Almost Christmas

Hello from Canada,

There has been a bit of creativity
going on.


There was some painting:




I thought i would do something
a little different this year...
I have used
some Sari Silk (Silks from India,
recycled into a "yarn", or so they say)
to tie my Christmas packages.




Made a spicey stew (soup? ) last night
for supper.
complete with chickpeas and lots of
chilipepper.
It's been ages & ages since
i've cooked the supper.
Glad to say this turned out
very well.

lots of Sleeping over here

Hello from Canada once again.
there's been lots of sleeping
going on here.
I've had bronchitis for a week.
It feels like months!
The fuzzy guy has been
most kind & understanding.
We've been sleeping most days.
Not being well
means Not creating.
Luckily for my tired
brain, i have some socks on the needles.
so at least my hands have been
able to do some knitting
lately.

Very far from the garden ....

Just back from SOFA Chicago & it was
totally marvellous.
I felt a lot like Alice, who had stepped
through the looking glass.
I am so lucky to have been there
to see "my" first SOFA.

From the garden ...

There are
only a few flowers left in the garden.
I wanted to share them with you while i still can.
I took these photos after 5pm today.

We are expecting heavy rains this weekend
and high winds. Possibly there will snow and/or sleet
as well, so i think this is the end of the garden
for the year.

Autumn Splendor

almost the end of September already

Congratulations on your
big move!
have some images to
share with you ....
but the blog is not
cooperating.

we both need this .................

Wednesday

Montreal was in
the news today.... probably even in Sweden.
We're all fine here at the house of
the Knitting Companion. Shaken up, but safe and sound.
Wanted to let you know.

n.

inspiration

your new ring designs are fantastic! I love the fine embroidery. I am so pleased you have found inspiration although I doubt I contributed anything to that!

This year has been a whirlwind but now, slowly, for me, the time is becoming more artistic - I have returned to figures that I had previously abandoned and created new ones.

I have exhibited and now have a head full of ideas that will draw me over into next year............ my inspirations are fueled by having you there.

I go back and look at the envelope you sent me - there is stuff I shall continue to work on into the autumn /winter .............I am still keen to persue the weaving.

Your ring inspires me- you inspire me - although we have not completed the 'head to head' collaboration in the normal sense of understanding , it is precisely what I envisaged .

A progression ...........................and one that is ongoing.

Sara

Ode to my lovely espresso pot

I love this little stainless steel espresso pot.
I use it almost every day ....
and i love the way it helps me perk up for an afternoon
of work. I love the way it makes magical and
delicious coffee. I love the way it looks.
Not too heavy, not too light. A lovely design.
In my city, even in my neighbourbourhood,
we are very lucky to have a multitude of
shops for food and food-makings.
I buy
Italian espresso for my little pot.
and i'm so thankful to have it.

Here's to my coffee pot: may we have
a long and happy love.

inspirations from Canada

A chili pepper ...
one that is not common in Canada.
it's been roasted on the BBQ.
then peeled and seeded.
then stuffed & deep fried. Apparently it's a mexican dish.

below - the view from the garden this week.



here
is my travelling
knitting bag.
You never know when you might stop long
enough to knit a few stitches.

working together

this has been
the most productive season
i've ever had.
I am certain that our collaboration
has played a huge part in this.
I had a very quiet & low winter time ... then
everything seemed to come alive,
loudly and with vigour.

I am working with stones from rivers now.
something that feels so right. I'm still working
in fine silver, with pearls and gemstones, but now
with the river stones, unpolished, as the main subject.

I've always known that
ideas and plans often take their time
to stew & come to front.
I hope that this coming winter is not such a
desert for creation that i experienced in the past.

through art, ...

Robert Henri said, "Through art, mysterious bonds of
understanding and of knowledge are established. They are the
bonds of a great brotherhood. Those who are of the brotherhood
know each other, and time and space cannot separate them."

I can so relate to your poem (posted August 8th).
well written; well expressed.

it is such a physical betrayal to find the
view in the mirror is so unlike the one
you feel Should be looking back.

hhhhhmmmmmm

I met myself , one day in May.
Is that me? I said, in disarray.

When did I lose that girlish grin
and gain this older haggard skin.

How did I age and when was it,
that elfish laugh and fined tuned wit

left my soul but to persue
a grown up person without view.

Bitter, aged and cynical
Now is it that me? or with recall

can I become now and remain,
an elfish, laughing girl again?

the wisdom to know ...

Friendship with oneself is all-important,
because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

Eleanor Roosevelt

perfect

What a wonderful quote this is; and so
true.


