My mom was an Artist... Memorial Show 11-12-11

This is only the smallest sampling. My mom, Amira, created art seriously (the work was a serious endeavour, but the content was not always.) for over 4 decades. Her entire house was her studio-- stacks of painting, every surface was covered with sculpture, she was more prolific than I knew. My mom always wanted to show her work, but then she was always immersed in making more, so where was the time to do it all? Her wish was that her art not be thrown away-- I could never do that, but isn't that any Maker's greatest fear? Her dear friends organized this show and these pieces and more were released in to the world. People were so happy to take a piece home.

It was overwhelming to me.

I grew up and lived with all of this "art-making" my entire life, and it all seemed so pedestrian (in a way) to me -- didn't all of your moms collect everything for their projects? Didn't they paint doll heads blue? Didn't your moms save spent firework papers to be fashioned into wings for a Japanese-inspired Kachina doll? and maybe not one, but 15 creations? Your mom didn't carve EVERY mango skin from EVERY mango she ate into a face? Your mom didn't dry those faces on the dashboard of her Datsun?

Now that she is gone-- it is hitting me how unique her view of the world was and how she reacted to it-- How THAT has shaped me and how I make things. I wonder what the future will bring me. She really "dialed it up to 11" and that is why things seem so "quiet" in my life now. Things just seem beige where they used to be an electric blue pastel.

I have to say that we didn't even show the best stuff-- it is stashed away for now, waiting for some breathing space for me and my family.

Still breathing

JMB

Mamma Mia, now I really know...

Two Sundays=2 nights out for this Mommy!!
Last week it was The Swell Season (see wrap-up in previous post). This week it was a "Mamma Mia!", musical night out with my little sis. If you can recall we went to see "Evita" together, and our "Mamma Mia!" excursion was a birthday present from myself and the husband (I like when I get to benefit from my gifts to others, don't you?). We got to go have sushi for dinner (The GREATEST!) and then coffees (The BEST!), then the show (PHENOMENAL!!!)

At intermission I explained the show as "having the crazy energy of a high school musical [an actual high school musical not High School Musical.], but with out all the mess-ups." (this is a compliment to both this show and all of the musicals that I saw in high school--they were really fun, but sometimes painful when people were musically challenged.) I don't really know what I was expecting, because all I knew about "Mamma Mia!" was that it contained ABBA songs (They got me through senior year of high school. We would always sing "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme a man after midnight" But we never got one, and I don't think that we would have known what to do if we had. I was a late bloomer.) I was sort of worried that it would be cheezy... in a bad way. BUT NO, it was so cheezy... in a GOOD way, the best way. I don't want to give away too much, BUT there was a dance number done entirely in purple wetsuits and flippers---WHAT is POSSIBLY better than dancing in flippers??!!! Enough said...it was great...go see it yourself. This was the best surprise of the night (only because I FINISHED ANOTHER QUILT!!!) I made this quilt for Miss M sister as a sort of Graduation/Birthday (18th/19th) present. It took me that long, only because she was living with me at the time, and it is sort of hard to make a quilt for some one when they are living in your studio area. A lot of love was sewn in to this quilt and I was so happy when she was genuinely excited to receive it. (some times our tastes collide--some times it works out.) This pattern drove me crazy for a while, because I really didn't like it, AT ALL, before I sewed the pinwheels and 16 patches all together....IT LOOKED VERY BAD. After I stitched it together, I could see the secondary design (kinda) and I went a bit free with the asymmetrical borders. That is what clinched it for me. Little by little I am learning, and I think that we all should--I quilt for myself. I create for myself, as an expression of myself. I need to do what moves me creatively, rather than what I think is "cool" or in "style". I like a sometimes bizarre mix of fabrics, that is what makes me happy--other people prefer a muted colorway, or fabrics all from one line--it is all OK. This was my first larger quilting project in a year and the first one done on my new Bernina. (Which I LOVE LOVE LOVE, but that is for another post.)

Go see a show, a play, a concert. Get out and explore what is going on in your community-- something is going on, you might need to just seek it out! It is SO worth it!
JMB

dear sisters...

Two people that I did not mention on my thankful post the other day really just each need their own post...my sistahs! I am sorry for those of you who do not have sisters...they are the best, and the worst...most laughs and the worst fights... BUT that is not what this post is about.

This post is about going to see Evita with my youngest sister...her first musical...ON STAGE. We just had the most wonderful time watching EVERYTHING: how they did the sets, the lighting, drawing your attention from one area to another to rearrange things out of your view. It was all just so cool.

Truly, the coolest part was the look of joy on my sister's face after the first song. Ecstatic? Awed? I think more just "joy-struck". I felt the same way after I first saw "Les Miserables"--- What people can do with their voices, their energyand their story...just totally transport you to a different place and time.

This trip also reinforced the power of the Arts in our everyday lives, performing and otherwise. I need to take more opportunities to experience the wide range of artistic endeavours around me. The price of a ticket is so small compared to the world that is opened up.

Thank you, Youngest Sister, it was wonderful! Save me a seat for the next one!

HOLIDAY NOTE**
I know that the Buy Handmade holiday idea has been around and back already (and it isn't even December)... I am totally on board and would like to invite people to join with me in supporting your local artisans (and then Etsy of course) and even get involved yourself and make some or all of your gifts this year. I am already feeling less cuckoo-louckoo about the holidays and I met some really great artists this past weekend...much better.
JMB