A new normal

They say that you are never given what you cannot handle... I feel very strongly this is a mis-quote. Surely we are given situations in life where we throw our hands up in the air and wave them around at something and give up, momentarily... But we soon realize that screaming and flailing our arms about is really not the best way to cope with stress. No, the saying should be, Even when you are given situations that you cannot handle, hang in there, stay the course, keep on walking, do not look back (unless you drop a $20 in the ground) and most importantly, be thankful for those that are walking the journey with you.

The past few years have been pretty high on the stress-o-meter. Between school, being a mom and helping to take care of my mother I am not quite sure how I have survived. It had to be the two trips to Ireland.... Yeah, that must of been it...

But this past year has especially been difficult on all of us. So in my second quarter of Grad school I was faced with an opportunity! What shall I create? When I first thought of the tapestry project I knew it held a sense of community. Tapestries have been the life-blood of my world for as long as I can remember. I never had a "woobie" that I carried around. But I have always had a blanket/throw/comforter that I love curling up into and losing myself to TV land... It becomes my cocoon. During my massage years I covered my window, walls and table with Celtic knot work tapestries. These represented my longing for Ireland and how I yearned to go there.

When I arrived at the idea of friendship bracelets, at first I was not sure where I wanted to take it. But after experiencing Marie Watt's "Engine" installation at the Tacoma Art Museum, I was inspired to do something with blankets. "Let's make a tapestry out of bracelet's" I thought.... Then I began to think, wow I would need a lot of bracelets for this project... So I sketched it out and decided I must have at least 400 bracelets to make it work. I quickly learned that I would need some serious help in that department. I put the call out to my friends and family on Facebook and the response was amazing!!!  20 people dedicated time and energy into helping me produce friendship bracelets. For those that needed string, I sent them a package of it in the post. :-) Out of the 20 who originally donated time, I have received 14 packages in the mail....

This is where I have to go back to the beginning of my blog today... It is within these times of trials and confusion that the universe reminds me just how lucky I am to have so many phenomenal people. I feel so surrounded by love and support by these wonderful bracelets I am receiving in the mail. Each one is so different from the others! For those that have invested time into this project, I appreciate you... I appreciate your energy and support at this time in my life and I am thankful we are walking this journey together... Thank you for instilling me with a sense of community during a time where I have felt very alone with my emotions and fear. And while I am weaving this tapestry this Saturday I will be sending each of you special prayers of gratitude and happiness... I love you!!!

Meanderings

My giant friendship bracelets have finally been installed. :-) I placed them around two trees I picked in the Evergreen forest. When I began my exploration with string I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. Over the past few months people keep asking me, what is this connection you have with string. Why am I drawn to artists who work with String? Or string like structures? What is it about a friendship bracelet that has my mind moving through this space of fiber?

I am having issues finding the answer...

But what keeps coming up for me is this sense of community that is arriving from creating these silly string things that wrap around wrists, ankles and trees. I have asked multiple people for help in creating them. I have been thinking about what it is that keeps bringing me to them. I created a mind map, meditated, journaled and still, I am unable to clearly articulate what this connection is. My mentor as asked me to come up with some "big" questions.

What is the space inside the bracelet, what can it be, and what does it represent?
How can I altar the space inside?
How can I altar the outside space? What does it mean when I use different types of string?
How would it be different if I used industrial rope or tiny thread?
What about creating tapestry of friendship bracelets? Why is that important?
Where will I hang my tapestry/blanket once I finish it?
How does where I show it inform the piece? (like a gallery vs my living room)
Where did the corn silk go and why am I no longer drawn to it?

I think these are pretty big questions!!!  I have completed two squares for my friendship blanket project and I am currently working on one. I want to have it completed by December. What will come next?