As I travel my path as an artist and a person who is listening carefully to my soul, I found that I needed expand my art and share this journey...
So where would that take me and my beloved students?
I found that I had to stop, take a deep breath, and listen to myself...to my soul...and hear what it was telling me...
“Art
is when you hear a knocking from your soul
...
and you answer.”
~Terri
Guillemets
It was telling me loud and clear to share my love of hats and the symbolism that communes with them...and with that I had to stop again, and ask questions and hear the answers...
“Art
is a collaboration between God and the artist,
and
the less the artist does the better.”
~André
Gide
It is in the stillness that the answers will come to you...it becomes so obvious that you wonder why it took you so long to get it!
“The
whole culture is telling you to hurry,
while
the art tells you to take your time.
Always
listen to the art.”
~Junot
Diaz
As I shared the direction my soul was going with my students in CA last year, they were receptive of creating a hat for a workshop project...it was there in that amazing connection that Kathy came up with the name "My Happiness Hat"!
Of course!!! My Happiness Hat.
I thought about which materials I would use outside of fabric but still having the "hand" of fabric. Paper...but no ordinary paper. It had to be as thoughtful as my fabrics I use. It had to have the quality that I am known for...it had to be different from what is usual.
I consider paper to be a sister of fabric. I have created in both for many of my artistic life.
Now...which flowers to bring to life in paper...
Now...which flowers to bring to life in paper...
Lily and Peony...soulful and delicate.
Here my Story Hats© in fabric.
Lily = Love
Peony = Peace
I was excited to create these for a class...
In creating this hat...from paper, I felt that the details where just as important and meaningful as in my one of a kind Story Hats©.
As you well know, I am about the details of my pieces. I find that each step is very important in creating a quality piece.
So I looked at each element of the hat. The Petals, leaves, hat base exterior and interior.
I thought about the design of each...with one focal flower as in my original pieces.
And of course how would each flower relate to my students or potential buyer of these beauties.
I chose my paper carefully and ended up with a heavier weight designer crepe paper. It differs from the usual craft store paper in weave, quality of paper used, and in thickness. I also decided to mix my papers using a fine quality card stock for the leaves. The Hat base exterior was made from easy accessible card stock paper that my students could find, this way they could add their own touch into it. The interior was made from nice thicker wrapping paper and/or museum quality papers I found online.
Closely related to my fabric petals, where I dye the fabric, with the paper petals I bleached the ends.
Fabric Petals
Paper Petals
Fabric Petals and Leaf
Paper Flowers and Leaf
Interiors
Fabric Interior
Paper Interior
I feel as an artist that it is important to do things with the same intentions and care, no matter what your project is.
Here are the Paper Hats...My Happiness Hats I created!
* Love: Lily 百合
The Lily symbolizes “forever in love” and is often associated with summer, abundance and luck. Used as a lucky charm, the Lily is known to avert the effects of the “evil eye.” The Lily hat is blessed with love and the power of warmth.
* Peace : Peony 牡丹
The Chinese name for peony means “beautiful”. The flowers represent riches, prosperity and honor.Peonies embody romance and prosperity and are regarded as an omen of good fortune and a happy marriage. They are also considered as a symbol for nobility and honor in full bloom, the peony symbolizes peace.
I will be teaching My Happiness Hat
Piecemakers Costa Mesa CA
April 22-23, 2017
...and as a bonus if you take the class you will be able to attend my Story Hat Presentation with the price of the class...I will talk about the presentation in my next blog!
I'm also very excited to share with you my work through a 2 hour slide show presentation of my work. I will discuss my work in detail and answer any questions about my work!
Not able to make the class
Sunday April 23 will be the presentation
2pm-4pm
