50

Trying to take it all in.
Absorb.

Fall texture

"Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping,…Stop it and just DO!…

Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you – draw & paint your fear and anxiety…

You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO!…

Try to do some BAD work – the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell – you are not responsible for the world – you are only responsible for your work – so DO IT. And don’t think that your work has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be anything you want it to be…

I know that you (or anyone) can only work so much and the rest of the time you are left with your thoughts. But when you work or before your work you have to empty you [sic] mind and concentrate on what you are doing. After you do something it is done and that’s that. After a while you can see some are better than others but also you can see what direction you are going. I’m sure you know all that. You also must know that you don’t have to justify your work – not even to yourself."

                                                                                                                         Eva Hesse

12 more make 54

43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54

Nest Experiment

Birch Bark

Still looking,
Still experimenting

6 x 6

One of the inspirations for this project was the terracotta warriors
I was imagining how so many artisans probably spent years reinterpreting the same elements again and again. Each a little different than the last and yet the same.
After 26 years designing tiedyes for my job I feel a certain kinship although they probably had a far greater incentive to keep going than I , there is no emporor with the power of life and death in my world... just a mortgage and a bunch of other bills!

Trying Words

the counted so far (30) 

So what are these little guys about?
that has many answers,
an exploration of Tribe, group similarities contrasting with individuality
the practice of working within boundaries,
a repetitive interpretation of the same elements: gold stone, red thread, green thread, gold bead, black bead, olive bead, horsehair, knotted cord, and pine twigs
a way of reestablishing my daily practice,
paitience
finding a voice again.
more?

Marching on

18, 19, 20, 21

They are still arriving,
Joining the others,
 Going
unsure of the final destination
but they keep moving along