I have flatly decided not to do a post about Haiti. I am sure we all feel the same impotent horror about the situation. When I first heard about an earthquake there, my first thought was about
Rebecca Sower. She is an artist I admire greatly and she writes the first blog I ever followed. I am frankly infatuated with all things Rebecca. She has visited Haiti on missions efforts. Haiti is clearly a part of her heart and therefore her blog. She had just returned from Haiti and had been posting about the people she had fallen in love with. She doesn't talk about the work she does there for them, she posts about the love and joy the Haitians have given to her. She brought Haiti to me. I think she would be extremely proud of doing that. So when I heard about the destruction there my first thought was about how close we came to losing Rebecca. Small. Selfish. Egocentric. But there it is. I will not talk about my feelings that have evolved from that moment, but I will tell you to read Rebecca's blog for a tender look into Haiti and the lovely people there.
I will also tell you about Rebecca and how she has touched me. I was given a link to her blog about a year ago by
Jemellia. I became smitten by her work as has the world. She is well known in her field of ephemera and collage. I love the Internet so much because you can admire someone, get to know them and also purchase their work. I bought an art quilt pendant from her last March. It was packaged lavishly and sweetly.
The pendant is so lovely and delicate yet durable.
Jemellia and I went to
Silver Bella in November and took both of the Sower classes offered. We loved just looking at her. When you admire someone and then get to take their class, work with their materials and have them right there to answer questions...it is...I am unable to describe it. I was star struck. She is so willowy and soft spoken, sweet, delicate but also firmly grounded and exudes a kind of glow and quiet confidence. I esteem her. We just loved looking at the simple way she wore her apron. This just made Jemellia and I swoon. The twist on those straps...
We took her Cigar Box Assemblage class. Here is the kit. It was so hard to open it. I just really wanted to be present for the three hours we got to be in that class. I knew how precious that time was and how it would affect me. It is a snow globe in my mind, I can return to it, give it a shake and feel shiny.
For this piece, I used little photographs of my family. Rebecca said something about not having borrowed relatives.
Look how pretty the final product was. This is the sign of a great instructor. We were all able to complete a high quality piece of art.
The next class was the Hodge Podge Journal. She is known for her assemblages and for her quirky little journals. Another kit. Open it Robin, just open it...
Along the way..
My journal remains unfinished. I only want to go back to the kit and materials when I have the time to really be there. It is a way to connect with how much that woman's work inspires me. I want to honor that. I know that sounds so, kinda like, I need a real friend or something. But, I enjoy having an elusive love like this with her. It doesn't need to make sense to anyone else.
On vendor night she was right next to our
2 Birds In A Pod booth. While that must have been a bit of a disapointment to Ms. Sowers, we were thrilled just to watch her work. So calm. Such class. Oh and her apron. Just...hugable.
Seriously, we look a little alike right? A little? Look how puffed up I am next to her. What a joy. Really, what fun.
Thank you for getting to this point with me. Now you know how I feel about Rebecca Sower. Reading her
posts about the Haitians she loves makes me realize how founded my admiration for her truly is.
