So many loose ends

Sometimes there are so many loose ends that it is hard to know where to begin.

Shifu threads, spun and unpsun

This summer has been a season of intense family highs and lows and as a result my art work has taken a backseat.  Here it is October, with many loose ends left from projects, news to catch up on plus a shift in my professional and creative focus.

Mary Louise Williams Haskell

Where to begin? Perhaps a word about my personal transitions. This June I lost my dear Mother, Mary Louise Haskell, who died on June 19th just days shy of turning 95. I had been one of her part time caregivers for over 2 years, living with her and sharing the challenges of growing old. Her passing has left a large space in my heart.In September our son Robin married his long time sweetheart Becky. My husband officiated the ceremony in Prescott Park, Portsmouth, NH. The reception was held in our backyard with a New Orleans style band. Creating an environment for 150 people to gather, celebrate, eat and dance was a huge effort and joy!

Oh happy day!

Shifu spinning is so portable

Well Love and Used towels, journals and shifu papers

Work in progress: One of Many #2

For a few years I have reduced the amount of time I spend presenting school residences and workshops. This year I am officially stepping back from teaching. HOWEVER -  I will always be an educator and my arm might be twisted to do a special project for your school or community.  This shift will allow me to focus on my community art projects such as “Well Used, Well Loved” plus my own creative journey. Check out the project blog to learn more. Currently I am working on a series I began last Spring – continuing to explore the human form in silhouette, stitched on to my hand dyed/woven indigo cloth. I am grateful for every day – thank you Universe for this amazing life! 

Merci and Thanks

“Thank you Letters” is a community art project that is on-going. This means that I use it as a platform to engage people in conversation about gratitude. The project is made of 26 hand embroidered letters on plastic net lobster buoy flags. Sometimes I ask people to spell something that they feel thankful for. Sometimes I spell words myself.I am just back from a wonderful 3 weeks in France – where I used the flags to spell “Merci” (thank you in French). I took these flags around my travels and photographed it in a variety of settings. My favorite is at Charles De Gaulle airport security in  Paris. My bag was being searched and inside the bag was the string of Merci flags. I asked the agent to hold the up so I could take her picture…and she was quite happy to do so. What a HUGE contrast to the attitude of our TSA officials here in the USA.

Merci for Joie de Vie

Merci for Life

Merci for Picasso

Merci for the Canal du Midi

Spring into summer

George Marshall Gallery

Today is June 15th. We are almost at the summer Solstice – my favorite time of year. The peas are up, lettuce needs thinning and I smell the freshly mowed grass. Ah-h-h-h!Just a few newsy items – my work is at the George Marshall Gallery here in York until July 9th. The exhibit is Momentum XIV – honoring the recipient and finalists for the NH Charitable Foundation’s Artist Advancement award. I was one of two finalists.

Longley School Mandala Community Weaving

I was artist in residence at the Longley school in Lewiston this month. I love this Mandala Community Weaving woven in red, white and blue – and covered with the hands who wove it (mostly immigrants from war torn countries). This image feel poignant considering what is going on in our country right now.

Well Used, Well Loved Towel

“Well Used, Well Loved” my current community art project is rolling along with a closed Facebook group where participants safely post responses to my prompts and questions. We also have a blog about the project - please check it out! 

Thank you.

Letter L is for love.

“THANK YOU LETTERS” is an interactive community art project that I completed stitching in January of 2014 as I was heading off to India.

Letter Z goes to India

Here’s how it works -  I ask people to think about something or someone or that they are thankful for. Then I ask them to spell it using an alphabet that I embroidered with cotton floss on lobster flags. Then I photograph the person with their word.This project never really got the light it deserved. So now 2 years later I will travel with it to France – hoping that I can engage people with my elementary French!

Keep Calm and travel on

Stay tuned for photos  – check out my FB page and Instagram: sdhaskell and Twitter @sarahhaskell #thankyouletters

“Thank you Letters” ready to travel!

Between Us

To create art with others – in community – requires interaction with others. It is in this space that the real community ART is made.

Martel School Lewiston ME

Hands create together

This spring I am continuing my transition from teaching in schools to focusing on my own art.  Soon I will remove the artist in residence/teaching portion of my website. I will not be closing that door entirely as  I will entertain special requests for the Mandala Community Weaving as well as other intergenerational projects.In this new chapter of my creative life - I will put a greater weight on developing my own art work.  It is here in my studio that I dig deep into my personal narrative. I have the good fortune this month of being in a show at the George Marshall Gallery in York, ME.

