ellen

We don't think that often about the ancestors we've never met, unless they were somehow heroic, victimized, or had a story that was captured in the news or became family lore. We just didn't know them. In my Message in a Bottle series, I'm exploring connections across people, generations, time and memories using the metaphor of what's been captured and held and shaken and stirred in that bottle of a life and a family - and what comes forth as memories, feelings and ways of being. This started after my father passed away last year and I began incorporating fragments of the thousands of letters/postcards he wrote to me, plus fragments of letters he wrote to his mother, plus those his father (whom I never met) to his mother as a soldier in WWII. This is an ongoing exploration. We'll see where it goes but already it's led to laughter, tears and a sense of connection -- even to those I never met and those who came  before them. If you're interested in exploring this idea with fragments from your own family or relationships, reach out. Let's talk about whether I might dream up something for you! Perhaps a message is waiting.

I don't mean to dismiss the hardships that are being faced. At all. I want to acknowledge them. But I also want to give a shout out to all the creatives who have kept on keeping on during this difficult season, despite the loss of venues and forums and audiences and clients and income. It's been so inspiring to hear how others rise above to continue their craft or emerge stronger or find inspiration to create and express themselves. For me, it comes down to beauty. If I can create something beautiful from the soul, then perhaps that beauty can travel to its rightful destination - the heart and soul of another human who is touched, or moved, or excited or soothed. Without our usual physical connection, art can help us still have a deep and meaningful rapport. One that binds us together through our mutual humanity. "Seeking Connection" 10" x 10" Acrylic on Canvas  

Art is physical. And so is life. I felt this so intensely this last 6 months during which I dealt with a shoulder injury, surgery and recovery. I tore my bicep tendon and the sheath that (should) holds into pace. My shoulder. My right arm. My painting, ironing, steaming, art, well...life...arm. Now that I'm coming out the other side I am so grateful for the ability of the body to heal. For the friends and family and village of support. I'm getting ready to come back out and who knows what new ideas will prosper and what paths will be followed. I do know that it's time to get back on the bus. I mean it showed up at my house, so who's to argue?

The world is catching on. Collaboration may be the ticket to competitive advantage. You see it in business more and more often. It's been done for a long time in the arts - fashion designers collaborating with artists, photographers etc. It's happening in technology too. Each side leverages the strength of the other to create something greater than the whole. That's what I do when partnering -- err collaborating -- as well. For me, my textile designs offer potential partners a leg up --they get a very distinctive look and feel. I'm the only one in the world creating designs that look like...well..my designs.  You'll soon see the results of my first official collaboration with another designer. We're creating the 'Human' collection - a capsule collection of garments made by Rachel Riot from fabrics I've painted by hand. Why Human? More on that later.

Are you an extrovert or an introvert? I happen to tend toward the latter, with just enough extrovert fairy dust sprinkled in for good measure when needed. So when it comes time to take the stage after a runway show, I need a deep breath along with the bow. I've decided that this combination of breath and bow is an apt metaphor. Staying humble while accepting -- and even delighting in--  how you or your work has touched others.  Why not go for it...and enjoy?

Neutrals or color? I just can't decide. It tugs at me. No, it's more of an epic battle.  It permeates my body, mind and spirit. Ultimately the battle is fought with my eye which judges what is before me, and my hand which controls the brush. But there is no real winner, as the tension never really goes away. An artist must make many small decisions along the way of creating whatever he or she deems worthy to create. And some big decisions too. For me, the pull of palettes in opposite directions is so strong that it can be paralyzing. Many women know this from the perennial question  should I wear black today or something with color? In the end, I let the feeling win. There are gloriously neutral moments.  The blacks, whites, creams, taupes, greys, and graphites just have to pour forth. Love the sophistication, the nod to urban life, minimalism, and modernism. But soon thereafter the itch for color returns. Not so much pure sweet color, but rather earthy, complex, arresting hues with a buttery finish.  Alas, even the poetic language of the vintners may not suffice! In the end, I often wave a white flag, combining both into a single exciting encounter with the possibilities. Let's see...what to paint....or wear.....