Episodic adventures into the enigmatic and the ambiguous

Yesterday the 13th- I spent 4 hours trying to figure out how to put up a blind (x4) in my studio with impossible to read diagrams and written notes. Fortunately,  for me John (one of two wonderful husbands only one of which is mine that float through the studio.  Pat’s husband. SO don’t worry I am not really  a bigamist.) helped me out and with only a few problems and  had (X 3)them up in no time. I still have one to go that I’ll need to use a ladder on.

          Demon Blind’s from you know where!

This week was about following directions. Directions for putting up mini blinds, working with Gimp and a few other things.

Last week for me was all about giving directions that were understandable and could be followed by the participants in my ANWG workshops. It’s a good thing Last week was first.

I am not sure which was harder. The giving of directions that were understandable to my students or trying to understand directions from someone or something else. Sometimes both seem like a challenge. I think every so often an experience like the demon blinds from you nowhere with anAse Blake’s Sampler from Color and Tapestry ANWG workshop

enigmatic attitude of “oh, put any one can do it/ fiasco is necessary and is very beneficial. It’s so easy to forget how difficult taking direction can be. If nothing else it’s a good lesson in humiliation.

enigmatic – not clear to the understanding; "I didn’t grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later"; "prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries";difficult to understand; resembling an oracle in obscurity of thought; "the oracular sayings of Victorian poets".   Or,  Directions written by non-resident idiomatic English speaking residents and engineers that reside some place between never never-neverland, Oz and the Red Queen of hearts domain in Through the looking Glass.  that create most of/many of the inexpensive goods we all seem to have a need of and are no longer manufactured in the US. definition by author of blog.Don’t get me wrong I love my new blinds-the directions not so much. It’s just the vagaries of modern life some times drive me a little buggy-maybe more then a little. Origin of ENIGMA 1. Latin aenigma, from Greek ainigmat-, ainigma, fromainissesthai to speak in riddles, from ainos fable 2. First Known Use: 1539 Meaning-. 1.   Pertaining to an enigma. 2. Mysterious.3. Defying description. . Synonyms: closed book, conundrum, mystery, head-scratcher, mystification, puzzle, puzzlement, riddle, secret Ambiguous is another word to describe the situation with a slightly different meaning. "the most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible"- A. Einstein

ambiguous – having more than one possible meaning; "ambiguous words"; "frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"

am·big·u·ous/amˈbigyo͞oəs/Adjective

1. (of language) Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning. 2. Unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made. Latin ambiguus, from ambigere to be undecided, from ambi-+ agere to drive; First Known Use: 1528

So putting aside ambiguous directions and enigmatic results…

 It’s time to admit I have done absolutely no weaving in the last 2-3 weeks other than a few class demos. This week will be little better in weaving any quantity of tapestry as I have a private student for the next 4 days.

Cathie Beckman. Cathie has wove a rather startling  tapestry. The subject matter resonates with me because of family circumstances and it is a deep seated fear that haunts people of colour in the US who have family members of colour. The subject is from something she witnessed in the Cincinnati riots about 10 years ago. It’s so easy for kids to get caught up in events they have no control over.

 I Think teaching in my studio with just one or two people is so productive for both the student and myself. I loved the atmosphere and the learning experience teaching Cathie for 4 days. Hopefully, Cathie did to.

I find it totally satisfying to work with a student who wants to be totally immersed in tapestry for 4 days 8-9-10-11 hours a day. We worked on some of  my favourite thing to teach- Colour blending and colour movement and soumack techniques. While we were working together she wove the cutest partial shoe and sampler. My apologizes Cathie. I took this photo from a weird angle and was so tired I didn’t notice that I was taking it from the side and above and not squared. This sampler is really not misshapen and doesn’t weave in. The chine’s and mélanges actually are more distinct in real life It’s the photographer.  Cathie left on Sunday. It was a fun 4 days. Thank God! for Calapoia Brew Pub lunches! I swear I have never tasted their prize winning beer, but who needs beer when they make outstanding soups and bring me my favourite drink of unsweetened ice tea with no ice without asking! We  have eaten lunch there everyday for the last week while Cathie and I were working together.

Other episodes-in the last week or so!I have been heavily involved in all of the verifiable details-organizing, teaching, procuring supplies, working on my studio, attending an opening, teaching at ANWG taking a few pictures of flowers, making new friends,  private teaching, and catching up with new friends, catching up FFP stuff, father’s Day, getting ready to teach at MAFA etc., etc., etc. and et al. The only thing standing in my way of weaving is finishing this blog.

