What I once thought of as tasks that would provide me a distraction while waiting...for the train, the bus, at the post, in the clinic, in the classroom, while the baby is sleeping....have become a true love that gives me an exciting exploration of and connection to tasks as old as Eve covering her nakedness. As ancient as fishing. An old fashioned industry that answers my penchant for modern innovation.
Home is where my heart is, in Berkeley, California.
These works reward my life with a meditative quality as well as a connection to others because I often do my work on public transportation or in public space. Many people offer stories of their grandmother's or mother's needle work, they recall back to days when they learned to knit as a child, when it was still considered a valuable skill. The stories that arise often lead to philosophical conversations about love and purpose, teaching me so much about life and living. I am grateful for these poignant times, at the knees of strangers that I consider lifelong friends.
I am delighted to be part of the tradition of women's work which, in many cases has been so mechanized that we hardly know we can do it by hand and enjoy the benefit of the process. it is almost impossible to explain those benefits because they are so personal and internally felt. Nonetheless, I do believe that this handwork translates, however mysteriously, the joy of making, to others who value handmade things.
