Listening

 Really listening 

listening to the voice within and

paying attention to the feelings that bubble up with every stitch

is important to my process.

I like to rest a piece for a while

and observe it

sometimes for days.

I like to double check that it is saying exactly when I want it to say

and that it is reflecting my truth.

For me those questions come way before

any principles and elements of design.

 It might sound strange but it is not always obvious to me

you would think it would be

but sometimes I feel bombarded by outside influences

and it is hard to to hear my own voice.

Whispering Cairns I feel speaks my truth

What I know for sure is 

this piece brings me joy

I feel very close to this piece

but

you might recall that it didn't really start to sing for me

until I turned it upside down!

As you see it is not always smooth sailing

but

so interesting to observe the struggles one goes through

and so important celebrate the aha moments!

I have always believed solitude to be a good thing.

For me that is to be in nature

or alone in my studio which looks out at nature.

Some can find their authentic self in a crowd

And that is why one stone in Whispering Cairn is unique.

Filled with a few french knots!

As I stitch on this piece

I wander back through the ages

to those folk to piled stone upon stone

in memory of those who had gone before them.

We are connected.

I will be sorry when it is finished

but today Handy Hubby and myself will

square it up before I start stitching the background.

 Greys are gathering in a basket for new stitchings

I have evolved

There was a time in my life when louder colours prevailed.

Softer gentler colours now speak to me

perhaps it is my age

or that I have grown gentler over the years

(though I try to be fierce!)

or simply because my hair is silver!

I hope I continue to evolve!

May your creative voice be loud and clear today.

A February Beginning

Sunday morning I played around with new stones

thinking they were going to be grey

but perhaps because it is the bleak mid-winter

the stones turned a warmer colour.

 This piece is inspired by Mark's paintings of

stones disappearing under water.

He is brilliant at that.

For both of us scenes like this bring up whisperings of

summers spent on beautiful Georgean Bay.

For those of you in Toronto don't forget

The Artist Project at the Better Living Centre

February 21-14, 2019

Mark Berens will be at Booth 506.

Strips of plant dyed fabrics 

soon to become rocks.

By Sunday evening I was happily couching away.

I have based the background onto an old blanket

and it is like stitching butter.

The one thing about this kind of stitching is

it allows for mind wandering

and

as I stitched these delicious rusts and browns 

my mind whispered memories of

my beautiful Rusty Pups

They are dearly missed

As are their antics and adventures.

And then as I prepared this post

A photo demanded to be noticed

So much like my new stones.

I have a teacher who always says the piece you start next

should always be informed by the last piece you did.

Perhaps this means my next piece will have to be seaweed

in the colours of my Georgean Bay stones.

But I already have soooo many new beginnings just started!

But my mind is flowing with ideas on how to go about a seaweed piece.

It is so easy to have many ideas isn't it

The days just aren't long enough for their execution!

I hope you have a day rich in creative ideas.