Saturday 26 October 2013

finding my feet

it has dawned on me that it is the first time since 1985
that i am living in a dwelling on my ownsome
[note ownsome, not lonesome]

the faculty here at the Oregon College of Art and Craft
have been so kind and welcoming that i feel as if i have been here for more than five days
but that's all it is, so far


even so
the studio walls are filling.
i shall have to grow taller
or find a ladder
in order to make the most of the space


i have been wandering and gathering surface textures
as well as a few words


marvelling at the wonder of the leaves


gathering


and then bundling them up


with happy results


and i had a somewhat larger bundle going
a little ambitious for the pot
but a quick flip solved the spatial issue
then
later today




 a kindly former student
took me to the Japanese Garden


afterward
i felt as though someone had taken my soul out
given it a good scrubbing in a hot bath
fed it a lovely warm bowl of chowder
and tucked it in again between freshly pressed sheets
that had been dried in the sun
then read it the most beautiful bedtime story in the whirled


NB the chowder [mentioned above] did not have any koi in it


so now i am back in my wee cottage
reading this splendid book
which i found at Gold Beach
where i called in on my journey because the nice woman at the coffee shop down by the cannery dock makes the best ever double shot moccha frappes, except that it was Sunday and her day off [and who shall blame her, it was a glorious day] and the coffee shop was closed
anyway
on pages 14 + 15 there is good advice



i'm glad i bought it even if i did pay rather more over the counter 
than i would have from the Book Depository
if you live in the North-West Pacific and like food 
it's essential reading
and
the philosophy applies to dye gathering.
except that windfalls don't get much of a mention.

15 comments:

  1. What a beautiful season to be working and living in the northwest. Do enjoy!

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  2. Welcome to Portland, India. Beyond teaching your workshop at OCAC, will you be giving talks, presenting your work, etc.?

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    1. there will be a talk at some point...just waiting for OCAC to set the date :-)

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  3. Another beatiful place to work, you have a fabulous way to stay everywhere. enjoy your time!

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  4. Gorgeousness how did you dye the leaves on the fabric id like to try this with.my kids. :-)

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    1. the technique is described in my books [see details in column at left]

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  5. india, call ian, he's quite tall. especially in his boots. perhaps you can visit bullseye for a little fun.

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  6. LOVE the Stewardship list... awesome. Applies to most things, I think :)

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  7. ... maybe you don't have to stop at the walls ... a little bit of scaffolding and you could inch your way along as Michelangelo did, across the whole ceiling.

    I spy good stuff on that stovetop ;>]]

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  8. ownsome, yes ... I am never alone when I am with myself... and complete gorgeosity...

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  9. All images so beautiful here... I have been to the Portland Japanese Gardens... I thought they were very similar to the ones I saw in Kyoto... which is giving very large praise as they were beautiful in Portland too. I lucked out when I went last year because there was a huge plant sale with many bonsai and I came home with some beautiful black pines.
    Do you head home after your Portland workshop?

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  10. Fantastico el colorido otoñalLas fotografias me encantan, transmiten lo que nos quieres enseñar. Felicidades por tu bloc ha sido todo un regalo el visitarlo, espero que visites el mio.
    Elracodeldetall.blogspot.com

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  11. you are wery lucky to do that!

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