mjd 2014 fragile strength talisman - connect

'earth is what we all have in common.'

wendell berry 

fertile earth

& things that grow

precious stones

salty seas

and warm sunshine

all this we know.

if you are feeling disharmonious,

let the natural world

help to bring it back.

if you are in harmony,

share it

and return it to the source.

on being born

the word i chose for myself this year was 'nascent' - defined as coming or having recently come into existence...


for sure i have been here more than 4 decades - and they have all provided experiences and challenges that brought me to this moment... BUT, i feel as though i am just getting my feet... learning things in the personal and artistic realm that are culminating in a 'me'...

'you never find yourself unless 

you face the truth.'

~ pearl bailey

in infancy truth to self occurs by indicating when one is hungry, tired, uncomfortable, happy... and those needs are usually met fairly quickly... as we grow older, we are taught different rules... our culture teaches us to listen to reason instead of our gut, to wait, to monitor ourselves... and while these lessons can serve us well at times, they can also fail us miserably... so truth to self is critical for healthy development throughout our entire life... and we will get caught up and forget, but we must come back to it...

'to the artist there is never anything 

ugly in nature.'

~ august rodin

another early life lesson comes in learning about things... how often does one say to a child - 'look at this!' ... listen, touch, taste, smell, experience... finding beauty in all things... finding an appreciation... being aware... do you notice how the air smells different before it rains or snows? did you see the lady bug that landed on your sleeve? did you hear the cardinal (do you know its call?)? 

by tea staining and tearing the wet paper, shaping the paddles just so with my thumb, selecting the appropriate lengths of hand-dyed yarn, i feel very much a part of the pieces... learning by doing, not just in craft but in living... tangible affirmations for myself and for you... as i mentioned to a friend last night, i seem to be turning into my own art therapist...