I've been meaning to share a little surprise that landed on my lap a few weeks ago but I had to deal with deadlines first. Finally, I can share! Last year, thanks to my friend Lisa, I happened upon MIEL Publishers, a Belgium based book publisher that aims tobridge the divide between trade books and artist's editions. What a brilliant idea. Jonathan Vanhaelst and Éireann Lorsung are the talented and friendly team behind MIEL. They create high quality art monographs along with a twice a year journal, 1110, that features creative writing and beautiful art.
Artists shown here include Lisa Congdon, Cathy Cullis, Camilla Engman, Elsa Mora, Heather Smith Jones, and of course, Lisa Solomon.
I had MIEL on my radar to contact them at some point when out of the blue, they contacted me to include my work in the Journal 1110/5. This edition arrives as a set of postcards, each artwork paired with writing that responds to the art.
Éireann chose a detail of my Las Vegas Foreclosure quilt and sent the image to Neele Delschaft, whose beautiful writing was previously published by MIEL here. She wrote a beautiful response.
Writing by Neele Delschaft.
Learn more about MIEL here and be sure to stop by their webshop here.
Just a quick view of my studio wall this week as I finish up quilts for the show at Gallery Nord in San Antonio in June.
Chicago, Miami and Cape Coral Foreclosure quilts.
I have several more shows coming up later this fall and into next spring all across the US, so stay tuned for more details on the Gallery Nord exhibit as well as the rest!
So these won't be your typical Tokyo photos. I had plans, big plans for visiting Tokyo. Visiting trendy neighborhoods full of creative shops, hitting all the fabric stores, finding more books that our local Kinokuniya can shake a stick at, so much more. They just weren't meant to be. And I've realized that's okay by me. By the time we made it to Tokyo, my eight year old daughter who hates traveling, was pretty much done with the whole vacation thing.
She made it through, not without getting sick a few times. It did mean I had to let go of all the crazy, realistically unrealistic plans. It also didn't help that when we did get out, I forgot you really, really need good maps to actually find the places you want to go. Look at that lovely street grid ... not!
By the end of the trip, I was looking forward to a few good hours of contemplation time on the plane. I knew I'd learned something about myself and my expectations on the trip. But I had also realized that back in the US, there's something amazing going on in the craft world that I hadn't noticed before. It was really inspiring and exciting. I couldn't wait to get home to ponder it. And I still am.
There certainly were some incredibly creative ideas flowing around the design and craft world in Tokyo. The picture above was taken at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT museum. There was an incredible exhibit called Design AH! Here's a little blurb about it which is quite a bit heady. All I can say is the visitors were eating it up!
The exhibition theme is "Design Mind." Along with clairvoyance and creativity, the physical ability to unconsciously determine the adequacy of the things around us is an integral element for carrying on with our daily lives. Here, we call the capabilities honed by these two aspects as the "Design Mind."
There's also this strange dichotomy in Tokyo between nature and urban-ness that is especially apparent during the cherry blossom season. We timed Hanami perfectly.
It seemed as if the entire city would pour out into the parks to enjoy lunch alfresco. Even the widest angle photo doesn't even begin to capture the sheer quantity of blossoms so I managed to snap a video this time. Let me just say that path went on and on and on. The blossoms never seemed to stop!
My latest revelation about our trip occurred just yesterday when I went back through my photos of Tokyo. I think you can see the common theme here is me missing nature.
I was so longing for my garden by the end of the trip. Even though we live in a city, albeit a tiny one compared to Tokyo, I can't wait to dig in my vegetable garden on the weekends. I realized I need to embrace that more in the coming year.
We made it home and are so happy to be back. I do miss Japan already but have found ways to admire it from afar again. In the meantime, back to the interesting observation about the craft scene in the US. We seem to have an advantage of trying anything and just playing with our work and seeing where it takes us. Not that other countries don't have that, it was just strangely apparent while I stepped away and looked back towards home.
It's always nice to appreciate what's at your feet. And it's got me thinking again ... which was something I was missing before this trip.
