This is the non-glamorous side of my art studio. My son and I taped off a 10' square on the driveway, set up five pieces of display furniture, and moved them around. We tossed questions between us. What are you putting on this? Do you want this painted? Can you get behind this? Will people … Continue reading Will this work?
Author: norma17
What Makes a Good Apron?
Do you choose a full apron made of a cheerful print with good pockets? Do you prefer this half apron made of upcycled fabric, with extra long ties and good pockets? Do you want an apron like mine, an apron much-loved through use? … Continue reading What Makes a Good Apron?
A Year of Listening: Week 19
Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide. -- Napoleon Bonaparte
A year of Listening: Week 18
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. -- Chinese proverb
A Year of Listening: Week 17
An authentic life is the most personal form of worship. Everyday life has become my prayer. -- Sarah Ban Breathnach
The party’s over; the work’s done.
Empty wine glasses. Three cashews in a bowl. An abandoned sweater. When the guests have departed, I remember bits of conversation as I load the dishwasher. The owner of the sweater will need to claim it; I don't know whose it is. Stencils on the table. Fabric tossed in a bin. Invoice filed. When I deliver the large commissioned … Continue reading The party’s over; the work’s done.
A Year of Listening: Week 16
Always stay in your own movie. --Ken Kesey I discovered Kesey as a young adult. He can still create in me an odd exuberance. It is Easter Monday. Empty tomb. I am grabbing those big scissors, cutting fabric, and creating a good scene for my movie. What are you doing today? Are there any "alleluia"s in your … Continue reading A Year of Listening: Week 16
A Year of Listening: Week 15
He was despised, rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3
Good Tools
I listen and observe when artisans speak about the tools in their hands. Passion infects the speech. The tool is clearly an extension of the hand. The hair stylist demonstrated scissors that rotate with her hand, reducing the chances of injury. The gardener quickly cut tree branches with a lopper that has gears, not a … Continue reading Good Tools
A Year of Listening: Week 14
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is awaiting us....The old skin has to be shed before the new one is to come. -- Joseph Campbell I collected this quotation many years ago. Spring cleaning away yard debris and winter's film on windows … Continue reading A Year of Listening: Week 14