Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Last Week



Feb 13
Yesterday,  it took me 12 hours total to drive home from Quebec which meant that I was able to drive in both red sunrise and red sunset.  The first red was along the Gatineau highlands (above photo).   Later, I was on highway 6 with the familiar Strawberry Channel and a magical February sky. 

time present on top, awakened heart beneath

Feb 14

the boxes for Kenora - to do today.  

This exhausts me so very much.

the forever with hanging device and hooks being placed

The Boxes

1 medicine earth in bag with tissue paper, my heart in a bag with bubble wrap, her arms wrapped round in a bag, all with labels

2 eternity bagged in a box, time past in a box, flowers bloomed with device in a box, the list made but not printed

3 underfoot the earth divine, rod is labeled, needs to be cut and drilled, time present (with device),  my awakened heart is labeled the rod needs to be drilled

4 the forever, time future not in box yet

5 rods

In The Middle of the World exhibition to be presented at the Douglas Family Art Centre in Kenora, Ontario March 30 - June 15 2023

time future with hanging device

Feb 15

Doing the boxes, the folding and arranging of my beautiful, heavy work, affects my body so much.

I am also affected emotionally.  I am over come. 

Resolved today to gather my thoughts about the nitty gritty installation requirements into a document.  Shall I pack shelf brackets so that some of my pieces can be mounted out from the walls?

Does the curator at the Muse have a firm idea already for how she will mount this challenging installation?

time past : island heart


'I would stand for hours at my window, watching the sky and birds, no need to make immediate decisions" Magdalena Abakanowicz

detail of island heart

Feb 16

Procrastinated and cried over the in the middle of the world work again.  It's so emotional for me to see all my work in vulnerable pile-ups around me.  All through the bedroom and living room and kitchen. 

For some of the pieces, I need to consider proper hanging devices, perhaps purchasing some kind of hook if we send shelf brackets.

Also, I need to make sure that each piece has an identifying paper label and fit the pieces into boxes. 

underfoot the earth divine

Feb 17

OMG, the work is so full of touch that my heart breaks open every time I unfurl another one.

earth divine fitted in box

Feb 18

All week I made good progress and am working all day.  My routine begins at 6 am with my half hour of old journals and then another hour or more working on the website. 

Yesterday, the curator in Kenora phoned me and gave me her opinion of shelf brackets that hold two-sided pieces five inches out from the wall.  "Ugly and Pointless".  She is going to hang everything from the ceiling.  She has a hydraulic lift and doesn't fool around with step ladders.

That phone call made me so happy. 

eternity fitted in box

Feb 19  

Yesterday I cried a little when Ned told me his Saturday schedule.  It didn't include my boxes. 

I need him to help me with the hanging devices.  Cut the rods down, see if the Forever hooks work.  We do have time to do all these things, I know, I know, we have all the time we need. 

time future and flowers bloomed piled in kitchen

Feb 20

I organized the courier pick up just now.  It will happen tomorrow with the delivery to Kenora by Friday Feb 24 before 9 pm.  We are worried about the icy driveway.  

Getting this Kenora artwork into boxes has been really hard, but I'm almost done. 

Social media is worried about Penny and I've written personal notes to several people who've asked about her.  I tell everyone that "she's OK".

Feb 21

We put all five boxes into the van and hope that will be easier for the Purolator guy to get.  It snowed last night so it's not a glare-ice driveway or at least it doesn't look like one.

Now that the boxes are all in the van,  I've spent an hour sewing a pink sleeve on a piece for the OTHER SHOW .  

It's too much for me.  I can't do it.  It's all too much.


but it's not, is it.   When we consider the larger global picture,  my problems and concerns described here are trivial.  

I am lucky to be able to create artwork from blankets and show it in art galleries.  I choose to do this strange thing.  I want to do it.  I love this work.  Sharing my artwork is part of being an artist.  Getting it out the door for exhibition is difficult for me, but still, I am glad to be able to do it.

Also, I am blessed to have a large family, all healthy.  Thank you thank you thank you, universe.

I am grateful for these things and I will say so here, in this public forum.  Please, if you are able, choose an organization to donate to that helps our broken world.  Thank you xo


p.s.  Purolator guy came around 4 pm.  He walked from road to front door and said he couldn't come into our driveway, he would get stuck.  I said "that's OK!  All the boxes are in the van."  And I drove it up to the road and he unloaded them into his vehicle and drove away."  xo

8 comments:

Nancy said...

Judy~ Ah Judy, my friend. You have opened my eyes, taught me about the way it can be to pack up beloved work and send it off...work that you have spent hours and hours creating, touching, holding.
This added to the physical nature of the work too. Just the weight of the folding and packing would do me in!
I will think about this more.
Thanks for the Penny update :) I was able to get in touch with her and put my mind at ease.
The blue light in the last pic is so beautiful, soothing & calming.
May you carry that light with you as you move through your days. We all have our difficult things and we all have our gratitudes for being in a different place than those who we consider to have it worse. The funny thing is, again and again I've seen interviews with those in a natural disaster, crime, illness, or even war...and hear over and over the things they are grateful for.
We are all just walking each other home. ~Ram Das
May we offer a hand and not slip on the ice of life.
xo

Liz A said...

it is all so much ... caring for children and grandchildren ... driving 12 hours in one day ... packing and packing ... and feeling all of it to the point of tears ...

may you find rest and peace ... I wish for you sunlight on water and the sound of silence ...

ARTISUN said...

Oh my Judy, oh my. It's so much, so many emotions too. But it sounds like the curator is going to do a wonderful job hanging your pieces. Can't wait to see your photos of the show. Island Heart is absolutely stunning! It's so amazing to see it laid out and finished. The lucky public are going to be thrilled with the experience of seeing your work in person. So jealous! Ha ha And BTW loved your photo of your drive as well.

Bethany G said...

Blessings, dearest friend..you have shared all the joy and angst that is working for you as you bring your show pieces together, and some that were not. And yet you managed to arrange everything and off it goes to the great Kenora... AMAZING.
I so love the connections you share with your art - a true artist is one who is tied gently to the work with a strong "part of my life" forever commitment. What a bold and beautiful woman you are, the Gallery staff will be in total awe when they open the boxes!!
Will I see you in Toronto end of April?
Bethany xo

kat said...

There is so much physicality in your pieces, both their beautiful tactile nature and the size and weight of them. No wonder packing them up held such emotional resonance, emotions and physical effort all in one go. I am always in awe of the time you spend creating them, stitch after stitch, with such thought and love.
I saw your piece Underfoot the Earth Divine at the Knitting and Stitching show in London earlier last year, was so delighted to be able to experience it up close, to spend some time with it, to show it to my daughter who was with me. I got a thorough ticking off for trying, oh so gently, to ease the edge away from the wall to see the back, having recently read your post about hanging it and wanting it to be viewed from both sides. Thank you for the view in the video with that beautiful golden glow. Thank you too for some reassurance about Penny, I follow both her blog and Instagram and have been worried by her absence. I'm sure she is aware of everyone's concern, and send her my warm good wishes from the UK.

Anonymous said...

The Universe in Abundance. Your art is so personal, tactile, filled with emotion. It takes a lot from you and gives you and us more. Thank you for sharing about some of the slogging that goes with this work. We cannot bring our art to the works without it. Thank you for doing it. I find your art and your writing so life-affirming. I’m so grateful.

Anonymous said...

The Anonymous comment was not meant to be so. Hugs and thanks from Dale Tomlinson.

Grace said...

Beautifully vulnerable post
( also “purolator guy” lol )