Oh my, it feels like yesterday that I shared part I of my Kyoto images. Let's just say since I've been home, I've been insanely busy. I think we all seem to wish there was an extra day in the week right now. I'll explain soon what I'm working on. Yes, there's been a lot of studio time and a lot of progress but have been too busy to actually photograph the progress! So for now, more photos from the Japan trip! Of course, we visit the Golden Pavilion. My daughter couldn't wait to see this one. When we told her there was a Silver Pavilion across town but forgot to mention there was no silver on the building, she insisted on seeing it only to exclaim "Where's the silver?! I came all the way here and there's no silver?!"
And of course the cherry trees were in full bloom here and there in Kyoto.
We took a stroll down the Philosopher's Walk. Last time we took this walk, it was in the fall which was just as spectacular.
At the end of the walk and after a wonderful warm bowl of yodufu in broth, we took a wrong turn and discovered a small group of shrines all with little porcelain cups that stood out against the stone.
We toured a quiet little garden that the crowds seemed to ignore. Fine by us - the crowds were getting to us.
I thought the incense ashes were beautiful. Call me crazy.
And then a visit to Rozan-ji temple in the center of Kyoto. So many cherry trees in full bloom there.
I loved the red text and red fabric here.
I've always loved seeing the stacked sake barrels. I'm still not sure what that signifies but I think it's beautiful.
And as usual, I find beauty in strange things. No one could understand why I wanted to take a picture of this old stone writing. I love how nature intervenes.
And we saw a lot of dogs. This one was one of the largest we saw on the trip, which looked huge to us after seeing so many the size of your hand! I love how he pops his head out of the bars. Notice how his owner has so lovingly removed one bar, just for him?
Japan was amazing, the cherry blossoms, stunning! We returned last week yet I needed another week to recover from jet lag and the typical cold you pick up when traveling. Plus, it was nice to have a solid weekend at our cottage with no phone or computer with looming deadlines over our heads. I know you've been waiting to hear about the trip! We timed the cherry blossoms perfectly in Tokyo and Kyoto. I had no idea there were so many cherry trees in Japan. I'd been before but in the fall (which was amazing in itself) when the leaves were so many beautiful colors. This was a particularly amazing tree and most Japanese were busy photographing it but I loved its' relationship to the building behind with the red trim.
And here in it's full glory ...
One of the things that always surprises me about Japan is how many bikes there are in the big cities. The bikes, pedestrians and cars all seem to be a well choreographed art. In Kyoto, pedestrians share the sidewalk with bikes ... and it works! I wanted to rent bikes but no tandems could be found for my daughter to ride along with us. The other nice thing is you don't have to worry about having your bike stolen so nobody locks theirs up.
We visited quite a few temples and shrines, this was taken at Kennin-ji temple in the Gion district of Kyoto.
It is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto (founded in 1202). We happened to visit it on a Sunday, which was the perfect day to go as a lot of locals were visiting, many of the women wearing kimono. I snuck this shot below. I love how modern the ladies are with their Iphones and peace signs. Everyone was happy that day as it was sunny and warm for a change.
Everything is so beautifully thought out. I loved the material transition in the temple between the tatami to the outside walkways. So much history lies in those scratches and marks made over the years.
We continued our stroll through the Gion district, which was near our ryokan. I snapped a few pics of the lovely hemp signs that cover the restaurant doors. Of course I have no idea what they say.
We strolled past an antique shop, which I regret not spending more time looking through. Look at all these amazing dolls. They were tiny, most not more than 4" high.
And missing my garden, I fell in love with this one. If you're a gardener, you'll do anything to make a garden. The owner was lovingly tending the other half of her garden wedged in a 1' wide space between her car and a wall.
We did a bit of shopping too. Z found her favorite treat of the trip, this strange somewhat soft, brightly colored candy that comes in tiny little pieces. Apparently, it's a traditional Japanese treat for kids and my friends from Japan got all nostalgic on me when I showed them the picture. ps-she's actually wearing a dress I made for her!
No trip to Kyoto would be complete without a visit to Teramachi Dori, one of the popular covered shopping arcades. We kept visiting it in the early morning for some reason, before the shops opened.
