June 19, 2018
It has been over a year since I posted anything, but I found myself writing a poem after reading about the 'family separations' that are taking place. I hope it speaks for itself.
AT THE BORDER
I was instructed
not to touch them
except to change
or dress them,
the little ones,
not to touch them
when they wept
and called for mama
and sometimes papa,
cried over and over.
I followed orders
even though it was
hard not to hug
or stroke them
I know the damage
of comfort forbidden.
If and when they are
reunited with families
they will be broken,
I am broken also.
weepingcrow studio
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Wednesday, February 01, 2017
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
January 31, 2017
Here is another of my unsolicited comments on what our country is going through. It is based on a poster I made in 2014.
Here is another of my unsolicited comments on what our country is going through. It is based on a poster I made in 2014.
I was also struck this morning by the coincidence that my blog (and business) is called Weeping Crow Studio. I do feel like weeping with concern and alarm at what appear to be threats to a way of life which isn't perfect, but is something precious.
Monday, January 30, 2017
January 30, 2017
I've decided to use my blog to express my thoughts and feelings about what is happening to our country. That includes some poetry I have written. Mostly I haven't written political poetry, but it seems called for at this time. This one was inspired by a news clip about Aleppo.
I've decided to use my blog to express my thoughts and feelings about what is happening to our country. That includes some poetry I have written. Mostly I haven't written political poetry, but it seems called for at this time. This one was inspired by a news clip about Aleppo.
As
it rains on a street in syria
The people move slowly; in cold
weather clothing.
They might be strolling except each
adult carries a duffel bag;
Some balance sleeping bags on their
heads;
each child wears a back-pack except
one very small child
who wears a pink hat with a
pom-pom.
It’s clear they are together; but
they spread out from one another.
In the rubble that spreads to the
horizon
shattered apartment buildings reveal
their bones.
The images are on TV and computer
screens,
many showing the violence as it
happens
taken at grave danger for those who
send them.
I witness these refugees and feel
as helpless
as if they were fleeing centuries
ago instead of now,
this very day toward America’s closing
doors.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
February 24, 2016
I'm adding the second and third of my Library Book series which I finished in January 2016.
Here are some views of #2.
I luckily was able to obtain an old dictionary which I cannibalized for the cover and can use in my next series. The shelves this time were made by a kind fellow at Haystack who whipped it up for me in the Wood Studio.
And here is #3, finally! The first three images are of the maquette I made to plan out the final product. This piece was fun because I found I was moved to make a kind of pop-up to convey what I wanted. To me it is an book in honor of the branch library in Cleveland where I spent time as a young child. It was small and friendly. The librarian was relatively kind - that is not judgmental - as I felt most adults were at that time.
As you can see it came out fairly close to what I had planned, for which I'm thankful.
This whole project took about three years to complete. I was making the small books in early 2013 and finally finished the final book in January of 2016. It was a process of making hundreds of small books without a clear idea of how I would use them. I did have a tray for holding type that I wanted to use as it made me think of book shelves. But otherwise I was just in love, obsessed, whatever you call it, with making the small books.
Then I was lucky enough to be part of the first Open Studio Residency at Haystack Mountain School of Craft which gave me the confidence to hang on to my blurry vision of incorporating the miniature books into a series of larger books that honored libraries.
I'm adding the second and third of my Library Book series which I finished in January 2016.
Here are some views of #2.
I luckily was able to obtain an old dictionary which I cannibalized for the cover and can use in my next series. The shelves this time were made by a kind fellow at Haystack who whipped it up for me in the Wood Studio.
And here is #3, finally! The first three images are of the maquette I made to plan out the final product. This piece was fun because I found I was moved to make a kind of pop-up to convey what I wanted. To me it is an book in honor of the branch library in Cleveland where I spent time as a young child. It was small and friendly. The librarian was relatively kind - that is not judgmental - as I felt most adults were at that time.
As you can see it came out fairly close to what I had planned, for which I'm thankful.
This whole project took about three years to complete. I was making the small books in early 2013 and finally finished the final book in January of 2016. It was a process of making hundreds of small books without a clear idea of how I would use them. I did have a tray for holding type that I wanted to use as it made me think of book shelves. But otherwise I was just in love, obsessed, whatever you call it, with making the small books.
Then I was lucky enough to be part of the first Open Studio Residency at Haystack Mountain School of Craft which gave me the confidence to hang on to my blurry vision of incorporating the miniature books into a series of larger books that honored libraries.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Memorial Day
May 25, 2015
Seems a good time to send out images of what I've been making over last year or so.
This is the first completed of what I call my Library series.
I have standing by at least one more library not yet completed. It seems the most challenging part is chosing the presentation phase. The inspiration/statement I was trying to embody has to do with the transitions libraries are going through and what I've experienced as a devaluing of libraries.
Making lots of little books for me is much easier, indeed is joyous and doesn't present that old issue of what is "the best way" to do something.
For year 2015 I decided to follow the book by Franz Zeier called Books, Boxes and Portfolios. I made one box and between the internet and some other inspiring books abandoned his book and went down the way of origami. I've been exploring two of its paths: making small boxes so that the accordion books inside will pop out - a book in a box and making rosaries.
I may need to explore video techniques to develop the popping books, so I've set that aside for now and have been making rosaries of paper orgami formed beads. They are big and for some reason I get a great kick out them. My friends in The Time Project also seemed to like them.
Here's the first.
It's hanging on the door to illustrate its size. I have made a smaller one but that's not as much fun for some reason.
I'm not sure if anyone will read/see this, but it helps me to organize my thoughts--to look back and also plan ahead.
That's all for now.
May 25, 2015
Seems a good time to send out images of what I've been making over last year or so.
This is the first completed of what I call my Library series.
I have standing by at least one more library not yet completed. It seems the most challenging part is chosing the presentation phase. The inspiration/statement I was trying to embody has to do with the transitions libraries are going through and what I've experienced as a devaluing of libraries.
Making lots of little books for me is much easier, indeed is joyous and doesn't present that old issue of what is "the best way" to do something.
For year 2015 I decided to follow the book by Franz Zeier called Books, Boxes and Portfolios. I made one box and between the internet and some other inspiring books abandoned his book and went down the way of origami. I've been exploring two of its paths: making small boxes so that the accordion books inside will pop out - a book in a box and making rosaries.
I may need to explore video techniques to develop the popping books, so I've set that aside for now and have been making rosaries of paper orgami formed beads. They are big and for some reason I get a great kick out them. My friends in The Time Project also seemed to like them.
Here's the first.
It's hanging on the door to illustrate its size. I have made a smaller one but that's not as much fun for some reason.
I'm not sure if anyone will read/see this, but it helps me to organize my thoughts--to look back and also plan ahead.
That's all for now.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
December 16 2014
Have to make a correction to my saying in my last post that my Old Woman Reading was inspired by a Rembrandt. It seems that that painting was by a contemporary and friend of his named Jan Lievens. Rembrandt did also paint more than one Old Woman Reading, but I think the one Sister Wendy Beckett discussed is by Lievens.
Have to make a correction to my saying in my last post that my Old Woman Reading was inspired by a Rembrandt. It seems that that painting was by a contemporary and friend of his named Jan Lievens. Rembrandt did also paint more than one Old Woman Reading, but I think the one Sister Wendy Beckett discussed is by Lievens.
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