One word really, Stemitil... a mighty fine chemical save for the small fact it took the whole week for it to truly 'catch' my body and the fallout meant that any sort of concentrated activity save that of travelling speedily to bathroom if I could work out where the floor was seemed the only kind I had energy to entertain.
However, along with bucket, fluffed up pillows and hot water bottle the latest copy of 'embroidery' travelled with me and always I found much within its covers to enchant, educate and excite. It's a very slow process trying to read as the vertigo attack disipates but means that each sentance and paragraph does get read and re-read :0) I really enjoy this magazine for the always good images and thoughtful articles. This is not a how-to magazine, not one vast advert for a particular must-do craft but a thoughtful wide ranging exploration of different artists practice. It is always fascinating to 'hear' how an artist sees the process they engage in and how others interpret it.
As someone who cannot travel to many exhibitions I am pleased that this magazine offers reviews and glimpses to places I find it difficult to reach in person. That it also lets me know of exhibitions within the maximum 50 mile radius I can consider is also reason to have my diary handy when I read it.
One of the artists in the January/February issue is Paulina Ortiz who I knew nothng about before. She has a website HERE, worth a look I'd say. Her work may not be what some people would consider or expect to come under the umbrella of embroidery but for me it is an expression of the connections found with others and oneself when thread in watever form is worked with as a language. There's a quote in the article from historians Elaine Hedges and Ingrid Wendt which cetainly got addedto my notebook "For women, the meaning of sewing and knotting is 'connecting' - connecting the parts of ones life, and connecting to other women - creating a sense of community and wholeness"
As I'm almost upright again, with the usual starboard list I am hopeful that the coming week will find me continuing hands on work but cannot really say this past week was a complete blank page as thought, some reading and even a few notes went on... between other less welcome activity:0(
