Phone call/catch up with Andrew

I had a phone call from Andrew on Friday and we talked about what I'd been up too lately. As always, I get freaked out by getting called but came away from our conversation feeling encouraged. 

One of the things I said I'd do was write up a "contract" stating I was to give myself permission to be imperfect, to make mistakes and remind myself that the destination is important but so is the journey.

 I need to repeat positive affirmations over and over until I start to believe them. (some days it's easier than others!)  

So.... I give myself permission to be imperfect...I release myself from any need to strive for perfection. I know that my imperfections help to make up the unique and wonderful person that I am. My imperfections enhance my beauty. All I have to do is look toward nature to discover the beauty in imperfection. In a grove of colorful trees in the fall, each tree is just as beautiful as the next, although not a single leaf is the same. With zebras, each one has imperfections in its stripes, which add to its unique beauty and individuality. I realize that those who love me do not love me for being perfect, but for being who I am,  including all of my imperfections. My flaws are an integral part of the total package. If I were perfect, I would be a different entity altogether. My shortcomings help me to grow and learn. Self-improvement brings the joy of success in knowing that I am getting better and better. If I were perfect, I would never feel this joy and I would have nothing to aim for. I would wander aimlessly through life. My imperfections also bring variety to my life. Because I am imperfect, I change as life goes on. I process my experiences in my own unique ways and I am a little different from one day to the next.

~o0o~

Textiles and Tapestry

 I swear I undo as much as I do! I guess to positive side of that is I'm learning what's not going right for me and by redoing something over and over I'm actually finding a way to make it work.

  "Through experimentation and play we learn, and with 

knowledge comes a confidence in our own abilities"

While we are still on the topic of weaving, I received some disappointing news today. My application was unsuccessful and I've been feel quite down since (I'm trying not to take it personally!)

~o0o~

Experimenting with felting

 I had another go at felting (and dyeing)

 This time using the correct type of fibre/wool 

and was pleased with the results. 

 The hues of the dyes used (some leftover fabric dyes) leaned itself to duplicating my koru weaving so traced the shape onto tracing paper, pinned and cut it out.

 After working it "into" the wool fibres this was the finished piece. I'm sure there's an easier /better (different) way of doing this but i had fun and looking forward to experimenting with more felting in the future. I'd love to make books with handmade paper and different sorts of covers, including felted. 

 Dyeing with cold pressed wool dyes
I enjoyed the process of dyeing with Earth Palette dyes which I purchased online.

What  I have realised is it's going to take a HUGE amount of fibres/core wool (and dye!) for my next Wearable Arts project.  Though I do know of a sheep farmer from The Bach so maybe I can do a bit of a "deal" with her .

~o0o~

Pottery/Ceramics

My Feet

 Worded hearts - these are going to have little magnets

glued on the back so they can be used for adhering

stuff to the fridge. Make nice little gifts too.

 

Experimenting with dyeing/felting - 7 hours
Ceramics/pottery - 15 hours
Tapestry/weaving - 10 hours

Kintsugi - Healing the Broken

Kintsugi 

…the usage of sprinkled gold powder is specifically denoted in Japanese as kintsugi (“to patch with gold”) or kintsukuroi (“to repair with gold”). Additionally, these words are also used to refer to lacquer restored with silver powder, so in this context it would be more appropriate to use the phrases “to patch with metal” or “to repair with metal”.

This is the third time this word has crossed my path. The first time was at an Art Journalling workshop I attended for sometime. I found it very hard to conceive that brokenness can be made beautiful - especially mine.  

The second time was last year when I went down to TLC campus for a week-long Life Casting Workshop with Mel Ford. She is a ceramic artist who takes the broken (pottery) and makes it into something new. Still sitting with the "I'm not sure how this works for me" thinking...and then the third time was today. 

Today, talking with my new TLC mentor - Andrew. He made a reference to it and it got me thinking about its signifigance.   Kintsugi: The Art of Embracing Damage  This YouTube clip explains the practice well and I found it really interesting.

Another website explains it like this....While the general Western consensus on broken objects is that they have lost their value, practitioners and admirers of kintsugi believe that never-ending consumerism is not a spiritually rewarding experience. The kintsugi method conveys a philosophy not of replacement, but of awe, reverence, and restoration. The gold-filled cracks of a once-broken item are a testament to its history. Shimode points out that “The importance in kintsugi is not the physical appearance, it is… the beauty and the importance [that] stays in the one who is looking at the dish.”
What an interesting concept...one I'm still digesting.
~o0o~