Opening like a lotus

I hope you had a wonderful OPENING....last night....as might a lotus !!!!!

A poetic friend of mine sent this message this morning. The gallery opening was indeed like a flowering for me. The first time my creations came out of my house/studio into the world.



















































Friends and family came from near and far. One friend took a 2 hour bus ride from the country to be there with me. People I know from very different times and areas of my life and some who wandered in off the street all were together enjoying themselves.
The evening started with a family coming in. At that point the
collaborative collage was blank. The 2 little boys went right for it adding and building. It is amazing how creativity is so natural for children. They broke the ice for all the grown ups who were too shy to play in public. Just as the energy slowed down, someone would come in with a child and things got going again.
My daughters invited their friends so the 20s crowd was well represented in all their fabulousness. Thanks girls!
There were a few university students of textile arts in attendance. One young woman told me about struggling with an assignment to let the work build itself. She was looking at Purple triangles which is crazy quilted and HIGHLY embellished. She said I would get an A in that class.
I had a long discussion with an artist (painter) about how the designs were created. Most people wanted to know how long it took me to make each piece. I don't know how to answer that. How long did it sit on my design wall while I worked on other stuff until just the right fabric came into my hands?How long did I hide it from myself because I was in the hating it stage? Does time frogging count? ( for those of you who don't sew, frogging is when you have to un do stitches with a seam ripper; rip it rip it rip it) Another comment is,"boy that must take a lot of patience!" Again I don't really understand this one. Raising kids, now THAT takes patience. Driving through city traffic takes patience.
Spending the hours it takes to produce a piece I feel is a luxury. Placing colours next to each other, drawing a design and stitching, stitching, stitching are all deeply satisfying experiences.
Many people told me about their experience with sewing or creating. They felt inspired to get back to painting or embroidering or making jeweley
This stage of life is bringing deep changes for me; some long term projects are coming to an end, some doors have been closed. So I have been wondering what it is that life is wanting of me next. This experience has reconnected me to my mission: Helping humans to recognize their inner beauty.