Beautyberry's Best Season

The shrub was given to me, dug up from a friend's garden that required space for other plants.  The tiny white blooms are pleasant, and the big, bright green leaves are nice, but my favorite part of the year with my American beautyberry is autumn when it boasts these vibrant, purple berries.
I had big plans to dye yarn with them this year, but have found mixed reviews about whether or not the purple pigment from the fruit's outer coating is actually released or if the neutral toned flesh inside dictates the resulting hue.  Fact sheets about Callicarpa indicate that the berries have been used to extract a purple dye for fabric.  I have found little online about actual experiences with using the berries for dye, and one of the accounts I came across indicated that it was a bit of a disappointment.  With that in mind, I've decided to defer to next year.
My beautyberry is one of my favorite plants, and I can't bring myself to strip the branches of their ornamentation - especially when I'm so close to adding it to my own landscape!  Upon moving into the new house, I do plan to propagate some new plants from seed to plant around the yard, so next year I should have enough that I won't miss them.  Do you have any experience with using this species to dye with?

I Love October

October is by far my favorite month of the year.  Aside from our wedding anniversary, the month has just always brought refreshment and comfort to me for as long as I can remember.  Maybe it's because of how much I dislike the heat of summer.  Maybe it's because everything becomes so vibrantly colorful... Or maybe it's just that change has come about.. we need that every once in a while, you know?  J and I went to a pumpkin farm this past weekend to harvest a few of these little guys for our porch.  Disregard the windswept hair.  On another note, my tights are actually mustard colored - no, I did not go to the pumpkin patch to be all matchy-matchy.  It was fun to get a little bundled up on a chilly morning and do festive things, however.
Another exciting event will occur this fall-- we are purchasing our first home!  I will wait to post any photos until after the closing date, which is in late November.  All I will say for now is that it's in town and on a lot that's over half an acre, so I see a lot of tree planting, garden building, fire pit making, and beekeeping in my future!
Happy Fall, friends.  What do you love most about this time of year?

 

Honeybee Activity

Several months ago I posted about the bee colony living in a huge hackberry tree in my neighborhood.  At the time I was excited about the amount of activity I was seeing; however, that activity was nothing compared to now.  The mild weather this summer must have really benefitted our neighborhood honeybee colony.  This comes as a huge relief since Colony Collapse Disorder places a veil of uncertainty over the longevity of any bee colony.  Needless to say, it fills me with joy to walk by and see something like this.  Keep on keepin' on, little guys!  Pollinate the heck out of things!  Live life to the max!  If I could fist bump a honeybee with no ill effects (to either of us), I would.

Saprobia || Introduction

The biota of a forest ecosystem continuously adapts in a self sustaining cycle ofgrowth, reproduction, decline, and renewal. Trees originate from tiny, energy packed seeds - an acorn, a legume. As it grows, a tree is consistently supported by rich mineral soil and moisture retained by organic matter. While debris falls due to conditions surrounding an individual plant, it takes on new life on the floor to impact all other organisms extending their roots to that locale. Broken down by saprobic organisms, trees that lose vitality become the insulation that provides security for water uptake by other trees’ roots. They become the minerals that nourish plants for generations forward. Life feeds life, and all parts of the ecosystem support each other in the continuity of ecology, perhaps in a different form but always present.

Rain Does Wonderful Things

August in Oklahoma normally means everything is dry, brown and on its way into dormancy.  We've had way more rain this summer than in the past couple of years (really, that's an understatement), and warm temperatures with a lot of moisture equals fungi!  Here are some little scenes I got really giggly geeking out over last weekend when I was foraging for my Momentum Tulsa installation.  I need to look up the red ones from the second to last photo.  Some knitting might be in order for those...

 

 

 

Unleashing Your Creativity

Following patterns, templates and tutorials can fulfill a creative need while helping you to hone an artistic skill.  There's only so much you can take from it mentally, however.  Skill-wise it can be great practice, but when relying on another person's instruction you lose the innovation, spontaneity and scale of creativity that comes from improvisation or original construction.  Even if you've always been a paint by numbers kind of person, you can find a way to create something that was conceptualized and developed all on your own.  Here are some tips for "unleashing your creativity" that are related to my own experience.

