Back to It

Well, it's not exactly a return from the wilderness, but here I am. Summer lasted its normal amount of time in spite of the temperature yesterday being a tropical 18 C., scary for the end of October in the Pacific Northwest. No, I dragged my heels getting back to the blog for all kinds of reasons. I moved and am still unpacking, I had a show, I was spiritually drained by work at Ye Old Liquor Shoppe and worried about the state of the world. But most of all, I needed to reconsider my relationship to the internet and figure out if blogging is still relevant.

Things have changed since I started True Stitches back in 2006. Blogging then was an exciting and seemingly liberating way to contribute to the whole human discussion. Suddenly I could connect with people like me (and odd ducks we are), people whose talents were inspiring and whose words were encouraging. Over the years the blogging world became monetized and more of platform for selling one's stuff or blowing one's horn - even corporations had blogs. And then there came Instagram and other short and sweet ways to connect. My favourite bloggers kept on, bless you all.

I happen to enjoy writing and taking photographs, and True Stitches was a great place to document my work and thought processes, and hopefully entertain my dear readers along the way. Creating the posts gave me great pleasure and satisfaction, and I certainly missed that over this (extended) past summer. So many times I found myself staring at the computer, clicking in vain hope that I might find some amusement or earth-shattering revelation. I had become a mere consumer of the internet, passive and overwhelmed. My mind became duller, my thoughts uninspired.

I did spend (probably too much) time on Facebook. Like a magpie, I posted all kinds of shiny  thoughts and poorly edited photos in a superficial effort to stay in touch (and amuse my brother Dave, whose wit and word crafting powers far surpass my own.) Facebook is fine for such stuff, and you are certainly welcome to be my friend there, but I need something more in depth.

So I have to get back to it. My posts may not be as frequent, but will hopefully be a bit meatier. I need the discipline, and I need the connection. I need to feel that I am creating, not just consuming. Hope you will pop in for a visit whenever you like.

And one last thing: here's the piece I did this summer. It's called Seigneury, and measures 9 1/2 feet wide and 24" high.

Featuring the domestic animals of the Codex Canadensis, and a quote from Proverbs, it reflects the strategy of  the 17th C. French empire to colonize the New World. I'll post more detail next time.