Studio Notes - January 2025
"Happy new year" seems to smack of the same easy insincerity of "Have a nice day", doesn't it? But it signifies that we are all at the same moment for just a split second. We are between what was and what will be. What was is beyond concern. What will be is up to us.
To do
Kirby and I have finally faced the music and are going through boxes of papers collected over the years. His business, my art practice, letters from friends and relatives, newspaper clippings, menus, recipes, brochures, etc. Lots of etc. I'm suggesting here that you do this before you reach your 70s. No one needs to hold onto a high school paper on the Peloponnesian War for any reason even if one did get an A- on it and a glowing comment from the teacher.
To see
A video of an artist talk for Just Between Us at Cove Street Arts in Portland, Maine. I curated the show and am one of the artists along with Tom Hall and Thaddeus Holownia. The talk ended up being about more than the work in the show which I think is always a bonus. And besides, it's rather entertaining!
To read
Seed catalogues. Or, failing to find actual paper catalogues, seed websites. I received the first seed catalogue of the season the other day. It was a breath of fresh air with its pastel colored cover amidst the last gasp of the red and green of Christmas. Even if you don't garden, looking at images of the natural processes of growth and renewal is uplifting and just plain beautiful.
Coming up
One of the things I'm most excited about is the offering of an online course early this year from Fibre Arts Take Two. The lovely folks were here last May from Australia and England to film for ten days and they have made the images, discussions, demonstrations, ideas, laughs, silliness and beautiful Maine scenery into a multi-session course. They also have a series of online talks with artists from around the world which are worth exploring.
A lot is happening including a show with Jo Stealey, Carol Stein and Jane Sauer and an accompanying book later in the year. More about that next time.
I plan to do what I can and be as kind as I can in this new, odd year, whose motto might be Illegitimi non carborundum, a mock Latin phrase, mockingly translated as "Don't let the bastards get you down." Happy new year everybody!
All best,
Lissa