But, the best Adventure of all!

I think yesterday-a day late- was the best Father’s Day I have ever spent with my father in years.  For the last year or so he’s been talking about the trucker special in Rufus, Oregon. It’s roughly half way between College Place, Washington and Portland where my Dad lives-160 miles. Rufus was the meeting place for shifting kids back and forth between parents and Grandparent. The place to rest half way home and have this embarrassingly huge truck driver special-Grilled Steak and whatever else went with it.It was always the Old Highway with the windings curves, before the Dams, before the freeway, before Celilo Falls and the fishing grounds were covered, before the council stones and rapids were covered-100 feet below where the road now runs(I-84) So, I told Dad we were taking him to lunch and took him to Rufus for lunch.

Dad, Me, Mom Pregger’s with Mike, Linda, and Dad’s truck for hauling freight all over the NW, while flying and testing cars.

We took the old road through the Gorge and looked and waterfalls, trail heads that we walked thousands of miles on while growing up and wild flowers. Dad never fell a sleep once on the whole trip. He was riveted to the scenery and remembering. I had salad and “homemade bread”. None of us finished the Trucker special-so we had “doggy bags.” Chene will eat for days and Dad will have steak for several evenings. It was one of those days that will live forever and makes everything all right in the end and leaves one with very special memories.

 

 

 

 

But, finally it is the 22nd of June.

Today I’ll put a new warp on my Mirrix for samples.

Today I’ll wake him up

and paint his eyes

A bag of my samples went missing at ANWG.( Which may be a good thing- I have always wanted to have a note book of samples of different techniques that were all basically the same size instead of being almost 35 years of variable scraps of weaving that always give me the feel of being disorganized as I hunt and peck through them in a class that I am teaching.       

How’s that for turning lemons into lemon aide.  Perhaps I won’t have to take Pat Poggi’s advice and stuff them in my bra where they can do some good. )Pat Jehan Rohani are two people from the early years of the Tapestry list that I really miss. Unfortunately this is the

Pat Poggi’s cats

only picture I have of Pat’s work. I would love to have a picture of her piece with the women in the bathtub with her toe in the faucet. I laughed for hours the first time I saw it. Pat’s been dead for over 10 years. Jehan I spent hours writing back and forth to. He had away of putting being a between into perspective and the balancing act or razors edge that we all walk.Past history-good memories.

And begin work on two new cartoons. A small 5 x 7 inch and reworking “And He…”Will be the biggest small format(medium format by size)/ small scale piece piece I have ever done. My intent is to have it done in time to enter into the ATA exhibit with the deadline the end of October.

I have a little over 2 weeks  until I leave for teaching at MAFA.  I am really excited to see how much I can accomplish in the next two weeks.

I am extremely happy with the exhibit in Corvallis. The show was hung and curated by Pat Spark and the Corvallis Hand weavers Guild. Two other persons – John Stahl and Angie Purvianse also helped hang the exhibit. They did an incredible job!!!!! I was really happy to to see the small gallery hung with work by Edith Miller and Evelyn Ball. They founded the guild just about the time I was born. They have been my mentors and friends for close to 30 years. There part of the exhibit includes clothing and aprons that they wove from the 50’s forward.  These 6 phots were taken by John Stahl. Thanks, again John!

Dee Ford Potter and students(right 

My wall(left)

Lynn Hart & Lois Hartwig          

                                               Peter Rocci and Shelley Quiner  several of Shelley S. students

      

 

 

 

 

Shelley Socolofsky                                              Rosalie Nielsen and Students

 

Danger soap box!One of the things I was especially happy to see was that they didn’t stack my work. Because it is small curators and hangers of shows will often put one of my piece above another. I don’t mind it if other persons work is stacked above or below my work, but I really dislike my pieces stacked one on top of another. I don’t think they read  well or the same. They are meant to stand alone and invariably I am left with the feeling that the curator had an aha movement about saving space rather then how the pieces read. I am beginning to wonder if I should specify in the hanging directions that the pieces are not meant to be stacked on top of each other. Why shouldn’t small work in the case of multiple accepted pieces be allowed the same space and the same consideration that a large piece receives.  Actually what I would like to see the space applied fairly and if pieces need to be stacked by the same doer that they stack the big pieces to one on top of another.

I think I have written enough assuage the guilt for being 2 weeks late with this blog. Never Again. I hate breaking promises to myself.

Cheers for now!

kathe