D.W. Winnicott said “Artists are people driven by the tension between the desire to communicate and desire to hide.” That certainly tells the tale of 2020. The pandemic has made us all want to hide and then yearn to communicate.
After a rejuvinating spring break in Florida, I returned to discover quarantine and isolation here in Ohio. It was a shock to my system to return from a fun trip to the sunny beaches of the panhandle to TP shortages and masks. I settled in like everyone else and tried to work on my CCHMC project and teach remotely. It was not fun. I really missed my students and using Zoom did not do it for me. As the weather became warm and the flowers started to bloom, everything became much more palatable. My Christmas present of a red kayak was a Godsend. With the addition of a “beach” to our riverfront property (Mark’s quarantine project,) the river became much more accessible. We had a few glitches, my red kayak was stolen, I was gifted a used kayak from a neighbor, it was too big, so I finally was able to purchase a new small kayak . (I guess the pandemic brought not only a rush on TP but kayaks.) Mark and I quickly became addicted to the quest of discovering the beauty of our river from a new vantage point. Paddling next to a solitary goose who was apparently mourning the loss of his mate is a memory I will not soon forget. The uncommon quiet of long stretches of the Little Miami, due to the temporary closure of Kings Island, was awe-inspiring. Seeing the fall colors from the middle of the river and experiencing the crisp air on our last paddle may just get me through the winter. I am extremely thankful for my lanyard with the waterproof iPhone case because I was able to document those memories with a ton of photos.
The summer after I graduated from Miami I attended a class at Arrowmont Settlement School in Tennessee. I received a scholarship from my sorority upon graduation. (Pi Phi helps support this school.) For some unknown reason, I selected a class called “Sewing Machine Stitchery.” I guess it was by default because I had had enough of clay and enameling in my undergrad years. Anyway, the professor challenged us to draw with the sewing machine. I loved it and it has always been my desire to do it again. When teaching at Clark I befriended the Home Ec. teacher across the hall, a sweet older lady named Jessie Hupp. She was kind enough to teach me the basics of sewing. For a couple years I dabbled in making pillows, dresses and even dolls for my cheerleaders. Then life got in the way and I put the sewing machine aside. I did teach a Fibers class at Mariemont and would drag my machine to school to teach the kids what little I knew. These recent hours of solitary confinement have awakened my desire to sew. My 30 year old Singer is not up to the task of sewing through paper. The CCHMC project funded a brand new Brother sewing machine! So, I am now adding another layer to my work. After the paper is all in place, I am now adding a layer of stitchery to the mix. So far, so good. The machine came with some classes at the local sewing store, so, I will continue to learn how to best use this amazing machine. The subjects of my new work also include my paddling adventures as well as my favorite gardening success stories.
I will continue to hide in my workroom, dreaming of the warm sunny paddles and communicate to you in my own mixed media way. Maybe when this crazy time is over, there will be a show. If not, continue to check me out here and thanks for your continued support. Stay safe and healthy. xo
