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Category: Observations

How an Idea Occurs–Banned Books

Today when I was reading blog posts I saw this image and was off on a creative journey. The image was posted on Sri Threads, a gallery specializing in Japanese folk textiles.

SriThreads

I have been thinking about weaving or embroidering a family tree of important dates using Morse Code. I have woven some pieces for family gifts, but I want to show the connections between the family members. I originally thought that a large wallpiece using coconut fiber, white cotton rope, sisal, and 1″ fence would be the solution. I hadn’t thought about the possibility of the presentation in the form of a book. I love the intimacy that the book format offers. While the form is quite different, it probably would be better received by my siblings.

Then very quickly I started thinking about words and banned books and my series, Cleanse Your Palate. Cleanse started with my attempt to remove a particular word from my vocabulary. A versatile word that has multiple functions.

Cleanse

In No Regrets, the word is embroidered and affixed to the shot glass with a ring that is also in code. The shot glass is filled with clove soap. Yep, wash your mouth out with soap. Clove because of its history in dentistry and I just happen to love its fragrance.

A couple of things of interest–what happens when a code is used to represent a word with negative connotations; can the word appear beautiful when knotted or woven?

From there I hit on using what some folks believe are objectionable words, phrases, ideas weave them up in code and bind them in a book presentation. The series of course would be titled Banned Books.

When is a Piece Done?

I thought that I completed “Preservation and Collection” at the end of 2010. After the work was returned from a show at Western Nevada College, I hung it in my office, above and slightly to the left of my monitor. I specifically hung the piece so that it would loom in the periphery. That it could seep into view when my mind was on another task.

Preservation and Collection

A few days back I realized that the piece made me terribly uncomfortable. It was hung a tad higher than when it was exhibited and didn’t have great lighting, but I couldn’t see what was inside the cups.

Preservation and Collection

I spent loads of time making the cups and the bags filled with poison plant bits. But there was too much distance from the cups to experience the work the way it was intended.

I liked the idea of the 3×3 format–its reference to a nine patch quilt, but the result wasn’t right. I removed the cups and shelf from the wall. I will make new homes for the cups, but I haven’t yet worked out the details. Pretty sure that the cups will be happier hung together, in several separate and open shelves rather than in their original presentation.

Hanging pieces in close proximity was a great lesson I learned from Sharon Tetly. Sharon teaches at Western Nevada College and offered me the exhibition in the College Gallery. My work is rather small and intimate and the space is long and narrow. I was concerned that the work would be lost. Sharon grouped pieces–which I felt emphasized the intimate nature of them wihtout the loss of their autonomy.

Preservation and Collection

Sharon’s presentation of my work offered me a new viewing experience.

The photos were taken by Sharon Tetly.

Just a Trim…

I don’t enjoy the whole hair salon experience so I typically don’t have my hair cut very often. My hair had been cut in layers and as often happens, a section in the back was noticeably a few inches longer than the rest. I tied my hair in a very loose ponytail and asked my husband if he would trim the long section to make it even with the rest. I followed that with cut a little at a time. You can always trim it again.

He said sure. Then I heard the crunch of my ponytail being cut off followed by the shock of this on the bathroom counter.

HairTrim

The shock wasn’t about the current length of my hair. Hair grows. It was, where in the definition of the word “trim” could something like this happen? How many times do you believe that you are communicating with another person only to find that while the language is the same, the words used are understood differently? Or when describing something, the image you have in your mind is nothing like that of the person you are talking with?

What is the solution to these misunderstandings? Perhaps it is to ask more questions and really listen to the answers. And don’t blame the other person for the misunderstanding. Two people were involved in the dialogue.

Eating Crow…

Do people actually eat crow?

Crow Times

While I was in Ohio staying at my parents’ house I found it necessary to search through the local phone book. It is hard to believe that some people still have dial up and a connection so slow that leafing through a phone book is quicker than attempting a Google search.

In the phone book between Human Services and International Calling is the Hunting Guide. I grew up with a father and uncle who hunted, but was still shocked to see the approved list and times for killing animals.

I couldn’t keep myself from scanning the list for the dates acceptable to kill rabbits. Most of my adult life I have shared my home with house rabbits.

Nora

After the initial shock, I noticed a couple of things that seemed especially odd. The words muzzleloader and primitive in context with killing deer and the schedule for unlimited crow killing.

According to some hunting sites, it is possible to kill 10 to 100 crows in a single morning. Even though recipes for preparing crows are posted, crows are described as tasting bitter and gamey. They are also viewed as carrion feeders making them undesirable for consumption. And they don’t taste like chicken.

A couple of additional things come to mind when thinking about crows. The first is the documentation of crows using and making tools to access food.

Another thing is the idiom “eating crow” and humiliation. And then there is the association of crows transporting the souls of the dead to their next realm.

There are some crows hanging around our neighborhood. They roll walnuts around on the roof to break open the shells. If that doesn’t work for them they throw the walnuts off the roof breaking them open on the concrete steps.