Yoroke Linen threads, dyed by Fukumoto Shihoko

Give me blue

July 3, 2019

If you love indigo, then you will likely be bowled over by this book which Adeline gave me for Christmas. Titled JAPAN BLUE, it contains page after beautiful page of Shihoko Fukumoto's dyeing works from 1977 to 2015. The book is beautifully presented, with text in both English and Japanese. indigo threads, dyed by Fukumoto, grace the binding.

The book has joined my other “blue” books and it’s one I’ve enjoyed spending time with. It would be lovely to sit and actually read all of my art books. It seems I only browse them, admiring the photos, gleaning a bit of information here and there, but that’s all. I have a feeling I’m not the only one who does this.

Perhaps less time spent online would leave more time to sit with my books and a nice cup of tea; or, these hot summer days, a tall glass of iced tea. It’s a goal worthy of aspiration, although the days fly by with barely any time for such luxuries.

I wonder, when did I start thinking of reading a book as a luxury? That’s just not right! Below are garments which have been deconstructed and dipped into the indigo vat. I love the way they “feel.”

I cannot fathom how Fukumoto managed to create this series of hangings. The precision involved, the absolute mastery of technique … boggles the mind.

Wouldn’t I just love to have this scattering of magical squares hanging on a wall in my home. There is so much movement, and lest you assume these wonderful circles of light are merely made by happy chance, I encourage you to take some time to study this piece … quite a bit of control went into creating such a seemingly spontaneous result.

Shibori on the drying rack at Industrial City

At the very least, I’d like to spend some time at ABC Carpet’s IC location, and I definitely want to visit th Hygge Hause.

Recently I participated in a shibori workshop offered by Cooper-Hewitt and located in Brooklyn’s Industry City. What a grand day it was! The shibori workshop was fun, but much less sophisticated than what I was expecting. I had been hoping to learn some in-depth information and or techniques, but it was more like a fun project for an afternoon at day camp. Still, no complaints, because everybody had a good time and we all went home with our projects in hand. Plus, seeing Industry City was a real eye opener. I think I’d like to go back and explore.

That same day, my friend and I walked for a bit on The High Line and then went inside the Whitney to see the Biennial. I was particularly taken with the sculptural work by Robert Bittenbinder. We also walked through much of the permanent collection, which was heavenly.

Detail of a piece by Robert Bittenbender

It was a good day, a lovely day, with an old friend … someone I’ve known since childhood. It’s a friendship I treasure. Partly because he is such a good and true friend, and partly because he knows about all my bumps and bruises, where I come from, who I’ve been, what I’ve done. There is no imaginable need for artifice … in fact, any such attempt would be laughable. And that, my friends … to feel that comfortable and unfettered with another person … that is wonderfully liberating.

It seems fitting, now, to re-post this poem I wrote several years ago …

For the moment

April 22, 2017

The studio clean-up continues

I've hit upon the most scathingly brilliant idea to help me clean up the hideous studio mess. Instead of saving everything and trying to figure out how to store all the stuff I gather and hoard, I'll create nice little collections for other people to use in making their art! Good idea, right? I'm calling them Collections of Curiosities and the first five are up for sale at my WickedWaifVINTAGE Etsy shop. You can click on any of the pictures to see its listing in the Etsy shop.

Hear ye, Hear ye ... the latest cancer update

The incredibly good news: it appears the tumors have been eradicated, i.e. I do not now have any evidence of cancer. I hesitate to write it, say it, believe it. I do not want to tempt the fates. I didn't even realize the doctors had told me this wonderful news because they are so low key about it. It wasn't until a month or so later that I understood because I mentioned "my cancer" and they told me (again) that there were no tumors left. I was gobsmacked. I kept making them repeat it. I asked, where were the cake and balloons? They smiled their laid back smiles. I love my doctors.

