✺ WINTER ‘20 ✺

HOWDY INTERESTED FOLK, THANKS FOR TUNING IN TO READ ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MY WINTER CRAFTING.

I AM FINISHING THIS WINTER BLOG POST IN EARLY SPRING, WHOOPSIES, BUT HONESTLY, IT FELT RIGHT TO TAKE THAT TIME THAT WAS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE IT. WINTER FELT SLOW MOVING. I GOT TO REALLY LOSE TRACK OF TIME + MAN OH MAN AIN’T THAT JUST THE BEST MEDICINE? I TOOK A VISIT TO SEE SOME CLOSE FRIENDS OUT ON MANITOULIN ISLAND. WE TENDED A FIRE FOR WARMTH + RELISHED IN THE SOUNDS OF OUR WILD SURROUNDINGS. I GATHERED A LOT OF INSPIRATION WHILE I WAS OUT THERE.

DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE WINTER SEASON, I PLAYED AROUND WITH SOME FRESHLY SHARPENED CHISELS TO CARVE THE DETAIL WORK OF A BOLETE MUSHROOM. I’M CHOOSING TO MOVE SLOWLY WHILE I LEARN THE WAY OF MY CHISEL SET. IT'S BEEN SAID AMONGST TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CRAFTSMEN, THAT YOU MUST TREAT YOUR TOOLS WITH THE UPMOST RESPECT, AND IT FEELS SO GOOD TO MOVE IN THIS WAY.

THIS MUSHROOM PIECE WAS SMALLER SCALE THEN I’M USED TO WORKING WITH. I CHOSE TO EMPHASIZE THE FRAME WITH  SMALL DETAILS OF LANDSCAPES, LET THAT MUSHROOM POP!! I HAD A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE COMMENT THAT THIS PIECE REMINDS THEM OF A SQUARE FROM A QUILT + TO BE HONEST, I LOVE THIS CORRELATION. MY INTEREST IN QUILT MAKING IS STRONG SO IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT PEOPLE PICK UP ON THAT. I FEEL VERY SEEN. FOR THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE, I’VE GOT MY HANDS FULL + I AM MORE THAN SATISFIED WITH THAT. HOWEVER, I AM WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE RIGHT TIMING TO TACKLE ANOTHER SKILL LIKE QUILT + CLOTHING MAKING. FOR NOW, I WILL LISTEN TO THE WOODEN QUILT COMMENTS UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME.

BIRDS ARE FASCINATING ME THESE DAYS. MUCH MORE THAN TAKING NOTE OF THEIR BEHAVIOUR, BUT THEIR FEATHER MAKEUP IS NOTHING BUT PATTERN PERFECTION. ONE OF MY MAJOR BODIES OF WORK THAT'S RELEASING THIS SEASON IS A PIECE TITLED 'EASTERN INSIGHT EAGLE.’ IT IS PART OF THE JIGSAW ANIMAL SERIES I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON + HOPE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON FOR YEARS TO COME.

IN CONTENT THAT I AM READING THESE DAYS, EAGLE MEDICINE IS POWERFUL + SHEDS LIGHT TO PERSPECTIVE. EAGLE LIVES WITHIN THE FREEDOM OF THE SKIES, SOARING HIGH, PRESENTING YOU WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BROADEN YOUR SENSE OF SELF BEYOND THE HORIZON OF WHAT IS PRESENTLY VISIBLE. IN NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONS, THE FEATHERS OF EAGLES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST SACRED OF HEALING TOOLS MOSTLY USED IN RITUALS TO CLEANSE THE AURA OF ANOTHER WHO IS LOOKING FOR HEALING OF THE SOUL.

'INSIGHT EAGLE' IS COMPOSED OF A VARIETY OF MIXED MEDIA. THESE MATERIALS INCLUDE RUSTY WASHERS, WIRE, PLUMBING FASTENER + BITS OF WOODEN ODDS + ENDS FROM MY COLLECTION OF MILK CRATES.  THE TWO COOL TONED TRIANGLES WERE PART OF A  SERIES A FEW YEARS BACK THAT I NEVER ENDED UP RELEASING, THEY REMAIN PAINTED WITH COMMERCIAL PAINT.  THE MATCHING FEATHERS ARE CREATED USING A NATURAL PIGMENT POWDER MIXED WITH A BEAN FLOUR. THE EAGLE’S BREAST + HEAD HAVE LAYERS OF BARK TREASURES FROM A FALLEN BIRCH TREE. IF YOU KNEW ALREADY THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF BIRCH BARK IS A SOFT DUSTY PINK, DID YOU KNOW THE CLOSER THE LAYERS ARE PULLED BACK TO THE TRUNK, THE COLOUR BEGINS TO SHED IN PEACH? WHEN I FOUND THIS OUT, I WAS ON MY KNEES SMILING EAR TO EAR, IN AW YET AGAIN, BY NATURE’S PERFECT MAKE UP.

1 FULL YEAR AGO, DURING WINTER SEASON I PRODUCED THE FIRST JIGSAW ANIMAL, EAGLE #1. I HELD A PICTURE OF LAST YEAR’S + THIS YEAR'S EAGLE SIDE BY SIDE + BOY, IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER YEAR. I OFTEN FORGET THE TEACHING THAT IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO LOOK BACK + SEE HOW FAR YOU COME. APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE PUT IN. IT’S ALL PART OF THAT SELF LUV MOVEMENT, YA KNOW?

REMEMBER THAT SURPRISE BABY GIFT FROM LAST SEASONS BLOG? THAT REACHED IT’S HOME IN THE NORTH THIS SEASON, ALONG WITH A SANDWICH BOARD FOR A PASTA MAKER FRIEND FROM THE CITY. 

SIDENOTE : I HATE TO WASTE WOOD... I’VE GOTTEN A LITTLE FIXATED ON TRYING TO USE EVERY LAST TEENY PIECE OF IT. I HAVE BEEN SLOWLY COLLECTING A GROWING BATCH OF WOODEN BEADS AS A MEANS TO WASTE LESS. STAY TUNED FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS FOR A GARMENT I WILL BE RELEASING WITH THESE HAND CARVED BEADS.

UPDATE : SPRING HAS BROUGHT A NEW SPACE FOR S + S TO BE WORKING FROM. THE SIZE OF THE WORKSPACE IS ONLY 8 FT X 8 FT. LOOKS LIKE A SPRING CLEAN IS A MUST. I AM WISHING TO BE INSPIRED AGAIN BY SOME BOTTOM OF THE BARREL PIECES OF WOOD I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT.

HOPE THE WARM WINDS TREAT YOU WELL + CHEERS TO GOOD THINGS ON YOUR HORIZON. IF YOU CARE TO, PLEASE SHARE WITH ME SOME OF THE GOODNESS IN YOUR LIFE. 

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK SOME OF MY TRUTHS HERE,