Beautiful wear and tear

Awhile back, I began a daily practice.

I didn't know I was starting one at the time, but it has stuck with me

and I sheepishly admit [to those not as fond of the internet]

I find a lot of wonders with this particular practice.

~ Blue-stripe jacket, The Royal Swedish Ballet ~

I don't sketch anymore.  Not in the traditional form of the word anyway.

I research pictures.

I fill my eyes and mind with images, wherever my imagination leads in the moment ...

for about an hour each day, I follow threads and links and references,
immersing myself in a subject or direction
until it feels like my brain has been plugged in.

May seem an odd way to do Morning Pages,

but I can't resist being devoured by inspiration this way.
It's my own idiosyncratic version of stream of consciousness writing ...
I just follow pictures instead of words across a page.
[ with apologies to Julia Cameron ]

~ Rubies Hem, New York City Ballet ~

And that brings me to today's discovery ...

the stunning work of photographer, Carin Ingalsbe.

~ 1890 Taupe Silk Robe, Paris Opera Ballet ~

Now, it is one thing to fall head over heels for someone's photographic abilities and/or vision, 

but it is an entirely different matter when, in addition, 

their subject matter rocks your very soul.

Few things in life are more poignant to me

than worn & tattered clothing ...

What you see here are pieces from her series on ballet costumes. 

Referring to this work, Ingalsbe says, in essence,

they are portraits.

"The costumes range in age from 60 years old,

at their youngest, to pieces that date back to the 1700's.

The wear and tear of the costumes has been a centerpiece

of my portrayal of them. Their deterioration through use,

like African art, is evidence of the number of hands

through which these garments have passed over time.

From its inception, each costume was created

with the understanding that the final vision of the designer

will only exist until the first dancer puts it on.

The struggle between visual design and functionality

starts at once as the wardrobe master and mistress

stand off-stage taking notes about the things that fall off

or tear during performance. The destruction of the garment

begins, and from that point on

it becomes a living and ever-changing object

that morphs through the brilliance and talent of others."

~ from her biography at Lanoue Fine Art HERE ~

..." a living and ever-changing object" ... yes, this is EXACTLY the sentiment,

the best description of what interests me about 

[stitching, dyeing, reassembling, remaking, embellishing]

previously worn -- and worn -- clothing & textiles.

~ Citizen of Verona, Boston Ballet ~

Please note: the links below each photo will take you directly to Ingalsbe's website

where detailed close-ups are paired with the main photos ...

her Vintage Clothing Collection  contains even more beauties with

"broken parts."

~ Sugarplum Fairy Green, New York City Ballet ~

~ Red Spanish, The Royal Swedish Ballet ~

"The journey that a costume takes is a singular road

that cannot be duplicated.  Because the costumes

are threadbare and torn, they are, by definition,

spent.  My desire to reveal the value of each piece by

rediscovering its pedigree is one that I hope

comes through my work. The evidence of use that each 

costume has sustained is the very thing

that makes it worth considering."

~ Cut Velvet Coat, The Royal Swedish Ballet ~

"Sometimes the soul of the piece is revealed by 

turning it inside out

or backward."

~ Yellow and Black Corset, c. 1860-1870, The Royal Swedish Ballet ~

Broken and loose beads ...

~ Metallic Button Jacket, The Royal Swedish Ballet ~

tarnish, discoloration and stains ...

~ Rust Jacket, The Paris Opera Ballet ~

splitting their seams.

Once worn  with  perfection,
now aged  to  perfection.
Breathtaking.

Such worthy subjects for portraiture,
wouldn't you agree?

Sometimes it's only a matter of perspective

I lose my balance at this time of year.

I get real fed up with everything.

Does this happen to you?

I made this picture blue, but it's not blue here.

It's gray.

Endless,

endless,

e   n   d   l   e   s   s

shades of gray ...

and I feel like I'm at the end of my rope.

Maybe I'll just go jump off the nearest pier ...

it's probably as cold  [certainly as WET]  in there as it is out here.

Gee, 

bet

you're

really

glad

you

stopped

by

here

today.

Maybe I'll just blame it on the moon.

Another phase ... they never last for long ... and it's never as bad as it seems.

Thanks for putting up with me.

Texture Tuesday ... mending heart

An overly frayed and broken heart was being stitched

around love

and loss.

  

It's been set aside for a long time ... things changed ... 

the original intent vanished.

