ellen

We don't think that often about the ancestors we've never met, unless they were somehow heroic, victimized, or had a story that was captured in the news or became family lore. We just didn't know them. In my Message in a Bottle series, I'm exploring connections across people, generations, time and memories using the metaphor of what's been captured and held and shaken and stirred in that bottle of a life and a family - and what comes forth as memories, feelings and ways of being. This started after my father passed away last year and I began incorporating fragments of the thousands of letters/postcards he wrote to me, plus fragments of letters he wrote to his mother, plus those his father (whom I never met) to his mother as a soldier in WWII. This is an ongoing exploration. We'll see where it goes but already it's led to laughter, tears and a sense of connection -- even to those I never met and those who came  before them. If you're interested in exploring this idea with fragments from your own family or relationships, reach out. Let's talk about whether I might dream up something for you! Perhaps a message is waiting.

I don't mean to dismiss the hardships that are being faced. At all. I want to acknowledge them. But I also want to give a shout out to all the creatives who have kept on keeping on during this difficult season, despite the loss of venues and forums and audiences and clients and income. It's been so inspiring to hear how others rise above to continue their craft or emerge stronger or find inspiration to create and express themselves. For me, it comes down to beauty. If I can create something beautiful from the soul, then perhaps that beauty can travel to its rightful destination - the heart and soul of another human who is touched, or moved, or excited or soothed. Without our usual physical connection, art can help us still have a deep and meaningful rapport. One that binds us together through our mutual humanity. "Seeking Connection" 10" x 10" Acrylic on Canvas  

Art is physical. And so is life. I felt this so intensely this last 6 months during which I dealt with a shoulder injury, surgery and recovery. I tore my bicep tendon and the sheath that (should) holds into pace. My shoulder. My right arm. My painting, ironing, steaming, art, well...life...arm. Now that I'm coming out the other side I am so grateful for the ability of the body to heal. For the friends and family and village of support. I'm getting ready to come back out and who knows what new ideas will prosper and what paths will be followed. I do know that it's time to get back on the bus. I mean it showed up at my house, so who's to argue?

All weekend I said to customers, "welcome to my boutique at the de Young Museum." Yes, it was a bit glib...but a bit true.  I'm proud to say that my work caught the attention of the de Young Museum curators of the Annual Artwear event and I was invited to share my work along with a hand-selected group of 18 designers of textiles and jewelry from the Bay Area.  The museum store's prestigious event has been going strong for 10 years. One of SF's main fine arts museum, the de Young has quite an amazing history (a woman was behind it all) and a beautiful current life. It celebrates the finest of art...and is one of the few museums to also hold textiles in high esteem. My image was also selected as the promotional image for the entire event. What a delight!

Already hearing the Christmas elves? The songs are starting to play in my head, as is the consumerism behind it. As a designer and someone who is bound by the flow of the market, it's tough not to get caught by the daze of holly and holly's friends. If it gets to be too much too soon, opt to pause for a moment of beauty, a galvanizing conversation with an old friend, or a walk in nature. Never too much of that to go around.

Glamorous - right? That's what we think of when someone says 'photoshoot'. Well, I'm here to tell you. It's not. When talented people come together to make something beautiful, or edgy, or artful, or whatever...it's ultimately a commercial enterprise. Long hours. Somethings (many things, actually) go wrong. And you don't always get what you want. Time is not on your side! But still, there are moments when you get more than you want. Way more.  

The world is catching on. Collaboration may be the ticket to competitive advantage. You see it in business more and more often. It's been done for a long time in the arts - fashion designers collaborating with artists, photographers etc. It's happening in technology too. Each side leverages the strength of the other to create something greater than the whole. That's what I do when partnering -- err collaborating -- as well. For me, my textile designs offer potential partners a leg up --they get a very distinctive look and feel. I'm the only one in the world creating designs that look like...well..my designs.  You'll soon see the results of my first official collaboration with another designer. We're creating the 'Human' collection - a capsule collection of garments made by Rachel Riot from fabrics I've painted by hand. Why Human? More on that later.