To The Closet

Re designs, my head has been a clean slate, a blank sheet, a void, as if all the wrinkles of my brain has been smoothed out; I can't move on to the next project. So I started cleaning my closet yesterday, (an activity which usually gives me ideas about the kind of textile I want to weave,) and since I hadn't done it in a while, it's taking me longer than the normal 3/4 of the day. I haven't had the willpower to start Day 2 yet.

Yesterday we went to Tim Wraight's place; the primary purpose was to see Tim's latest piece before he leaves for Wellington to install it in a greenhouse, but the evening turned out to be a bit of a monologue by moi about the "how to be an artist" thing, and the money thing. More on this later.

We don't know much about sculptures and traditional Maori carving, except we are quite sure Tim is talented, and hard-working, and we've been mad-passionately in love with Tim's work. We haven't seen them all because many are outside Nelson, one is at Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka; and many are on maraes where we can't barge in and have a look. Even so, we saw a possible shift in his direction or style.

Until last night, we were familiar with his ordered, more regulated designs, seen here, here and here, but this is the first we've seen something more organic and flowing. Aptly, the exhibit this piece is going to is called ShapeShifter 2008, and we wondered if he intended the double entendre that Ben and I saw. In weaving terms, he's moved on to network, I guess.

Oh, my rant. Tim and partner/designer Claudia Lacher have been in the art business much longer than I and not only have they been lovely friends to us, and given me valuable practical advice on exhibiting and much more, and most importantly, they act as a compass when I get lost in "being" an artist. Tim and I both turn 50 this year, so it was easy for me to go on about the discrepancy between where I think I should be at age 50 and where I'm at, especially this week when I've been contemplating getting a part time office job, again, to regain some composure.

And in speaking to them, and typing this post, I see once again the quickest way to get out of this rut is to stop thinking and get weaving. Or just ignore that annoying voice that is mine.

I have to tell you this before I go. You know how kids have dreams or visions of themselves as grownups; some of us can't remember what they were, some of us are amazed and even dismayed at how different things turned out to be? Tim is living the vision he had when he was 10; carving, gardening, and playing the drums. And the nymph-like girlfriend has been the cherry on top. Living in this kind of appreciation has got to push his art forward, and I can't wait to see his next piece.

Enough said. I'm cleaning my closet.