This was my favorite shop, only because of the signage.
I mentioned earlier we stayed at a ryokan in Kyoto. If you visit Japan, at least a couple of nights in a ryokan is a must. It's such a treat. My daughter loved wearing her perfectly sized yukata the owners left out for her.
I have so many more pictures of Kyoto that are soon to come. I think those were just from two days!
Okay, my friends! I'm off to Japan soon but not sure how much connectivity I'll have without running up a $5,000 phone bill! I do plan to take my nice camera, my Ipod and visit quite a few amazing textile and ceramic spots so want to be sure to share my finds. Here's a little video I discovered over at hello sandwich the other day.
If you want to check out my snaps, I'll hopefully be posting regularly on my Facebook page and I bet more frequently on Instagram (yes, I've joined the masses yet again). Thanks to Sonya, Katrina and Lisa for getting me on board over a nice lunch one day in Oakland.
Crazy busy this week working in the studio trying to accomplish four weeks of work in two before we leave for Japan next Friday! Keeping with the Japan theme in craft this month, I'm sharing the work of Hiroko Takeda. I have been an admirer of her work for some time and my friend, Lindsay Olson, reminded me about her work last week.
Kisuri Waffle detail by Hiroko Takeda.
Hiroko was the senior designer at Jack Lenor Larson Studio andCustom Designer for Kawashima Textiles in Tokyo before setting out on her own.
Hiroko's work in progress.
Growing up in Japan, she trained in the tradition of Mingei Undou, which is the Japanese Arts and Crafts Movement. Talk about an impressive resume. Her work shows the polished professionalism from her background along with a creative fluidity that gives her work tremendous vitality.
Giant Charcoal detail by Hiroko Takeda.
Every time I view her work on her website, I'm drawn to different pieces. Last time it was the rectilinear structures that I loved. This week it's the soft fluidity of her fluff pieces that draw me in.
Fluff Series detail by Hiroko Takeda.
There are so many beautiful images of her work and her studio, it's hard to choose which to share. Another image I love are of spools of thread. Hmmm, some of those look like Habu Textile threads ...
Spools in Hiroko's studio.
I'm not alone in my admiration for her work. Remember Michele Michael of Elephant Ceramics I featured here last year? She shared a wonderful visit to Hiroko's studio last March. Inspiring! Take a look through Hiroko's website here.
I finished the Flint Foreclosure Quilt a few weeks ago and shipped it off to it's new owner, the Michigan State University Museum. They commissioned the quilt for their permanent collection. They have a growing collection of quilts connected to human rights issues and thought one of the foreclosure quilts would be a wonderful addition. It was such an honor to make this for them. It will also be a part of the Quilt Index, which is a fabulous resource for any artist. It was a challenge determining just which neighborhood in Flint should be represented. Ultimately, the museum chose a neighborhood right in between two vacant GM plants. But really, there are so many other blighted neighborhoods in Flint that are suffering as well.
Flint Foreclosure Quilt, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"
What really inspired me while making this quilt was reading so many stories about residents who have gone through so much and are doing everything to rebuild their communities. It seems there has been outreach from the national and local governments, but I see so much more that could be done. The question is how and who? It's an overwhelming issue and there are so many other factors that come into play, economic, social, etc.
Flint Foreclosure Quilt detail, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"
The sad fact is even though foreclosure rates have fallen in the past year, there's a hidden story behind the lower numbers. In a lot of these neighborhoods where you look at a mapped list and see few listings, it's not because the neighborhood is bouncing back, it's often because the homes are just abandoned, or worse yet, demolished. That is the case with much of Flint.
Flint Foreclosure Quilt detail, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"
And I'm now discovering as I do more research using aerial imagery, there are plenty of these demolished homes all across the US. Some cities openly discuss it, like Cleveland and Detroit, but there are others where I can't find any written data to back up what I see from the air. I keep digging in the hopes I can share the next chapter with you. I plan two more quilts and I hope these will express the new reality. What a can of worms I've opened ...