My friend had lost her heart's desire (or so she thought) and I wanted

to give her something to mark the moments, the importance of what she felt,

so I used remnants of an old, torn work shirt she'd given me

and I wove them under & through the soft velvet and the transparent lace 

in an effort to symbolize in some small way, what was happening.

textured with framed

I wanted to say to her ~ she, who has one of the most open hearts I know ~

that the only way to have a broken heart is to have offered an open heart in the first place ...

and that is a most beautiful thing.  Her special treasure.

I pinned a quote to the edge of the backing, to ride along as I worked:

Life will break you.  Nobody can protect you from that,

and living alone won't either, for solitude will also 

break you with its yearning.  You have to love.

You have to feel.  It is the reason you are here on earth.

You are here to risk your heart.  You are here to be

swallowed up.  And when it happens that you are broken,

or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near,

let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the

apples falling all around you in heaps,

wasting their sweetness.  Tell yourself

you tasted as many as you could.

~ Louise Erdrich, from The Painted Drum ~

Now this piece will change direction a bit, as my friend did not lose her dear one after all

and both their hearts are stronger for the separation.

Since that more difficult time, some wooden beads have come into my possession

laying like a sketch at the moment,

but waiting to be sewn onto this story.

And so it goes,

with love.

: : :

It's all about love this week over at Kim Klassen's place ...

The next leg

Long ago, I wondered why every pair of my jeans ended up with a hole in the left knee,

but NEVER the right.  These are my favorite gardening jeans and at that time, 

I diligently patched the left leg (shown *right* side above ) covering the patch with kantha stitches

 in every shade of blue embroidery thread that was at hand.

(Click  Mending with the blues  to read that tale, if you wish).

Since then, another patch was added below the original ... some plaid from an old work shirt

... and more stitches to make it good & secure.  Ooooh, it is strong.

Well, guess what has happened at last?  I finally broke through

on the other leg!

 So I pulled out the original pair of sacrificial jeans, cut a big wonking hole in the derriere

and stole one of its pockets this time.

The bottom edge of the pocket is going to rest right above where my knee bends, so it 

should be perfect for surreptitiously stashing all manner of small things ...

seeds, plant labels, small clippers, dawg treats maybe (shhhhh).

And I thought I might venture out from straight kantha this time,

do a little exploring & experimenting.

Have you seen the needlework over at Tanglewood Threads?  So worth a look-see.

I get inspired when I go over there.

Recently, I told Penny I would show her this brooch ... not round like hers, 

but very similar in other ways.  She's working on filling circles with stitches.

I think perhaps her brooch & mine might be kin

with their distinctive triad motifs and Celtic spirals ...

... something in common with this, too, I'd say,

which dawg & I found while walking tidelines.

India Flint ::: workshop on Lopez Island, WA, September 2013

It is with such great pleasure that I make this announcement !

So long in the planning, over a year of excited anticipation (and much itching to spill the beans),

I can at last welcome India Flint ... 

coming to Lopez Island on September 14, 15, and 16

to teach

Wayfarer's Windfall Cloth

Author of Eco Colour [2008] and Second Skin [2011], this delightful self-proclaimed wanderer will generously share her extensive knowledge of "eco-printing," a simple and

beautiful natural dye process that employs no harmful chemicals and is the focus of her life's work.

After creating numerous dye samplers, we will piece them together with gentle stitching 

to form an exquisite constructed textile that records the imagery of local flora

and is expressive of the hand of the maker.

~ photo courtesy of India Flint ~

Due to an overwhelming amount of interest locally which has surpassed even

my wildest imaginings,

this workshop is already 

FULL.

I am beyond amazed

and now unable to open up registration to everyone (the initial intention of this post).

I am sorry to disappoint anyone who might have wanted to attend.

Still, I believe in silver linings ...

~ workshop location in a private garden setting ~

so here's what will happen next: 

I'd like to maintain a "Waiting List" for this workshop so that anyone interested can add their name

in case of cancellations.

September is a long way off ... life changes for folks, plans often don't work out as we hoped ...

and I am expecting a cancellation, or two or three, because that's just what seems to happen.

Want to know more?  Would you like to read the full workshop description?

I'm happy to send a copy of the flyer with all the pertinent details.

Just write to me ... click  email  over there in the sidebar

and I'll send the pdf to you, pronto.

~ photo courtesy of India Flint ~

~ photo courtesy of India Flint ~

Links to inspire:

India Flint’s website

prophet of bloom blog

Read a review of 'Eco Colour' ... and a review of 'Second Skin'