bats and holiday flurries


this is the bat commission.... it has been an interesting journey to get to it. It was sparked by a tank paper piece - but in speaking with the person they really wanted the bats and not so much the tank.... and they wanted it on something a bit more stable than that school paper....but they also liked the colored squares.... hmmmm.... I had actually been thinking about what would happen if I removed the whole tank element anyway - so I was intrigued. I tried painting on the fabric (OK, I just miss painting sometimes) but that was a complete failure. I couldn't get the paper to sit well on the fabric, so then I knew it had to be fabric squares - but with out the tank just a plain fabric didn't seem right.... so out came the floral pattern (which happily reminds me of wallpaper). then came the bats (which are stitched w/ contrasting top and bobbin threads - my new favorite trick for subtle color shifts). and then into the frame and voila. I was actually amazed that I didn't miss the tank. Granted - it's a completely different narrative now, but that's OK. In fact I had been starting to get depressed by all the tanks (not the felt ones - those are still eerily cheery). But in listening to NPR all day while working and hearing about the war the tank has started to become weightier. Originally I felt like since I hadn't really started the tank pieces with a direct political agenda (political as in war political - obviously the feminist agenda was there from the start) that it was OK that they had sort of morphed and now held this other layer. Something has shifted though.... it's funny how this happens - it's sort of like things begin percolating and morphing.... I don't think the tanks are gone forever and ever, but I need a break. If somehow I manage to get some actual studio time in this insane holiday season I think I will start to develop the other stuff (as I've started to mention in previous posts).

speaking of holiday cheer - I finished making this year's holiday card last night.... I realize that there is this very funny part of me that now will just not capitulate even under exhaustion. Let's just say that I ended up punching out and gluing (with the aide of an exacto) 150 little pieces of confetti.... can you say obsessive.... is it tolerable because I realize this?? frankly I'm not sure. But I like how they look - so there!

this year's perpetual blizzard of holiday madness somehow seems a bit more taxing. is this the fate of aging with out children? somehow I have this mystical idea that christmas/hanukkah becomes glorious again when there are children involved. it's not that I dislike the season in theory - it's just that it seems like every year there is just a bit more... one more obligatory cocktail party - the decorations come out one day earlier (what happened to the post-Thanksgiving rule?) then there are these people: weewonderfuls , this crafty spot , and paper crane (where by the way I just purchased two adorable scarfs - one for me and one for my fabulous TA as a holiday gift). These girls are so crafty and busy and happy about it that on one hand I smile and get all giddy and on the other hand I wonder where they find all the time and energy.

and tomorrow is the last day of my Mills class. How bittersweet.... I'll try and post pictures and thoughts about this sooner rather than later.....

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