inside the workshop(s)

did i mention jean and bryan?

how much fun we had eating good food, making reeds, talking, and

hanging the shows?

seven: was repurposed from eleven

through the miracle of felting.

many circles

reflections from architecture on the uni of victoria campus

in our building

near my classroom

were a collection of wonderful northwest coast prints

i arranged the lab tables in a circle for the three day class

then one huge rectangle for the one and half day sessions.

knifty knitting and ball holding device

hanging out by a pamphlet stitch book.

more shifu bits hanging out amongst the samples

the wet class

sometimes a student surprises you!

that's me, teaching, and my hair bun 

tea towels.

of course tea towels.

part of the conference fun 

(as well as a shuttle race).

Bob Wright

the building was named after him

he looks like an adk kinda guy

and the last class

where textiles crept into books and

books were textiles.

quiet? thinking

KA BOOM!!!

pop pop thud.

a woman said to me: happy fourth of july.

i said, i've never heard that before!

it's my quiet day.

KA BOOM!

what irony, 
yet this is how it is today.

i have time to ponder.

i taught in beautiful victoria, bc,

meanwhile meeting* both jean and bryan

north country shifu for three days

a quick paper manipulation half day

and a one day textile/paper/book class

and boarded a ferry

sailed down the ocean trail to seattle

one woman (forgive me for forgetting names)

made this beauty.

 another (famous) woman stretched her skills

 and this class wanted more and more, 

so i took apart my journal

and traced the cover 

and they all learned to tread from textileness to bookishness

there was a vender market

maiwa stopped me, 

astonished, 

in my tracks.

that night i read A Quiet Manifesto

and was deeply moved 

thinking how i needed this 40 years ago

but i have it now.

as i work, teach, make more and more books

and paper,

and textiles,

i am finally thinking about what i'm doing.

so there's this: we have paths to walk

mine is what i want to do

what i am skilled at

but more, i want to touch, to enrich (maybe push a little bit) the life and work of others.

in a sense being fully present in my part of the cycle.

being a quiet sort

i teach.

i make books.

and i try to build a life that is whole.

i have several roles, don't we all?

but this 

t h i n g about f i b e r...

the thread that runs through it.

i have more to ponder

this quiet day

in a hotel

in seattle. 

*if you know bryan or jean you know they are powerhouses, and meeting is hardly the word. maybe experienced is more accurate.