Solstice, pause and patience

Shuttles pause

Shuttles pause

Many of the things I love to do (gardening, weaving, sailing, walking) are a slower route of travel or creating.I’ve found over the years that this more measured or deliberate path offers an expanse for self reflection. This self review is also a pause – a way station, a layover from my busy world.I am writing this post just two days past the Winter Solstice. The Solstice is a time when planet Earth stops — pauses in its movement around the sun. As someone who tries to lives close to Nature – I find myself mirroring this pause. I pause, I wait and I witness.In my chosen medium of weaving there is a huge element of patience required. Weaving is slow, methodical and the work in progress cannot easily be viewed until competed. This past week I removed a piece that has been on the loom for three weeks. This is always a moment of apprehension — will my design and my effort be what I had hoped for?  What I envisioned?

Sinking House #2 - work in progress

Sinking House #2 – work in progress

When I removed this warp — I as not disappointed. This piece will still get some embroidery and embellishment — but this foundation is all that I had hoped for. Now I pause, contemplate my next steps on this piece.Next month I head to  the VT Studio Center for a whole month’s retreat. I received a partial fellowship for this experience – and boy do I feel blessed!! Along side my work on the “Sinking House” and “One of Many” series, I will also be working on my “Well Used, Well Loved” project. I will be posting images and updates on to my Face Book page as well as Instagram — so please keep checking!