the many tasks fluttered in her head
circling flocks
bumping into one another
breaking apart
merging
giving birth to new to dos
so she wrote them down
she generated lists
packing lists, grocery lists, studio to do lists, gardening lists,
chore lists
that night, as she slept restlessly
a spontaneous origami event occurred
the lists all folding themselves into the shape of a figure
a rustling, whispering, eyeless figure
that stood in the dark at the foot of her bed and watched her
she heard it’s paper lungs expanding and contracting in the stillness
and remembered all the many tasks she had yet to do
lists in the night
spider
Who among us does not experience at least the tiniest twinge of fear upon glimpsing that eight legged anatomical wonder scurry out of sight between the folds of the bed sheets or the crack between the couch cushions? Spider liquifies the innards of her prey and sucks them dry. Spider’s limbs function with hydraulic rather than muscle power. Spider often beheads her mate in her post-coital rapture? rage? hunger? boredom? (difficult for me to infer where exactly she’s coming from on that one). Spider makes her own yarn and knits impossibly delicate traps in precarious and treacherous locations.
Spider undoubtedly possesses super powers. If it isn’t fear I feel for her than its certainly a generous heap of respect and admiration.
what's inside?
Paint brushes, gold fish, beer, nuts and bolts, fire flies, pickles, avocado pit sprouts... I am back to putting things in jars, and I am oh so happy to read your suggestions!
in the beginning...
I recently stayed up late to paint and clothe this Barbie in the dia de los muertos style. As I cut and stitched the little flowers and lace, as I painted the tedious white lines of skeletal patterns on her plastic limbs it was like I was eight again. I have no great love for barbie in my adulthood. I actively redirected my own daughters toward other, less socially loaded playthings. Still, I can’t deny that as I embroidered the little blue nubs on barbie’s top, as I pinned the velvet scarf onto barbie’s hair, I remembered all the odd fitting outfits and weird head pieces I made for barbie when I was a child. I recognize the beginnings of what I do now in all that tiny improvisational stitch work and I must admit, I began with barbie. I owe her a thank you.
By the way, I am looking for an exceptionally tall bottle to fit this beauty in. Look for her on a shelf in Tacovore!
intimate conversation with a dogwood flower
I have been working out new ways to build three dimensional aspects into my work. The center (or in botany speak, the cyme, thank you wikipedia) was created from a shirt hem threaded through with wool yarns and then cut into short sections. While sewing the sections in place I kept wanting to pop one in my mouth. They brought to mind candies or odd little sushi roles.
long absence
The summer, that inevitably calls and compels me to be out of doors, is nearly finished. I canned the last two days. My fellow tight packer, Sarah and I put in two long but satisfying days all, boiling pots, scrubbing vegetables, and cramming food into glass jars. Before the canning binge I spent a solid week renovating my studio (check out the photo). I tore out some super stinky heinous carpeting (if you want a sample use my contact form, provide me with your home address, and I’ll mail you a bit of the raunchy thing!) and painted walls and floors. I am so thrilled and eager to put in some real hours in this fresh new space. My summer of teaching, performing, fraternizing, traveling, and doing home reparation is behind me. I look forward to being alone with my orange floor and my sewing machine.