from these hands...: 丸 Maru: Goldfish CIRCLES The Final PART III

Did you miss PART I: The Body and Kimono? LINK HERE

PART II: The Circles LINK HERE

PART III 丸 Maru: Goldfish

THE MINDSET

It has been a month since my last post about Maru 丸 and her process, and I find my spirit has become more aware of how I process and create my work. That is the beauty of art. It touches all of us.

The act of creating enriches our soul—if we let it. Beautiful things can happen if we fully engage with our craft, and I am not talking about just the end result. If captivated by our hearts, the piece will turn out magnificently without force or control. It is the deep love or passion of how we are creating.

The more I create, the more I must. It is my voice, and how clear and passionate it is completed depends on how engaged I am with the process, to begin with! And that is the beauty of the circle.

Once completed, it represents wholeness. There is now no beginning or end.

As an artist, I may not remember how I started my project, but when it is completed, I stand back and marvel at how this happened? That is the beauty of art. It has come through you, through your heart.

THE PROCESS

The Underskirt

The underskirt is an important part of this process. So much of art is based on intuitive feeling. For me, the fabric's visual and tactile touch lets me know if it is right for that part of the costuming.

This is what happened with the underskirt. Many years ago, I was gifted a vintage Vietnamese silk blouse. I had used a small section for another piece, but I knew this was exactly what I wanted for the underskirt.

The issue was that it had already been cut and shaped into a blouse.

This means I needed to disassemble it and cut it into squared-off pieces, estimating the length and width required. I had just enough!

All pieces are sewn back together to form one solid piece.

The lining is an orange silk dupioni.

The end product was exactly what I wanted!

I hope you understand that the engagement in the process made this piece "feel" different.

Each vintage piece, such as my kimonos, has the lingering happy energy of the last maker. I can feel and see it in the stitches as I remove them. It is a beautiful connection that carries in all its fullness to my piece.