of 

Should and Must

I first read "the crossroads of should and must ...' in August 2016, after stumbling upon it and I devoured it and it has changed my creative life, or at least gave me a new perspective. 

My 'must' to do this year's 100 day project is so strong that I have numerous lists of possible projects that I'd LOVE to devote the next 100 days doing, such as:

100 days of ...

• Virginiacreates patterns - this would be a continuation of the class, Daily Painting Challenge: 31 Painted Patterns with Lisa Congdon by CreativeBug which I participated in this January and LOVED! For this challenge I could use different materials,  different styles,  and it could be simplified if I am traveling (like when I joined  Francisca Nunes for her #30daysofpatternstudies in February 2016) 

• art blogging - posting here on my art blog, as I really want to get back in the habit of chronicling my creative journey.

• SCRAPs: Seriously Creative Recycled Art Projects* this is my trademarked name I made for my bottle cap jewelry (decades ago) and I was thinking I would resurrect the name for 100 days of collage and working with scraps.  One thing this move showed me was that I LOVE scraps, scraps of paper, of fabric, of labels, of yarn.  This would be similar to my dailydress journal(see below), however or the 100 days of SCRAPs I wouldn't necessarily add a dress?!?! 

(In 2011 I  created a dailydress journal in which each day I created a page from some detritus from the course of the day ~ a receipt, a paper bag, packing material, whatever catches my fancy, then I'd build a collage around that element and eventually I add an origami dress. Sometime the dress is large, sometimes small.   

• dailydresses - it almost feels too obvious, but I would love to create 100 days straight of dresses; ephemeral dresses, embroidered dresses, food dresses, sculptural dresses, painted dresses, collages?!? .... you get the idea.
• visual gratitude - you know how gratitude is the best attitude?! I thought I'd create an image of something I was grateful for each day

'from the land of dragons ...'

• food puns -  I have been considering rendering food quotes/puns, such as 'Olive you' with hand-lettering or using my understanding of the non-traditional material to create some interesting looking phrases.
• 'from the land of dragons ...' since Scruffy past I haven't been walking as much so not wondering through my land of dragons ...
• Virginia's kitchen knowledge - illustrations of helpful food facts, food prep and storage tips, recipes and whatnot.
• my morning coffee - some kind of rendering of my morning cup of coffee 
• 'Karoline Kitty who lives in the city' 100 drawings of the life and times of Karoline Kitty
• Portraiture: I've learned from agent and teacher Lilla Rogers that a strong illustration portfolio shows that an illustrator can do faces!! 

• 100 days toward opening my Etsy shop?!?!
• 100 new designs/posts to my Society6 and Redbubble shops

OMG - the more I write this blog the more ideas I have ....

So I'm not sure how I am going to decide but I need to decide by tomorrow! if you have any thoughts I would LOVE to hear them as I am feeling pulled in many directions!! But one thing I know is that it can not take up too much time!! This project's goal is to be creative on a daily basis. And as much I as would LOVe to do all of this project and spend all day in my studio, I need to unpack! 

thank you & peace, 

va

we are approaching the starting line ....

Here in Massachusetts they celebrate 'Patriot's Day'. This was confusing for me when I moved to the Boston area.  I hadn't experienced a state-wide holiday, but there it was; banks were closed, schools were off and the library wasn't even open on this particular Monday in April.

I soon discovered that the Boston Marathon did take place on this day, so things were making some sense, but a state-wide holiday?!?!?

I had experienced marathons, when I lived on the upper West side and I was able to saunter over to Central Park and watch the non-elite runners finish the New York Marathon.  I was always emotional watching these runners cross the finish line after running through the five boroughs. 

My first year in the Boston area I lived in Newton and basically stumbled upon the Boston marathon.  I had put my girls in their stroller and headed toward the noise, not knowing I was going to a pinnacle point of the marathon, Heartbreak Hill. So once again I was witness to runners reaching deep at a very demanding part of the race, and again I was moved to tears by this raw expression of personal determination. 

Now the Boston Marathon is a more integral part of my life, although not to the extent of most Bostonians.  Again I am fortunate to live in one of the towns of which the race traverses; in fact I am again within walking distance of the course.  

Every year I try to join the festivities, I enjoy watching the pageantry and to be immersed in the energy of the event, but most of all I go to see and cheer on the runners.  I am always moved by the heart and spirit of each participant and in awe of their courage.

So when I was invited to contribute to the Attleboro Arts Museum's upcoming exhibit, "A Long-Distance Relationship, The 26.2 Mile Journey", I didn't hesitate to participate and to celebrate this Boston event. 

