process of inspiration - part 2

  every couple of years, when it gets to be this season of pining for the sweet smells of new growth and earthy moss and budding fruit trees in the spring, i walk over to my huge old antique armoire and pull out the denim jacket that my grandmother mimi embellished with her own freehand embroidery designs, back in the mid 70's.  this incredible work of wearable art was something she spent god knows how many hours, days, weeks, months stitching for my uncle bob, who at that time was living the big city life in the skyscraper vista of lakeshore chicago.  thankfully, this incredible sampler has ended up in my hands, and on occasion when march rolls around, then turns in its feisty, fussy way into the promise of april, i'll pull it out of its wardrobe darkness and wear somewhere that has birdsong and open sunshine.  every single time i pull it out to hold and touch the garden stitched across every spot of this lowly denim garment, my mind flips out all over again.  i can't fathom the amount of hand labor that my grandmother invested in this piece.  i'm no textile expert, never have been, although i, myself, was wont to stitch a few chambray shirts for myself and for friends, back in my high school years; my stitches could never achieve this sort of precision, this spot-on depiction of flowers and leaves, insects, birds.  there is a butterfly, a grasshopper, a perfect hummingbird.  i stare at the wings of a bumblebee and shake my head in awe.  amazing.  to say that talent runs deep in my family is an understatement, as vain a sentence as this sounds; my own creative efforts pale when placed next to the work of my grandmother, my mother, my sister.  anything they ever did was art in its truest form - cooking, painting, sewing, basketry, needlepoint, doll making, knitting - anything, and everything.  on this rainy, dreary morning, even walter is taken with the glory of this true work of art.  i'm thankful that i have it as a reference sampler to which i can turn, when the longing for stitchwork strikes.  my own efforts pale, so pitifully, in comparison.  but the desire is there, and i feel my grandmother's spirit and encouragement guiding me whenever i take needle and embroidery floss to cloth, to books, to jewelry.
  all of this - the inherited histories, the way that i strive to express myself in all that i do, seems to be a continuous thread that has woven itself all through this life i live.  and i'm happy to say that i truly love what i do, no matter how much of a struggle it can be at times, no matter how much i worry or fret.  all in all, when i've come to a point where i can stand and look back - at my life and decisions that i've made, as well as at a finished piece of art - i am finally, when all is said and done, happy with the results. 

i must admit that i put a heavier burden on my little "blue skies" endeavor when i shared with all of you the various steps involved, up to a point.  i worried, when it came time to sit down at the studio table, rather than comfortably curled up on the sofa with needle and thread, that whatever, however the necklace design decided to become would not be worthy to display (for that is how it seems, more often than not; this work takes on a life of its own, much like a character in a novel).  i worry too much.  i love this crazy, glorious piece.
i love the primitive embroidery, the chipped, worn mother of pearl.  i love the crazy baroque pearl clouds, the glint of blue in peruvian topaz, the soft hazy sky blue of african opal layered with antique mother of pearl sequins.  the birds.  the soft glove leather backing, the notion of a blue sky dream.  the word "remembered", found randomly on a little studio shelf.
when i look at these photos, i smile - like a kindergarten student - and think, "i made this!".  i do.  and it came about in its own honest way - not by being 'inspired' by another similar piece, not by someone telling me what to do, not by throwing together random bits of vintage jewelry findings, but by lovingly creating focal components and then step by step, allowing my heart to lead the rest of the way.  by remembering and honoring my longings for lost arts and connection, by letting a sunny day lead me to needle and thread, by letting needle and thread stitch me into something that came out of the sky and the clouds and the views from my window, into here.  right here.  and that, dear reader, is how this piece was made - from the view up over the mountain, from the emotions that washed through me as i stood on the deck that blustery day, from the desire to pick up blue floss and aged linen, from allowing myself a little sunday quiet and turning it into what you see laid out there on the studio table.  a sweet story, i think, a fable of birdsong and blue skies.  so here's a tender nod to my brother ben, who loved, so much, the wizard of oz, and who would always call, without a word, whenever the movie was on tv and hold the receiver up so all i could hear was dorothy, singing her young heart out, to the black and white sky.  to me.  xo

"and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true"

(added note, in afternoon:  after walter and i went for a walk in wet woods, i came back for one last glance at the jacket before folding it to put in the bedroom chair.  something told me to peek inside a front chest pocket, where i was surprised and delighted to find a yellowed, creased index card with my grandmother's sketch of the flowers, with their proper names.  what a find.  what a gift...)