1. Identify your skill

I've always been interested in art/craft, but have to admit that I'm not that great at drawing and painting. Knitting became my strongest creative skill in my 20's, but I had never done anything beyond knitting accessories and garments from patterns in books with step by step instructions.  It hadn't occurred to me until a few years ago that I could do more with my skill than just follow a pattern.  Even if you don't know how to use your skill for something larger creatively, just open your mind to the possibilities.  An idea may come.

2. Develop a concept that you are passionate about.

Once you identify your medium, you have to figure out what to do with it!  It's easy to mimic the trends out there (and there are a lot of them), but the best work comes from developing a concept that you're passionate about - something that means something to you.  Even if you want your piece to be simply aesthetic, go with an idea that you think is great... not one that you only chose because you thought others would like it.  If you're passionate about the subject/concept of your work, you will be more likely to finish and to produce something of high quality.

3. Open your eyes to inspiration.

Inspiration is all around us.  As I really like to communicate through my work, even the tiniest details in nature hold inspiration if we stop to contemplate them.  Stop to observe a leaf that was skeletonized by an insect, or the patterns of decay in a fallen limb.  Pay attention to your surroundings, things in the urban environment and the creativity around you.  There are inspirational muses all around us if we take the time to notice them.

4. Surpass your perceived limitations.

Creativity is a mind-expanding experience.  I used to make things because they were functional.  I also used to have wild ideas that would have been amazing to see created, but I would think "nah..." and let the slip away.  Now I embrace my ideas.  I keep a journal on hand just to write them down for later.  The good thing about indulging your imagination is that ideas keep coming!  You start to get inspired and pretty soon you have more ideas than you have time to execute.  Don't let your own personal reservations keep you from pursuing a great concept.  Try to think outside the box, and on a regular basis, do something "just because".  Let your reason be, "why not?"

5. Experiment!

Interested in trying a technique but you're not sure how it will turn out?  Try it!  You might be surprised, and if it doesn't turn out at least you know what doesn't work.  By removing your reservations toward not meeting your expectations, or better yet, removing your expectations altogether, you open yourself to compromise and flexibility.  If you're a Type A personality like me, this will be difficult but all the more rewarding.  This brings us to the next point... following your instincts mentally and creatively.

6. Go with your gut!  Not everything has to be planned.

When I was preparing for my Decomposition: Colony installations, I obviously knew what the pieces of my installation looked like, but I had NO idea how the overall installations would turn out.  I didn't know what the site would look like, what I would install the pieces into or if I would find something that would work at all.  Finally on that day as I climbed up the fern enclosed trail to what would become Colony I, a lot was left to chance.  I took a deep breath, took my time, and just went to work.  It was almost like a stream of consciousness as I put each little mushroom in place.  I didn't second guess myself, and just continued on it with purpose.  It wasn't planned.  I just did it.  I did what felt right.  In the end I couldn't have been happier with the result.

7. Do the work.

Sometimes it's unfortunate, but I know from time to time I will get into a funk and it's hard to find the motivation to start on anything.  As Steven Pressfield talks about in The War of Art, the best way to get inspired to keep working is to just start doing the work.  Even if you don't feel like it, make yourself get going.  Chances are that you will find inspiration along the way and that initial work (even if you're not crazy about the result) will lead to more work.

8. Not a trained artist?  Don't worry about it!

If you don't have a degree in art it's easy to waste energy worrying about whether you belong in the art world.  Maybe you haven't taken an art class in a very long time.  Maybe you don't have formal training or experience with art critique.  Perhaps the word "artist" makes you feel self conscious.  Rather than allow yourself to be constantly riddled with anxiety, just don't worry about it.  As far as labels go, just leave them alone.  Just be you, and just do what you do.  If you have a strong concept and produce high quality work, people may like.  You may be surprised by the response you get - I was.  Art is a very subjective thing.  Just worry about your work and whether or not you're satisfied with it, and let everyone else worry about their own opinions.

It's scary to get started in creative endeavors when you are out of practice, but I hope these lessons that I picked up can encourage you on your journey.  So remember...