Some less pleasant stuff: A common side effect of the treatment is called Radiation Pneumonitis, and I have it. Geeze Louise, it was hard to believe the good news when I was still coughing and breathless. Now I take a lot of pills and elixirs to treat the inflammation in my lungs and I'm slowly getting better, but some of the pills, probably the Prednisone (a steroid), caused their own hideous side effects which I suffered with, maybe for too long, because my situation became worse and worse until I landed in the ER recently, in agonizing pain. It turns out I have ulcers in my esophagus and a lot of inflammation there and elsewhere. But, I’ve stopped taking the Prednisone and I have pain killers to see me through while the healing takes place.

For the moment

And then there is this: I recently saw a pulmonologist in Danbury, someone new to me. He said, "You’re clear of cancer, for the moment." For the moment? Did he really have to add for the moment? That bugs me. Hopefully, it will slide into that place where so many memories get lost, but for now, I just can’t quite shake it.

The warm weather is on its way ...

I'm hoping I'll get more involved in the dying process ... that's as in DYE not DIE. (Macabre humor.)

Such a secret place

March 3, 2017

Something precious arrived recently: a textile woven by Susan Johnson of Avalanche Looms. Spilled Milk, Half-empty or Half-full is the title of this small textile. It is one of a series Susan calls crying towels. She says they are "about our human experience of sorrow. Our human tears flow for many reasons, from slicing onions, or small frustrations, or physical or psychic pain. Some tears are for hard things, that can't be changed. These towels are suitable for all occasions of crying, made with sympathy and compassion for our shared human condition."

It took my breath away when I opened the small parcel that arrived in my mailbox. It is lovely beyond words. Adeline, Bill and I spent a good amount of time admiring it and discussing the many ways in which it might be displayed. It was quite pleasing to see both of them have such genuine appreciation for this beautiful handwork.

I’ve admired Susan’s work for years and now I've finally managed to acquire a piece. And am I now feeling satisfied? No. I want more!

I’ve been experimenting with the No-Knead Bread recipe. I finally have a nice shape figured out but the flavor is lacking. It’s not bad, but it also is not awesome. Fresh baked bread has to be awesome.

I do believe that exquisite new towel charmed me into spending my day in the kitchen - cooking, baking, and warm homemaking.

It is such a secret place, the land of tears.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery~

I’M LOVING MY NEW PINS FROM MERCHANT & MILLS. THEY MAKE ALL MY OTHER PINS SEEM ABSOLUTELY BRUTISH.

Serendipity

February 25, 2017

I’m loving my new pins from Merchant & Mills. They make all my other pins seem absolutely brutish.

serendipity . . .

Here is my Moon Star, so beautifully framed by Chris Durante (in Danbury, CT). He makes such perfectly proportioned shallow shadowbox frames for my pieces, frames which never compete with the art but quietly and beautifully display it.

The artwork floats on an extremely fine linen substrate and Chris finished the cherry wood frame by staining it with India Ink and then rubbing and burnishing it to a fine patina. I chose to use Museum Glass, which is a splurge but well worth it. It really looks as if there is no glass at all. People always want to touch the piece and they are always startled by the invisible glass barrier.

But, oops! I dropped it! And it broke.

However, It looks better without the glass. It’s just brighter, more light, more accessible. And that’s serendipity.

For now, it’s in the kitchen, above a fine miniature quilt made by Kate Adams. Puddle approves.

cancer update . . .

On the subject of cancer . . . I’m done with "the treatment" and now . . . what? Up to this point I've been occupied with radiation and chemo, and now that’s done and I feel sort of untethered.

There’s so much more I could write about it, but I hesitate, not wanting this blog to become Morna's Cancer Diary.

I WAS AT MSK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND, IN KEEPING WITH TRADITION, I TOOK SELFIES IN THE RESTROOM.

I was at MSK a couple of weeks ago and, in keeping with my tradition, I took selfies in the restroom. These may be my last "wig pictures." I’ve grown weary of wearing it. My hair, such as it is, is about 1/32" long. And that’s not flattering! But it sure is easy maintenance.

Pieces of Blue

April 7, 2014

What I'm playing with today: scraps of a linen jacket, Doug's striped shirt, a piece left from making a linen dress for Adeline, a pair of linen pants, some lovely vintage polka dots ... crosses, circles, blue, squares ... linen, stripes, patterns ... groups of three, groups of nine ... some of these elements we find since the beginning of time.