the shifu workshop
working with drop spindles
using totally new skill sets
comes down to twisting a spiral
controlling that spiral enough to make a thread
thread to hold together
but not tight enough to break apart or snap.
my students
every one
got it.
emma,
extraordinary assistant,
was always there when i needed her,
and one day she dressed
to match our markmaking
or
the marks made their marks matching emma.
we used some leaves of indigo
and
some spent day lily blossoms
thoughtfully
provided by emma
to make some marks, too
what happens in a five day workshop is that
you really get to know each other and
a level of trust and adventure overcomes all.
that happened with my other summer art institute teacher
who was the best housemate ever.
nancy and i went to bed early one night,
and my students, int he studio under us,
heard us roaring with laughter a little later than the 8:30 to bed attempted time.
(grin)
our indigo dipped lokta skeins
dried on the garden sculpture
the indigo vat prepped
and left for us
as well as japanese indigo
and left for us
as well as japanese indigo
planted for us to share
all prepped by chris petrone
who has worked at wsw
for 10 (or so) years.
who has worked at wsw
for 10 (or so) years.
a clothesline in the papermill
held marks on kozo, lokta, and flax
made with
osage orange, madder, bengara, indigo
and black walnut
taken from the pail of aged brew in my mill
(called wake robin)
kate searching her stash
i climbed the outside porch stairs
and placed my hand on a little granite stone sitting on the railing...
which was surprisingly soft
disappearing quickly
into emptiness!
there was a moment of weirdness
and then i looked closer.
there was a fantastic toad
who'd found a place to hunt
sunbathe
and surprise the humans around the place
and
looking up from ms. toad
i found the back of an ear
melissa has been here...
and ms. toad was photographed many times
walking at wsw was always a treat (except for mosquitos)
the path had mountain bikers and an equestrian
trotting in shorts
(yikes)
these were amazing relics from the days
when this whole area
made the cement for
new york city
i drove home on friday afternoon
in order to beat a morning of thunderstorms
(big rain on busy roads is a bad combination)
and found myself plenty hydrated
and using public outhouses
called, in the proper old adirondack towns,
pit privy
it was a bit later than this
and there really was no light show,
only clouds and muzzle
but i felt like the joy here was appropriate.
oh,
and here
at the place becoming home,
not connected to the plumbing yet,
we are nearing kitchen.
my cup is full
indeed!