Comments

[carol]

what a gorgeous piece of art.....and such an inspirational post......things we all need to hear.....we all share so much, and especially the expectations we put on ourselves......and you so brilliantly can put it in words!!!! And, what a treasure of a jacket you have.....so so beautiful.....

[sandra]

you can wear the sky next to your heart. now that's what i call ornamental...

[sandra]

and...wear beautiful gardens on your back...denim blue skies,flowers, bees and so much more.

I get it.

[delila]

this jewelry piece is a beauty and so is the jacket! when i go to London i so long for a visit in the Tate museum filled with beautiful painting from the Pre-Raphaelite era. Your jewelries are art pieces, admired with awe.

[Erin Perry]

"Remembering and honouring" - what a wonderful phrase and what a perfect 3 word description of your art.
Erin in Morro Bay

[Marie Harcleroad]

This post has brought joy to my heart today.
Everything - your words and your photos - are so beautiful. Thank you.

Marie

[Tina in McLeansville]

there is so much beauty here i don't even know where to start! first of all...that jacket is leaps and bounds beyond awesome. it well may be one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen. "blue skies" is gorgeous....the embroidery on the page makes me smile and want to touch it. what treasures, what gifts have come to you through the ages...thank you for sharing.
seriously...that jacket...i just keep staring at it, shaking my head with my jaw dropped. whoo. hugs to you...xo

[Molly Vollmer]

Beautiful embroiderie in itself, but to do it so wonderfully on Denim!! What a treasure, including the secret message in the pocket. The necklace turned out perfect. I've always tried to design something in total, never thinking to do the focal points and letting it come together on it's own. Control freak - my worst enemy.

[kathy dorfer]

this is truly wonderful . the jacket is amazing . it makes me wish i had saved all my work from the 60's & 70's . and of course the necklace tells a story . thank you for a great post today .
xxoo

[susan]

Your blue skies necklace is just beautiful - so very special. I can't believe how it all came together so quickly, so perfectly - but then, you have such a unique and creative talent, Nina!
And your grandmother's jacket is amazing (and how thrilling to find that treasure in the pocket!).
Yes, talent does indeed run deep in your family. Thanks for sharing this.

xo dusan

[susan]

And what a precious memory of your brother Ben, to hold close to your heart.

xo dusan again

[julie whitmore]

Nina, do you ever wear the jacket? I hope you do....
absolutely gorgeous splendiferous necklace!
xx
julie

[kim]

now that is a pure treasure!!!

[Barbara]

i do mean this in the best reference....i see this stitching that took place so many years ago in it's elegance and probably had little or no pattern....that's all.

[herhimnbryn]

Your 'blue skies' necklace encompasses a whole 'Nina Moment'. A story that will live on and on. It truely is a beautiful work. xo

[Kathy VK]

sweet sweet gift.
thanks for sharing your process, your story, your self and for including me along the way.
love and blessings - kvk

[Sarah]

You are magic.

[Mary G.]

Nina -- Your posts yesterday and today are very inspirational. Such beauty. Reminds me of the William Morris quote: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

[Kim]

Oh Nina, you are so much more beautiful than you will ever know. Your heart is pure and your words calm the hunger in souls. Blue Skies turned out beautifully- perfection thank you for sharing. Thank you for just being you

[Jolene Hardy]

Beautiful and such talent in your family. I am finding that as well in my family, it is a cool thing to discover :)

Funky Monkey Girls,
Jolene

[Farmlady]

This necklace is really beautiful. I think it is because you let go of a bit of yourself when you gave someone some of your artistic process in a recent post.
When you give... it turns into beautiful... and that's what comes through in the necklace.
That a girl...

[Linda Byrd]

That jacket is unbelievably beautiful. I still long for my old jeans on which I embroidered daisies back in the early 70's, but my work was nothing compared to your grandmother's. What a treasure that jacket is!

[Lorraine]

What a beautiful treasure you have in that jacket! Amazing! I love the stitched sentiment on the journal cover... It really struck a cord with me. Your new piece is incredible and I can't wait to see more! Lovely post.

[Nancy Krampf]

sweet nina,
you gave an amazing lesson in creativity which can be expressed yet so hard to comprehend, but you gave a map ,directions and turn signals and longitude and latitude , and you gave insight into your world.
you gifted one who was brave enough to ask. and is this not what we are about, our herstory.
xxx0x00xxxxxx00xxxx000x

[Ailsa Willis]

Thankyou for showing us the beauty of your grandmother's and your own creativity and for sharing the process that results in such treasures. You're a treasure yourself and we appreciate your life enhancing posts!
Love and hugs.

