Verbatim


I think I'm done.

It was very therapeutic.

And I learned a few things.

1. A sewing machine can be a stalwart friend.
2. Sweetness and sourness can co-exist.
3. A free motion foot is a tricky thing.
4. I see better without my glasses.
5. Pushing my comfort zone was very satisfying.

I think I will call this piece "Verbatim", because all the words were written down unedited.

Added January 31: I shouldn't be so flippant about what I learned. I think I was avoiding the truth, which would be contrary to my primary directive, which is to be truthful.

It's just that I have learned a lot of painful things this past month (some good things too, like friends that I can trust are worth their weight in gold.)My powers of observation, which I have been rather proud of, are totally fallible. I was bamboozled by words of adoration. I wouldn't treat my worst enemy the way I allowed myself to be treated. I tripped all over myself in a rush to forgive a certain person, when I should have been forgiving myself.

Anyway, enough of a wallow. Onwards and upwards.

It's not all black and white of course.

Comments

  1. I like it. I'm new to True Stitches, and I really enjoyed reading the process of making the piece.

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  2. Yesterday I had to travel up to town (London UK) for a course. I grabbed a book to read on the train "daughter Buffalo" by Janet Frame. There at the bottom of page 29 I saw:

    Language, at least, may give up the secrets of life and death, leading us through the maze to the original Word as monster or angel, to the mournful place where we may meet Job and hear his cry,

    How long will you vex my soul
    and break me in pieces with words?

    I immediately thought of your current piece of work.

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  3. This is fascinating to follow. I can imagine the catharsis for you. So many of us have been the victims of cruel words.

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  4. Hi Heather. It is fascinating and moving to follow your process in creating this piece. You describe it as personal therapy, but I think it also works well as a stand-alone work of art (that speaks for itself and can resonate with viewers who do not know the back-story). It feels as if the words you have stitched on the fabric (both the hurtful and the uplifting/affirming ones) are giving voice to the lives (joys and pains) of the silent women of the past whose embroidery you've joined together. It also feels to me that the work of your hands and heart has created a kind of sisterhood or network of solidarity between the embroiderers, you, and the viewers across time and space. :)

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  5. Anonymous11:22 PM

    Hi there,

    I've been fermenting your latest work for a little while. I looked at it and then really couldn't pin my thoughts down so didn't write anything right away. There's just so much of you in it. I did however, tell a friend that they should check it out because it is very powerful and powerful art doesn't get born every day. When I tried to decribe your work to this friend I called it a Mega-Doily. She laughed. I guess that's as close as I'm going to get to your work with my limited vocabulary. I can see both the fragility of the material and the Godzilla-like fierceness of the language. It sets up a wonderful cognitive dissonance which leaves me speechless. It's a great piece Heather.

    Jean-Pierre

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  6. It's just getting better and better, hon'!

    Of course nothing is really black and white. That would be thinking like the BPD, wouldn't it?

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  7. This is really wonderful work! Man, I am just speechless over this piece....

    Wow.

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