If I asked you to use a word or a phrase to describe my aesthetic, I have no doubt that an adjective like ‘intricate’ or an expression such as ‘detail-oriented’ would pop up. Once interviewed for a TV segment, I was asked by the host if I knew the Latin phrase ‘horror vacui’. I didn’t. It means fear of empty spaces. I could see why she wondered. I love delving into the minutest designated area and filling it, whether it’s wool and beads, or wax and dye.

 

 

I am currently preparing to get my artistry into the media, so I become easy to find. My job is to share my story and designs with the press. It’s no wonder then, according to the Zen saying ‘wherever you go, there you are,’ that I’ve applied this meticulousness to researching publications to represent my work on their pages.

To accomplish this, I purchased a media list consisting of 1500 names, email addresses, titles, and social media links for editors and writers in the field of home décor. I mapped out time on my calendar to click on every name, visit their social media channels, and make notes about whether my talent and their publication are a fit.

I deleted those who hadn’t posted on Instagram in several months or who featured babies or cocktails regularly in their feed. ‘Not my audience,’ I deduced. It took the better part of two weeks to cull the list down to 64 relatable names.

The next step was to send an introductory email, which I’ve done six times so far. The feedback from those I’ve reached out to has been positive, including an invitation for a spring ’23 feature article (which took up my designated media outreach time) in a fantastic publication that promotes women creators. More on that when it’s no longer hush-hush.

To ignite my soul to accomplish this nitty-gritty job, it’s imperative for me to get out of my studio and replenish myself with inspiring people and sights. Remember reading about the woman on Whidbey Island who taught me how to dye? She and her husband had an art opening on November 12^th displaying their collaborative efforts using fabrics dyed with apple leaves found during a residency in Denmark. During my August trip to WA, Elin and Lasse were experimenting with the overlapping layers of dyed silks, cottons and organza. The finished wall hangings were breathtaking.

 

 

Getting to Fall River was a challenge (living in NYC, I have no car), but, the abridged version is that a good friend wanted to visit Old Sturbridge Village, and I proposed a field trip for the two of us that turned out to be a mutually satisfying adventure.

Sturbridge was even more enriching than I’d imagined. The employees, dressed in garb to match the 1830’s vibe that surrounds them, provide background on arts such as sheep-shearing, dyeing wool, weaving, etc.

Before heading to MA for Elin and Lasse’s exhibit, I knew I’d better have at least one session dyeing on my own to demonstrate that I’d assimilated what she’d taught me in August. Honestly, I might have let all those purchases: the canning pot and jars, the dyes and chemicals collect dust without this deadline. Now, I’m thrilled to report, I’ve had two experiences dyeing in my apartment, and I love what I’m producing. It gets easier each time, as does anything we learn and repeat.

 

 

It’s good to know one’s own modus operandi. Since precision has been my process for all these decades, I’m glad that I have embraced it and that it is serving me well.

What I’m working on:

Seeing a retrospective on Kandinsky several months ago at the Guggenheim filled my well for a while. “Around the Circle” particularly spoke to me. I’ve named my new framed piece: Kandinspo. Below are a few steps of my artistic process.