With the invitation came a list of aspects of the marathon that we artists could examine via our works: 

Enduring energy and resilience
The landscape and icons of the race route
Loyal and encouraging spectators
Product design (wheelchair, prosthetic, running shoes, gear, other)
The community of – and comradery between – runners
A Boston tradition since 1897
Hydration, nutrition, routines, training, injuries
The physical form of runners
Women join the Marathon
The Wheelchair Division
The profound impact of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings
Watertown, shelter-in-place, the vital first responders
Boston Strong
Other

With so many interesting and provocative themes, I had a hard time deciding but settled on, "Women join the Marathon" (if felt appropriate), and I began my brainstorming procedure - sketching ideas, surfing the internet and reading books. I have become obsessed with the subject and I have been shocked  by what I learned about women and the Boston marathon, women and marathons in general and women in long distance running!

When Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1966, women were not officially allowed  to run anything longer than 800 meters.  yes you read that correctly! And the BAA (Boston Athletic Association) did not officially sanction a women's division of the Boston Marathon until 1972!! 

The subject of women joining the marathon reflects on much more then women in running, it casts its shadow on many issues and battles that women are still contesting today.

This exhibit and project has lead me to so many interesting books and so much information I need to assimilate that I plan to use this blog as a sounding board of sorts.

So stay tune and mark your calendars for this exhibit which will definitely be a winner ....

  

A Long-Distance Relationship, The 26.2 Mile Journey,  Attleboro Arts Museum  

Over twenty visual artists have been invited to explore the endurance and strength of distance runners andwheelchair racers, a 26.2-mile path to the finish, and to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.Artistic expressions in oil, watercolor, wood, paper and other mediums will be on view.A Long-Distance Relationship: The 26.2 Mile Journey opens on April 10th, 2018 just days before the running of the 122ndBoston Marathon. 

thank you & peace, va

Claire Wellesley-Smith

Claire Wellesley-Smith: fiber and textile artist, slow movement enthusiast, teacher, author.

photo from claire wellesley-smith's blog

Today's feature is Claire Wellesley-Smith, a contemporary textile artist, living and working in  England.  I discovered Wellesley-Smith because I am reading her book,
Slow Stitch: 

Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art, 

photo from claire wellesley-smith's blog

a beautiful and inspiring book about slowing down and quality over quantity.  A concept I know I desire in our current, high-octane, 24/7, fast paced, always-connected life.  The idea of slowing down, turning off the electronics and tuning into the materials, the process and our surroundings seems like nirvana to me.  And in fact, this may be why I have returned to my embroidery practice, as a response to the current state of our country and the world.  I am aware of how my different 'work' cycles, either photography, sculpture, drawing, etc... and for the past few months I have been finding myself, nesting in the corner of my couch, with needle and embroidery floss and any scrap of fabric, paper, ribbon, 'life' that I can find and slowly sewing them together.  I call this body of work, 'meditations ...' 

So with my rekindled love of the stitch, I gravitated to Wellesley-Smith's book and then to her web site, blog and instagram account, all of which I have posted link to below.

fitzgerald, 'meditation #9 ...' (2017)

Besides her beautiful stitching, Wellesley-Smith talks about connecting textiles more to the earth and she discusses how she dyes her own textiles from plants that she grows in her studio garden.  (see video below).  She also features many other textile artists' work.  The book is a treasure to slowly cherish, I only wish I either had more hands so I could read and sew ... or more hours in the day!! But no matter I plan to savor this book and I recommend that you do too.

my contribution I made this January for a call for art by
GatherHere in Cambridge, MA

The Slow Stitching Movement is an illuminating revolution within the stitching and fiber art industry, launched by international quilting personality Mark Lipinski. Modeled after the international Slow Food movement, The Slow Stitching Movement is open to all fiber and needle artists and will prepare you for a higher form of creativity and important work in the needle and fiber arts, be it quilting, knitting, crochet, tatting, embroidery, rug hooking, weaving, needlepoint, cross stitch, etc.

Following the tenets of The Slow Stitching Movement you will:
Approach your creative art-making in a totally different way.
Recharge your passion for the needle fiber arts .
Engage the connection between your body, your quilts, and your legacy. .
Expand your creativity, self-esteem and even your spiritual journey.
Tap your right brain, to train and develop your imagination.
Find the creative genius in you.
Implement your creative thought in today’s too-fast world.
Heal your life, emotions and boost your physical health.
Create groups and habits to support your creative vision.

If you’ve hit a creative wall, if you have more yarn, fabric, floss, threads, and notions than you do inspiration, if all of your projects are beginning to look alike, or if you’ve been creating in the needle arts for years and have nothing especially wonderful to show for it . . . The Slow Stitching Movement is for you.  

THE SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT  © 2013

Claire Wellesley-Smith's links:

website: www.clairewellesleysmith.co.uk

instgram: https://www.instagram.com/cwellesleysmith/

pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cwellesleysmith/

blog: http://www.clairewellesleysmith.co.uk/blog/

If the above video doesn't work, click herehttps://vimeo.com/123040597