So many posts to write about including a new finished quilt! But couldn't resist this quick little video which I instantly fell in love with - From Japan with Love by The Perennial Plate. Okay, so it's not technically craft but really, it is. In Japan, food is a craft. And they are really, really good at it.
The imagery had me from the start, stunning food shots all pulled together in such a way to get me so excited about visiting Japan next month. The food, oh boy, the food! And guess what? That entire video above was shot with my same camera! Yes, there is hope I can take some fun video while we're there to share with you.
Udon Miso n' Cheese recipe. Image from www.theperennialplate.com
When I went to The Perennial Plate's website though, I was really hooked. So many wonderful videos and great stories shared about eating sustainably. 114 of them at the last check. Uh oh ... there goes my evening. Good thing I finished that quilt the other night. Head on over for some inspiration and some really good recipes.
I thought I'd kick off an early spring (it was 70 here in San Francisco yesterday!) with a few features on Japan. What does spring have to do with Japan? Well besides having a culture that celebrates spring like no other (life revolves around cherry blossom season), we're taking a two week trip there in late March! This will be my second trip to Japan. When we visited thirteen years ago, I was obsessed by photography (see my photos below) and carted around my vintage Leica that required a tripod for every shot. This time we'll have our eight year old daughter along with us which will make for a very different experience.
Cleaning person's sandals at a Kyoto shrine, 2000.
I know the best place in the world for textiles and ceramics is Japan, so I've got a lot to try to see while we're there, all the while trying to make this a relaxing family vacation. We will be staying in a traditional ryokan in Kyoto, hop over to balmy Okinawa to visit family and end in Tokyo, where we will stay at the Ritz Carlton for free (so there is an upside to my husband's countless business trips last year)!
Kyoto street scene (left), Tokyo street scene (right), 2000.
We're all so excited! In the meantime, I'm researching like crazy trying to figure out where to visit and what to see. It also helps that quite a few of my fellow students at the pottery studio I attend, Sharon Art Studio, are from Japan. I've been able to practice my rudimentary Japanese with them while they offer all sorts of advice on what to see and do.
Ladles at a Kyoto shrine, 2000.
I've purchased Hello Sandwiche's Tokyo Guides, read through DesignSponge's Tokyo Guide and have started compiling a list of cool places to visit and of course places to eat. When in Japan, it's also all about the food! It helps that my daughter's favorite food is Japanese, she gets excited when she sees a plate of masago.
Garden clogs in a Kyoto ryokan, 2000.
I plan to post a lot of the research I find on Pinterest this time, so be sure to follow my Japan board if you're planning a trip over there yourself.
Part two of the work table involves the foreclosure quilts. At some point, I thought I was finished with the quilts. The fact is, the crisis continues. But there's something new in the equation. What happens to the neighborhoods after the storm has passed over? It seems most cities are still grappling with this problem.
The research I've uncovered makes me realize that there needs to be more help at the federal level provided to these areas. Sure, the HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grants have helped. But there needs be more bigger picture thinking. Each city is certainly different and requires different solutions but I'm not seeing much communication happening between cities and states about next steps. We can learn from each other, we can share our mistakes to ensure other cities don't make the same ones.
I starting thinking about this when I started working on a museum commission of a Flint, MI neighborhood. An hour away, Detroit is rapidly encouraging urban gardening on abandoned lots to ensure good quality vegetables and fruits to local residents. Urban gardens encourage community building while decreasing crime as more eyes are on the street. It can bring income into communities as well. It seems in Flint, people are having to go to battle with the City to farm the vacant land. Flint River Farm's process was documented last year in this video. Here's a little clip below.
So I continue to make the quilts, hoping that I can make at least one that shows new thinking over the old abandoned lots. If you know of an area that has bounced back, I'd love to share it. The quilts will be shown all together this June at Gallery Nord in San Antonio, TX in conjunction with the Surface Design Conference, Interface.
In the meantime, the article in Surface Design Journal can be read in its' entirety here. It's always a great magazine, but everyone seems to agree this issue is particularly good so I'm excited to be a part of it.