[Robin Nowak]

hola mama!!!
you're talking about birds a lot these days.
the swallows returned today! their sweet bodies jetting through the air, a spiritual play day!! I have one tattooed on each shoulder, on my back. And old school one, and a new lifelike one. My son Niles read their meaning (for sailors) to me today. Amazing kismet.
you are so incredibly blessed to have that jacket. and the notes... what a gift!!
and your necklace--a breath of the skies...

[Carol Weiler]

Oh the necklace and the jacket- both so beautiful. Inspiration is truly everywhere. You teach us how to look for it. Thank you. CW

[Sophie]

Such beauty in your words, in the world you describe and the jewelery you create! Thank you for sharing all this poetry with us.

[Bonnie Moench]

Oh that jacket...I remember you showing it before and you are right, what a wonderful piece of art. I do remember the grasshopper it was glorious. I do think that your new necklace is one of my favourite pieces you have ever made. What a treasure.

xoxo
Bonnie

[dorylyn]

The jacket made my heart skip a beat! What a wonderful gift! And, I love your necklace too! I have the first dress my garandmother made me. Blue and white gingham, empire waist, short sleeved. Around the waist she hand stitched smocking. The stitches are beautiful. I, too, bring the dress out..smell it, touch it, remember.

[Susan]

I loved the necklace in the first image and largely because it was only a whisper of blue. But when the next image was of the back with "remembered" it became absolutely perfect because that was how my mind saw it first, as a whisper and a promise. In the tea room, I spend so many hours imagining those blue skies [and up to my elbows in chocolate and sugar] that it was pleasant to reminded that a "whisper and a promise" of them is still beautiful.

[Jamie V]

Beautiful jacket, beautiful stitching, beautiful necklace, beautiful treasures! Oh, my goodness!

xo Jamie V in MT

[mary]

Love that index card -- validation that the one's we love are always with us.

A small gift from beyond the veil.

[mary]

oops... should be "ones"

[vickie]

I loved reading about the history of creativity and talent that threads thru your family. And what a wonderful treasure you plucked from that jacket pocket!
vickie in kc

[velma]

oooh, lucky, lucky you, this is a wonderful find on top of a piece that happened in the right way. it's very beautiful, and to find your grandmother's key! this is what it's all about, when it all comes together!

[sally]

this is, perhaps, the best gift ever. The connection, the "red thread", we are sooooo lucky. I would have to consider sleeping with the jacket under my pillow just to see where it might lead.

[Robyn Ayaz]

Nina, I have looked at your work for years with awe and today I found your blog! What a wonderful treat - the jacket, the necklace, your generosity in sharing yourself> Perfect!

[Jacky Mcfarlane]

Just beautiful Nina, love the colours in your necklace and your small snippet of embroidery just says nina. What a treasure in you gorgeous jacket and finding that little note of her workings in her handwriting, priceless. xoxoxo

[Minnie]

Ahhhhh the divine magic always finds you.......and you share it with us.......your embroidered jacket, the blue sky, and the jewels that dance around your being somehow always find their way to our hearts.....

[Chris in WA]

Thank you Nina for sharing the treasured work of your Mimi with us. And always, for sharing yours. That jacket took my breath when clicking on the pictures so these aging eyes of mine could get a closer look. Simply beautiful.
The generation of our grandmothers carried such a strong needlework tradition and so many examples have been lost along the way. This treasure and its new found pocketed paper surprise are amazing examples of the love that created the piece and the loving path it has taken since. My grandmother began her career in the late 1800's as a seamstress, later working with furs and then into a retail business. However she never lost her love of needlework and precision. In her 90's she repaired a fur coat whose pelts had torn. Those tiny, perfect stitches were magic.
Thanks for the sharing and reminding.
Hugs, Chris

[Jan]

Such wonderful history and such powerful writing. I'm awestruck.

[Monica]

OH! What a wonderful gift to have found that scrap of paper describing the flowers your grandmother amazingly gorgeously embroidered onto that wonderful denim jacket!! This whole post is one beautiful work of art from one generation to another =-)

[Karen]

That jacket is spectacular! What a gift your grandmother made and what a gift to have you share it. It brings a smile and and represents life and all it's blessings!

[Mary Eva]

that jacket is AMAZING
what a treasure!