Midsommer Gloaming

The sun setting behind my head at Columcille on the longest day of the year, midsummer gloaming

I get so tired out doing stuff it’s hard to find the time and energy to blog about the stuff I’m doing. As I sat down to finally make a new blog post, I wondered, should I blog about my show at Book & Puppet being extended, the progress of my weaving at that show, the dye classes I’ve done in the past month at the NCC East 40, my upcoming classes there, my latest ceramic creations, my imminent trip to Peter’s Valley for a workshop with Josh DeWeese to fire their Noborigama kiln or…?

On Saturday evening I went with my husband to Columcille for their first ever celebration of Midsummer Gloaming. (I deliberately spelled it wrong in the title for this post in honor of Midsommer Murders.) I’ve never been really big on “New Year” being January 1, it just seems so arbitrary. Marking our planet’s position in the universe just seems a much better moment for reflection. In taking icon classes with master iconographer Vladislav Andrejev stressed the circular nature of idea or intentions, followed by practice followed by reflection which would inform the next round of intentions and so on. Midsummer Gloaming just seems like a great time to step back, and try to transform the laundry list of things I’ve been/am up to lately into some kind of inflection point.

Warp-weighted loom with weaving in progress at Book & Puppet solo exhibition

The show at Book & Puppet is a kind of 4 years retrospective, it brings the facets of my artistic practice into a one place. I’m dyeing (pun intended) to finish the weaving-and wondering how many people will “get it.” I can’t say more than that-I want people to interpret it for themselves, and see if anyone can see what I am intending. This show is really the inflection point; it connects my past number of years with the literal creation of new work right in the gallery.

Looking at one of the rocks at Columcille, I noticed lichen growth. And then I noticed ants, a caterpillar and other insects; the fact that life was literally springing forth from a rock was pretty mind-blowing. Take the time to look closely, to see an everyday miracle. You won’t look back on this moment in your life and fondly remember your to-do list. Take time for a moment of wonder.