"The faculty of creating
is never given to us all by itself.
It always goes hand in hand
with the gift of observation."

Igor Stravinsky

inspirations

away from all the hustle and bustle of house and job hunting I had time to contemplate your envelope and its contents - hands , I like............but the colour green is not one I would choose to work in .

But I gave it a go and am rather pleased with these beginnings .....






I like the way the leaves and growth has sort of srepy out around the images and shapes - particularly the hand ones!

I also like the writing that weaves in and out ...............see! back to that old weaving again ;-)

What thinks you, Watson? :-)

Big News !

The first envelope from Sweden has arrived !
I was so excited to find it in the mailbox.

I love that there's a map inside. And Notes.
And photographs and drawings. And paper-string.
and all sorts of things ! i've started to look through
it and enjoy all the musings of Sara.

I will save some of it for tomorrow.

in the meantime, i share a garden photo, taken
only an hour ago.
The peonies in my garden will be open soon.
the ants are working hard at opening up the buds.

beginnings

the envelope was opened and read! I cant believe that we live in such different places.........you in the city and me in ...........well in the midst of the forest! Thats it! Forest forest and yet more forest.

You are surrounded by inspiration, excitement, city life and a buzz....................I am surrounded by ......................nothing.

Nothing except nature.

You began with hands - the colour green - and a truly amazing enquiring wondering of what people leave behind after graffiti.

What a beginning - wow!

My brain has been buzzing all day - brainstorming

green - green fingers .-green gloves- green prints - prints on surfaces - obscured writing - plants and the blossoming - blossoming???? Of plants , ideas, a partnership?

Tracings - outlines - ideas - outlines on textures - distances..................

distances between city life and the forest - hands stretched out to connect , to join together - a combining of cultures................................

backgrounds - an afterthought - destruction as in graffiti - a cry for help? Is graffiti a cry for help - a message left by someone for another person to read?

is our collaboration a message to each other - are you trying to understand me and me you?

Interesting beginnings ......................................................... thank you.

Sara

Home again,

I am very happy to be back at home.
I share with you some views from my garden.
Everything is growing rapidly and
looks lovely and lush.

I am impatiently waiting
for receipt of the envelope
that was posted from Canada to Sweden
last week.

alone

my other head is off at a conference - although I think she is back now ! :0) Good - cos I miss her around.

But I have still been thinking through some ideas to get us off the ground ........... and look what I found this morning! We have been talking about weaving huh? well there is an interesting bit here - I cant wait to get this project on the road - I will try to get some ideas off to you this week..............................

figures figures figures!!! I have collected some great images - hope that you find these inspiring too!

Sara

from chicago

ooh - have some great ideas for collaborations !
saw a project done in glass jars .... so inspiring !
more again when i'm home next week.

errands

I too am a bit overrun at the moment - but that doesnt stop me thinking! I am going to base my ''art work'' on figures - whether doodles, sketches, collages all things - I want you have loads of inspiration and plenty to work with !

Its a pity when life gets in the way!

But it is working out well in my head! - in the meantime

some flowers to brighten your day ...................

Sara

I love this quote .....

"Freedom is found along the guiding lines of discipline."
(Yehudi Menuhin)

today i look forward to a full day of work.
I am looking forward to getting some new pieces
made. No, not yet for our own
collaboration project, but for
my own "job".

Work can commence
as soon as i accomplish some
out of the house errands ...

n.

thoughts to ponder

"The most basic, primitive and necessary visual information
is found in luminance variations. The parts of our brains that
analyze a scene are colourblind."
(Margaret Livingstone)

Picasso noted that "Reality is to be found in
lightness and darkness."
But this comes from a painter who
rarely thought in terms of colour.
A shimmering orange sun
razzle-dazzling within an
equal-intensity grey-blue sky was not his style.
You could call this Picasso's handicap.
Many a fine
style has evolved from a decent handicap.
(Robert Genn)


nadine.

Monday from Canada

Oooh:
thought provoking ideas ???
wow. i hope i can live up to that.
i don't feel very thought provoking so far.

howdy doody

welcome from Sweden!

The beginning of a collaboration, a blog, and a joining togther of 2 artists through thought provoking ideas!



''The start, was just a start, she said,
a new and different world.

and if we meet in other worlds,
our thoughts are all but old.

We've met before? I questioned her,
in another place, somewhere....

but now the time is standing here
the time to be , to dare.........................''


................the beginning of a collaboration......................

who knows what will happen..................

what will evolve..................


ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....................

Sara

Welcome