Detail: “One of Many”

This month I worked with The Cotting School in Lexington to create a beautiful and expressive Community Mandala. In addition I traveled up to Lewsiton ME to work with 3rd and 4th grades at Martel School to create a joyful Mandala. My website gallery is long over due for some new art – so stay tuned – it is coming!

Cotting School Mandala

Slow Spring

The house we rented.

This winter my husband Ben retired from both of his jobs ~ University teaching and part-time ministry. To celebrate we went to the Bahamas for a whole month. We rented a little house on Long Island - part of the Lower Bahamas. The island is a little rough and rugged – having born the brunt of Hurricane Joaquin last fall. But the people were wonderful and the beaches were outstanding.It was a fantastic month of swimming, reading, and yes -embroidery on my linens. I got two pieces finished and 7 books read!

“HELP”- Embroidery on hand-woven linen

Now I am back home, deep in to studio work, teaching a few residencies, dreaming about gardens (it’s very cold out!) and writing proposals for grants and fellowships.Since I’ve been back I have been continuing to guide Well Used, Well Loved – the community art project I launched in January. Check out the blog link to learn more.  In April I taught a Shifu paper spinning workshop so that the Paper Team could spin their words and images into thread.  I am working on creating a Shifu tutorial for those project participants who are far away.

Shifu spinning workshop

Unfolding lives, color effects

color effects our well being

Jacob Hiatt Community Mandala

Last week I was artist in residence at Jacob Hiatt Magnet School in Worcester, MA. I worked with 150 1st and 3rd graders to create a Community Mandala Weaving. This school community is rich with diversity and enthusiasm from principal Datta all the way down to the pre-K students, including all the staff and faculty. We worked hard for three days to create this magnificent, radiant Mandala which will adorn their school walls for generations to enjoy.While I was at Jacob Hiatt School I was snowed in for one day – and enjoyed the time to catch up on other on-going projects – including Well Used, Well Loved This community art project has brought forth a deep engagement among many of the 43 participants. We have a (closed) Face Book group where we can safely share photos and words in response to my prompts and questions.We also have a blog that is where I anonymously share stories and photo. Some of the questions I have asked are ~What/who in your life do you perceive as old? What/who do you perceive as beautiful? Do you see any connection between feeling attractive and feeling loved? The answers have been wide ranging – some surprises too!

creative response to Well Used Well Loved prompt #1

“I found prompt #3 a challenge.”

Prompt #3 was -What connections do you see between being attractive/beautiful and being loved?If I feel beautiful/attractive/appealing to others – will this mean I will be loved? Here’s a quote from one of the project participants “I encourage everyone to ask young children and the men in your lives what their response was to writing prompt #3. My family’s responses were drastically different compared to my response. Tonight i realized that the passing of time, our society, and our own inner demons create our insecurities related to female beauty.” 

Softly Landing

Hands in Brooklyn

The towels, journals and kozo papers for Well Used, Well Loved (community art project) have all been sent out. From London, England to the West coast (Washington and Oregon), from Arizona to Florida, from Brooklyn, NY to Corea Maine ~~ the towels, journals and paper have traveled far and wide.These materials have reached across borders to link people with a common inquiry about beauty and age. More images to follow, more stories to be told.

Handwoven towel from Guatemala

Out the door!

Ready to ship!

Today I shipped all the towels and journals for the Linen Team for my latest community art project “Well Used, Well Loved”. Letting go is often the hardest part of creating and guiding a community project – but it is part of the process and what makes this journey into community art so rewarding.In the next few days I will ship the packages to the Paper Team – the kozo paper for writing and spinning.Be sure to check out the project blog !

Ready to be used and loved!

Well Used, Well Loved has legs!

Eight towels – ready to live large!

The heart of “Well Used, Well Loved” (WUWL) is an inquiry into  thoughts, feelings and reflections on age and beauty.From its inception this community art project has had two legs – The Linen Team: which reflects on age and beauty through the use of a hand-woven linen towel and The Paper Team: which records personal reflections and conversations around age and beauty on Japanese Kozo paper that will eventually be spun into thread and woven in to a textile art work.Today I contacted folks who expressed interest in this project – the two legs have come to life – and the project is taking off on its own journey!  

Well Used, Well Loved – project launch!

