The white silk banner that Mo supplied for her healing collaborative project, Gathering the Dream, I Dream of a World Where Love is the Answer, got a thorough airing in the backyard. New England rain consecrated its weave. It hung out with the dog and with disintegrating but lovely curtains on the line. It mingled with hosta stalks. It received late summer sun and the shade of a catalpa tree.
Then it turned into fall and more walnuts than I thought possible for two trees to produce fell. They’re still falling. Even after one of the windiest nights ever, they’re still falling!
I boiled up some hulls and dipped in some cloth that I’d bundled ’round spools years ago and then abandoned. The dyeing came out okay, but what truly excited me was to discover that once unbundled, this reclaimed piece of silk shared the shape and dimensions of the banner — almost exactly! So of course they belong together.
The light walnut-imparted lines on the recently-discovered top silk, when stitched, reminded me of a map. So it got me thinking. What instructions might there be to a sane, peaceful world where love is the answer? Is there such a place? Why does it seem so unreachable?
The gap between cloths is prompting some thoughts, too — thoughts about the divides that seem to be doing us in here in America. Seething, toxic, destructive divides. How do we cross or bind the yawning gap? Is that the right question? Should we be trying to learn how to live with our differences, tattered-edged and unsettling as they are? In the United States, it’s no exaggeration to say that we have not been this divided as a nation since the Civil War. Think about that. I do. All. The. Time.
More to come.
I read a blog article this morning that had the phrase, “Humans are all both sinners and saints” and at least for me right now I think that’s my present answer as to why peace and cooperation and interdependence are so difficult, because I think most people don’t accept that we humans are both and embrace that we are both. If we did I think we’d deny less, be more self aware and more accepting of differences and perceived faults both our own and in others. I love the walnut stained cloth, what a great idea!
Well put, Katrin. What you describe feels a little to me like psychological shadow work whereas what separates us now is real nicks and mortar stuff. I know I’m not being very clear about this but am I allowed to say: equality is a worthy goal. And what gets in the way is not worthy.
I think that’s a typo but whether it is or not I love “nicks and mortar” as a play on “bricks and mortar”. and what a great quotable from DM: “equality is a worthy goal. And what gets in the way is not worthy”.
Nicks and mortar was a typo but I kinda like it too!
Love how the two cloths were meant for each other, the map leanings, and how your thoughtful spirit is bound in all of it. My pennant hangs here, blue and wondering…
I posted one of the black and white pix on FB and a friend saw an echoes of an elephant quilt she bought from me years ago. I see the shape now too. Elephants represent to me, among other things : dignity, matriarchy and the power of memory. That’s getting evoked now, too. Did you dye your silk blue? Haven’t been quite a daily reader in October.
Elephants are grand creatures.
Yep, dipped it in the indigo this summer, but haven’t written about it yet, because that’s all that’s happened.
love this mapping of the way to finding that place in each of our hearts where love is the answer
even in the middle of a war zone, love is the answer, that iconic flower power image of the young hippie putting a flower in the barrel of a gunback in 1967… 50 years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Power_(photograph)
this project is challenging me because ‘love’ is not where I go for answers. not necessarily even a place of expanse. Is it bec I’m an Aquarian with a Gemini Moon? But these days I feel like I would settle for logic and respect and a sane approach to facts.
Old Man Crow just tried singing the song with the new refrain “I dream of a world where logic and respect and a sane approach to facts is the answer” and y’know it just doesn’t scan as well as love… Aaaarrrkk! AAAaaaaarrrrrkkkK AAAAAaaaaaarrrrk-k-k!
Ah too too funny.
Dee what a most synchronistic shape discovery for your pennant. The walnut dyed cloth is ever so lovely and the stitching is showing to me also a map…a map to finding the place where the answer of love can sign beautifully with the birds and fly from place to place sharing the music. My piece is just very slowly talking to me about design, words and method…your journey with the pennant is magnificent.
Kristin
Thanks Kristin. I need the cloth to show me the way. Can’t wait to see what comes from your hands!
Mapping a way by letting the cloth lead you … I love this. And always, the torn and tattered draw me in. Thank you for the close up look at these two cloths becoming one.
More to come.
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