Saturday 31 May 2014

hand and heart intensive at Bunya

This morning we got up quite early

I made lavosh
While Roz set the table
We laid another table with materials for class 
And we prepared some good food

It was a marvellous day. People sat about and stitched, then (when they were ready) they bundled 
And put things in this pot
With spectacular results. 
A good day was had by all, methinks. 

Friday 23 May 2014

happy wanderer

You know you're working in a good place when neighbourhood dogs swing by for a quiet word with the house pups and are welcome to hang out together in the sunshine for a while

I've been made welcome too and am being pampered within an inch of my life. 

Our outdoor studio is just beautiful. 
Each afternoon the pot goes on the fire
In the mornings I step out (carefully) into fields of flowers
My grandmother would have loved the dandelion patch below. She used the flowers for champagne, the leaves in salad and made ersatz coffee from the roots
We are making exquisite bundles
And above our heads
notes about dyeing with plants
flutter like prayerflags in the breeze

I'm counting my blessings today
grateful that my work takes me to magical places like this
(and so very happy to be so wonderfully hosted by Hilary, John, Binou and Diva)


Tuesday 20 May 2014

Turning toward the sun


I travel north and across the border
Enjoy a splendid afternoon in good company 
Gathering salmonberries
Spotting likely lichens (yes they would yield purple but no I did not gather)
Wandering about the shoreline 
And then I followed many signs east
I stop at a beaver pond 
Find violets
I think nature's architect is long gone
And has abandoned this project
But
I saw him
On
A sign
I drove between mountains and through woods
Past leftover snow and rushing rivers
And beautiful stacks of crates
And just after a spotted lake
I reached my destination
In the hills above Osooyos 

To begin telling stories afresh. 



I notice to my surprise that the magic number 1313 has appeared in the sidebar 
Glad to have y'all along for the ride. 




Monday 19 May 2014

Leaving the islands behind

I have to say teaching on Whidbey Island was an absolute joy.
Lisa Bernhardt (who runs the Pacific NorthWest Art School) and my wonderful assistant Nita Wester spared no exertion to make it so. 
The island itself reminded me so much of Latvia. Lopez does too (but has lots more hills. I love it. (
We gathered dyes within walking distance of the studio...with the exception of a delightful field trip to Ebey's Landing. 
I feel I've only just begun to discover some of the magic of this gorgeous scattering of jewels in the Salish sea 
We remembered Fred Gerber and his method of analyzing potential mordants
Made sure to avoid the plant that dispatched Socrates
The species name of which - conium maculatum - warns us to watch out for spots
Driftwood came in handy
The ritual continued
And everybody looked after their string
Bless y'all,
I'll be seeing you. Sometime in 2016...




Friday 16 May 2014

Bundles and stones

Bundles doing their red carpet thing 
Hands at work
Windfall magic
and a gorgeous walk after work 
A beautiful day, marked with a rather nice stack of stones. 



Tuesday 13 May 2014

island life


Lovely days on Lopez, working on a film together with my friend Christi Carter:
using porcelain boats made during my residency in Portland last year



A wonderful day of filming...which may take a month or two to edit.

Meanwhile back at home
Yoda is holding the fort.