Well Used, Well Loved Journals

Well Used, Well LovedA community art project that explores age and beautyWill you consider joining me in this reflection on age and beauty?I am seeking 8 individuals or households to “adopt” a hand-woven linen towel to use for six months. You will be asked to record periodic reflections and observations in a small journal that will be provided. Each site will be invited to have a “kitchen table conversation” with me at least once during the time period.At the end of the six months, I will collect the used towel, exchanging it for a new towel as a thank you for participating in the project.The eight Well Used and Well Loved towels will be the centerpiece for an installation grounded in an exploration of aging and beauty.  The journals (or text from them) will also be a part of the final installation.If you are interested I will ask you to sign a participation agreement. You will agree to use the towel, to communicate during the project’s 6 months, to write in a journal, to return the towel at the end of six months.Please visit the project blog and my website for more info.www.wellusedwellloved.blogspot.comhttp://sarahhaskell.comPlease contact me if you are interested in participating in this project.Thank you!  

Beautiful happy fresh NEW YEAR!

Happy beautiful New Year to all!I LOVE the month of January – it is a time that feels unencumbered by holidays (apologies to MLK) and the weather  often shuts down the frenzy of modern life. This is a time I hunker down in the studio,  dig deep, inquire within and seek fresh solutions to old sticky habits. This fall has been particularly busy with my part time care-giving for my 94 year old mother. I am away from home and studio for two full days a week – thus portable art work is vital to my creative health.

“HELP” Letter H Fire

My current portable project is titled “HELP”. It is a series of 4 panels of white hand-woven linen  – actually a re-purposed piece from the 90′s. Each panel has a hand sign for a letter (H-E-L-P) and each panel has an illustration of one of the 4 elements ( fire, water, earth, air). The inspiration for this work grew from the emerging refugee crisis and the relationship of this crisis to climate change.I’m still working on this project – but feel ready to share the first two letters – H and E.

“HELP” Letter E Water

On January 6th I will launch “Well Used, Well Loved” a community art project that explores age and beauty. I will put out a call to participate on that date – seeking 8 households (individuals or families). Check out the project blog to learn more!May you all enjoy a healthy and happy year ahead!

“HELP” Letter E Water.detail

Well Used, Well Loved – launches January 6th!

Well Used, Well Loved Journals

The eight custom made journals by Whimsy Scribble arrived today! They are an absolutely perfect match for the hand towels. I am so pleased!All the pieces of the project are now ready to go – but I will wait until the busyness of the holidays has quieted down to launch the project. My launch date is now January 6th. I’ll be doing an email blast as well as posting on -Twitter #wellusedwellloved @sarahdhaskellFaceBook Sarah D. Haskellproject blog at www.wellusedwellloved.blogspot.comI am looking for 8 households to adopt a towel and be willing to participate in journaling for the duration of the project (6-9 months). So if this interest you – stay tuned and be ready to speak up on January 6th!  

Well Used, Well Loved

Eight towels – ready to be well used and loved!

“Well Used, Well Loved”A community art project that explores age and beautyEight hand-woven linen hand towels will go out to eight households (individuals and families).Over the duration of nine months these households will be asked to use these towels as they please and to record periodic reflections and observations in a small journal that will be provided.  Each household will be invited to have a “kitchen table conversation” with me at least once during the time period.At the end of the nine months, I will collect the used towel, exchanging it for a new towel as a thank you for participating in the project.The eight Well Used and Well Loved towels will be the centerpiece for an installation grounded in an exploration of age and beauty.  The journals (and/or text from them) will also be a part of the final installation.Each participating household will be asked to sign a participation agreement:  to agree to use the towel, to communicate during the project’s 9 months, to write in a journal, to return the towel at the end of 9 nine months

• Project blog – http://wellusedwellloved.blogspot.com/

I will be doing an official launch of this project very soon – and an invitation to participate! 

Back at home

Fall leaves on hand-woven linen

I am back from a transformational trip to the hills of northern Georgia. I had the good fortune to be selected as a fellow to The Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, GA, where I was an artist in residence for 2 weeks.While I was at Hambidge I was able to complete “Now” Letters by Hand” – a 22 month project using the American Sign Language alphabet as a platform for inner reflection. This project is a 13′ by 3′ installation – so a photo of the whole project is a bit of a challenge. I will be posting a link to a  video link soon.En route to Georgia I stopped at The Bancroft School in Worcester, MA. I spent a day working with the Middle School to complete an installation for the school entry way. Here we all are at the end of a very successful day, sitting underneath the prayer flag installation!

Bancroft School installation

Now back here in Maine, I am diving into new projects as well as connecting with continuing projects. My favorite season is approaching – snow season – when I can settle inside my studio, warm and cozy while the snow piles up outside.Be sure to check out my Face Book art page – Sarah D. Haskell – and give it a thumbs up! Thanks! 

