Reflections on the power of art and beauty to expand our consciousness
Fibre Arts, Small Joys and How I know 'we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto'
Dear Reader
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It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is a watery orb above the mountains which are bathed in a yellow glow with dramatic cloudscape above and below them. The snow clad Three Fingers mountain peaks stand silhouetted against the morning sky. The sun is gaining strength and the days are warming up. It’s 11 degrees Celsius (52 F). After days of grey and rain, this is very welcome. Here in the valley, fields are full of golden daffodils and every cafe, home and premises I visit has vases of these happy flowers.
Thank you to those who reached out last week, concerned that I was heavy hearted. Much appreciated. Thank you. Today I am in better spirits, remembering as best I can to ground myself in every day delights, of which there are many.
Artist Dates
I’m experimenting with Artist Dates. A term coined by Julia Cameron in her 2023 book, Write for Life. You take yourself off for a couple of hours, once a week on a solo, festive trip. Something that would delight your inner eight year old. According to her approach, these weekly trips serve to re-fill your creative well which can run dry from too much focus on output. Or too much thinking generally. It doesn’t have to cost money, just doing something that delights you. Examples she gives are: petting rabbits in a pet shop, driving to see the aspens.
In the spirit of this, last week I took myself to the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fibre Museum here in La Conner for my artist’s date. It was a treasure trove of vibrant colour, unbelievable skill and celebration. Housed in a fine old mansion, I spent a couple of hours wandering the rooms, filled with wonder at the textiles on display. The Birds of a Fibre exhibition drew together a collection of works displaying quilting, appliqué and collage. Some used digital input to either create quilting stitching patterns or transfer images from photographs.
I had a great chat to the volunteers staffing the museum that day, asking all about the different techniques. There was something exciting and uplifting about textiles being elevated to fibre art. How easily these works took their place in my mind alongside more traditional works of art.
The women told me, quilting was probably so popular here in the Pacific Northwest because of the number of rainy days. “When you can’t get in the garden, you pick up your quilting or whatever” Fiber Friday is a community craft time held in the library of the museum and online. I’m intrigued and curious. Perhaps next winter, I will explore further.
Here’s a taste of what the museum had to offer
I was sad to miss the recent Red Dress Exhibition at this museum. “The Red Dress exhibition was first conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod to generate a dialogue of identity through embroidery, uniting people around the world without borders.
Covered in millions of stitches, the 15-pound, silk Red Dress is weighted as much by the individual stories and collective voices waiting to be heard as by the threads and beads that adorn it.”
This exhibition also visited The Waterfront Museum in Cardiff, Wales and its only showing in the US was here in La Conner. It took 380 artisans from 51 countries, 14 years to create the dress.
https://reddressembroidery.com
I’m happy to give my time and attention to exploring this project online because my brain fires off a million different sparks of inspiration, awe, wonder and gratitude. Is that perhaps the function of art and beauty in our lives? To transport us to hitherto unseen, unfelt and unexperienced realms?
I used to feel intimidated by art thinking I didn’t really get it. Also by poetry, despite studying it as part of my English Literature degree. Then I realised I was over thinking it. It’s not a head exercise. Appreciating art or poetry is just like listening to your favourite music. Relax and let your heart open and allow yourself to be touched, not knowing what you might experience. Enjoy the intimacy of being in the presence of something created by another human.
Attending the opening of the River Gallery was a joy. The photo of the daffodils was taken on a drive out through the valley to this gallery hosted in a barn. Enjoying the delicious food provided mostly by Coizie Bettinger, pastel artist. We wandered among the varied works on display, it was a beautiful experience. For local readers, the Spring show runs until 27 April. Opening hours Wed - Sunday 11am - 4pm. Find out more.
Questions
What is your experience of art, creating it or enjoying it?
What is your definition of art?
How do you feel art heals or expands us?
How I know ‘we’re not in Kansas anymore Toto’
A regular slot for things that catch my eye that tell me I’m no longer in Ferryside, West Wales, UK.
When I first arrived the difference in the mail regalia was striking. Now I hardly notice though I still love the mail van!
Small Joys
Coffee with my husband. It’s a morning ritual I relish. We lived on different continents for seven years, so the simple pleasure of sharing coffee every day still feels like a small miracle and a blessing.
Reading a good book as the light fades
Listening to recorded music (what a wonderful invention)
Walking in the trees with a friend talking about writing
Candlelight
My brain fizzing with ideas 💡
Threads that pull me
There’s a book that has knocked thrice now: Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us – March 21, 2023 by Susan Magsamen (Author), Ivy Ross (Author). I love how this works. I’ve seen it somewhere months ago, then twice in a week. Once in a friend’s house and then in Skagit Valley Co-op. So I’ll be heading to the library to see if this book is available.
That’s all folks, thank you for reading, until next time.
Juliet Fay
Aside from brilliant writing, you have the most beautiful accent, Juliet! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the book recommendation.
I've added it to the list, as I have seeing a field of daffodils one day.
Hey Juliet! Been trying to contact you via What's App but messages not getting through? Can you message me so I am linked to you again? Had to set up some strange account on here to message you haha!
Sarah from Ferryside xx