january 21st
dip pens and dancing
What I Am Working On
My friend carved me this dip pen on the far left and I’ve been exploring the unpredictable nature of dipping ink. A blot here and there, letting go of the perfection mindset that our society claims is the most valuable.
I’ve been spinning on the wheel when I can. I just got over a week long sickness and the roads are so icy now, I haven’t been able to make it to the glass studio or my wheel. I haven’t made the time for smaller stained glass pieces; my glass partner and I are working on a twelve foot window commission. It’s taking all of my energy in that medium. I created this little ornament though for Daron, who taught me to spin <3
What I’ve Been Doing
I haven’t taught anything this month or hosted. I took a break for the winter months when everything is on one hand, so busy with holidays, and then suddenly demands our rest. I’ve been tending to myself and my own practices and friendships. Movement has become even more important to me during the seasons I spend more time inside.
I began my studio time this month with lots of movement and am always looking for ways to merge these two avenues of expression. Part of it is disconnecting the idea that dancing has to look “good” to anyone else, including myself. I don’t want it to become something I measure my “success” in, but rather, something that builds my relationship to myself. As long as I am intuitively grounded and moving, that is “success” for me.
I have written some on my social media about what I believe is a connection between my repressed anger and grief and chronic pain. I want to pursue medical treatment for my chronic pain which I have neglected; alongside that I’d like to focus on moving the parts of my body I feel those emotions in. The more I move my back / shoulders / torso / hips, the more I feel whole again. Emotions live IN our bodies. Even when we have tried to intellectually or mentally process them, sometimes motion is the only way forward. And so I keep moving….
once it snowed here, I built a snow altar, thanking the world for its gift. Even though it feels inconvenient in terms of access and work, it is a treat to me. On one of my snowy walks, a friend and I talked about how snow seems more blue than white. Especially in the shadows. The tissues on my bedside show the state of my sickness last week!
as I was fighting sickness, I found a crochet pattern for bonnets and crocheted five or six of them. I had so much fun!!! I’d love to sell these or give them as gifts - to be determined.
I have been writing postcards to my representatives asking for a ceasefire in Gaza. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not horrified by the genocide that is happening, and the silence / apathy that surrounds it.
What’s Coming Up
I have a show in the spring (more details to come) that I’m working towards, a potential workshop as well! And a fall show. Still too early to be sharing the details but things are in the works :)
January Muses
The death of Pope L. had me reviewing his works again. He was one of the first performance artists that I thought, “I get this.” He helped me understand the expansiveness of the definition of art.
time with my ten-year-old bestie means drawing portraits of each other over tea <3
had so much fun making a collage with my friend and studio neighbor Jennifer! I used to collage all the time in high school and it was refreshing to use the scissors and glue again :)
KAE TEMPEST!!!! My current musical fixation. I’ve been listening over and over the The Line is a Curve, their 2022 album. Thought provoking, emotional, raw … I can’t say enough!!