Now: Letters By Hand

Now: Letters by Hand

Now Letters by Hand An illustrated Inner Life26 letters stitched on antique linens over 22 monthsProject initiated in Tamil Nadu, India ~ January 2014.Completed in Rabun Gap, GA, USA ~ November 2015. Watch a video of the installation  

Georgia on my mind

Hambidge Center

I’m off to Georgia! I will be at The Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, GA this month for a 2 week residency. I am SO excited and pleased to have this opportunity!

Installation materials

As I travel south I will stop for a one day workshop at The Bancroft School in Worcester, MA. Working with the Middle School, I will guide the creation of an installation for the school entryway portico. We will use marine buoy flags, ribbons with messages, wire, zip ties and markers to create a colorful and positive way to greet everyone as they enter The Bancroft School campus.Then I will drive south taking 4 days to travel to Northern Georgia. While down there I will be working on the series “Now” Letters By Hand”. This past month I wove ten yards of white linen to mount this alphabet on to. I also plan to hike, draw and just be available for new ideas and fresh insights. This is truly a gift of time and space.I almost to forgot to announce – I have been selected as a finalist for the NH Charitable Foundation’s Artist Advancement Award. Feeling happy and pleased!

eight woven, two to go

ten yards off loom

Putting it out there

My current artist statement:

The rhythm of hand weaving soothes me.

The meditative, rhythmical process of weaving unlocks my dreams, dissolving boundaries and opening my eyes to a wider vision. On a plain weave grid combined with hand stitching and brocade inlayed threads, my work explores the notion that we are simultaneously alone and part of a larger picture. I use hand dyed indigo colored linen warp threads as a foundation that contrasts with brilliantly dyed rayon weft threads. After drawing or writing on Japanese Kozo (mulberry) paper, I hand spin it into thread and then I weave or embroider it into the foundation fabric. While my process is methodical and measured, my message is open-ended with layers of questions and discovery.The imagery of house/home maintains a strong presence in my work, referencing safety, refuge, comfort and a nurturing environment. These pieces include a body shape within the house. Upon closer inspection, the body is actually a negative or empty space, implying our transient status on earth. Through metaphor and imagery, I attempt to comprehend and illustrate impermanence and loss, an inevitable part of our human livesThread by thread, weaving and embroidery move at the pace of my breath: supporting my desire to be more mindful of the present and sustaining my ability to make art that investigates collective longing and universal struggles.

Warm days. portable art

Summer in Maine goes by like the blink of an eye. We wait and wait for it to get warm, to feel the heat of the sun, and perhaps swim in water that is above 65 degrees! And here it is August 13, with a few trees sporting tinges of red just to remind us that fall will be stepping in before too long.

Casco Bay, Maine – Island Beauty

Witness- our 30′ Nonsuch sloop

I try to spend as much time outside and in/on the water in the summer. We have a 30′ sailboat – which is cozy and perfect for two – but she cannot accommodate a loom!

Portable art rules my summer days!

Since I have an inner urgent need to create constantly – I have found ways to adapt to our summer lifestyle and home. I knit, draw, paint, stitch – any creative effort that is small and portable.I have completed my embroidery series “Now: Letters by Hand”. Poignantly I used my beloved Faye as my model for letter Z – the last letter of my alphabet. And in mid-July, we had to say a very sad good bye to her. The text here says “A kiss before you go.” I miss my studio assistant.

Now: Letters by Hand – Z

Mandala means circle

Mandala means circle

Mandala means circle in Sanskrit. A Mandala design always has a center – a core, just like us. A Mandala is always a symmetrical design that radiates out from this center or core….just like our personality radiates out from us. And the weaving on a Mandala is a spiral – one that keeps growing from this central core. And just like that spiral of weft that grows from the original start – the Mandala Community Weaving has continued to grow and grow.The Mandala Community Weaving is a project that I designed about 20 years ago – and it has grown and grown and grown…just like the spiral weaving. This spring the project has experienced two milestones.

Rock Creek Forest Mandala

First – with the help of parents,staff and students at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School (Chevy Chase MD) we created the largest Mandala yet – over 650 clothes pin people. It is so full of people – the weaving is a small inner circle. There is such power in this image – the strength of numbers, of community, of wholeness and diversity. Thanks RCF for making this Mandala with me!!The second milestone – the Mandala Community Weaving has gone abroad! With the help of Kathy Kaknes, a volunteer who traveled to Haiti this month, the project was presented to the Be Like Brit Orphanage in Grand Goave, Haiti. With over 60 children living, growing and learning in this community, along side many dedicated adults ~ their Mandala has a very special glow to it.

Haiti – Mandala Community Weaving

Making clothespin people helps us feel better.

The completed Mandala

Weaving with friends

Art makes us smile!

Be Like Brit Mission statement.

Haiti colors!