 

  1. Identify the skill that can most effectively and naturally help you to communicate your creative vision.
  2. Develop and pursue a concept or idea that you're passionate about or that means something to you, in order to produce the most satisfying, high quality work.
  3. Open your eyes to the inspiration that is all around you.
  4. Surpass your limitations and don't restrict your creativity with perceptions about what you can do or how your skill should be done.  Pursue ideas, because "why not?".
  5. Experiment, and don't let expectations hinder a potentially surprising good outcome.
  6. Go with your gut and stop trying to plan everything.  Sometimes the best outcome results from just doing, and not over analyzing.
  7. Do the work, even if you feel uninspired.  With effort, inspiration will come.
  8. Don't fret over your lack of formal training or experience in the creative world.  Trust your skill and your intuition, and instead focus on producing high quality work that you are passionate about.

Weekend Workspace || 6-22-13

Since the bulk of what I do related to artwork and this blog occurs on the weekend, I thought it might be nice to share some snippets of what I'm working on since sometimes I don't get to show the finished product for a while afterward.  Here are some of the scenes I've surrounded myself with so far today.

Fiber Is... || #2

I found Sarah Eyre within the last couple of years on Instagram, when it was still possible to search a general hashtag (i.e. #knitting) and view photos that were posted more than an hour or two ago.  I was intrigued by this beautiful, courageous lady, partly because she just happens to have my dream job.... she co-owns a yarn company called Cephalopod Yarns!  Based out of Baltimore, her IG feed often includes skeins of lusciously hued  yarns in dye pots or drying racks, fun mirror art in the studio, and images and words that just remind you to remain present.  I'm hoping to splurge on some of her yarn later this summer---there's some camel fiber that I'm dying to make a shawl out of.  It's supposedly incredibly soft!  Here's what fiber means to Sarah Eyre..

About Sarah

Oh no, the dreaded introductory paragraph! I’m so awkward at this part. I’m your average cat- herding thirty-something fiber artist, living in Baltimore with my husband and daughter. I cook pretty well and play banjo very, very badly. I take endless photographs of absolutely everything. I love comic books, Victorian literature, yoga and running, and I believe every single one of us is a superhero. I teach yoga and meditation when I’m not on the road, with a focus on working with the disabled. I believe in the power of small and simple things.

Ways Sarah works with fiber, including her favorite craft:

I’m a dyer, spinner, knitter, felter, knitwear designer, embroiderer and shamefully awful crocheter. Improving my crochet skills is on my list of goals for 2013; there are just too many amazing crochet projects and patterns! In truth, I’d say I’m primarily a spinner and dyer; while I do knit, and love to knit, my primary passions are color and form.

There’s a real pleasure and peace in expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences through color. Dyeing is a very playful form of self- expression that utilizes the both visual and the tactile. It is joyful, creative, messy, physical work. When dyeing yarn and spinning fiber specifically, we have these finished objects that are the working materials for other artisans, and that’s the most exciting part of the work for me. Seeing our yarn “in the wild”, whether on Ravelry or at a fiber show, is one of the biggest pleasures of this job! I love seeing what other people create with the things we have made.I love, love, love spinning, too. It’s my second great fiber love. I don’t actually knit with my own handspun; I really prefer handspun from someone else. I always see my handspun as a finished object in its own right, I think! I do adore handspun yarn- there’s something almost sacred about someone else’s handspun to me!- and I purchase and trade for it regularly. Knitting handspun has to be one of the sweetest things in the world- there’s just nothing quite like it.

And now for the big open-ended question.  To Sarah, fiber is...

Fiber is so, so much fun! It’s earthy and light and fluffy and sensual and amazing. Whether I’m spinning or dyeing, knitting or felting, there’s this wonderful sense of both being a part of these traditional crafts and being part of a new arts and craft movement.

Fiber is grounding and uplifting: it reminds me slow down and to pay attention to the small things, like stitches or plying, but it also brings people together into common efforts, like Afghans for Afghans, where fiber artists work to create warm handmade items for people they’ve never met. My life is infinitely warmer, happier, and, well, fuzzier with fiber in it. :)

Sarah (shown below with her husband, who she works with!) blogs at On My Tiptoes and you can shop for (and lust after) some of the beautiful yarns her company creates at Cephalopod Yarns.  Thanks, Sarah!

All photos courtesy of Sarah Eyre, some via her Instagram feed.

 

Fungi of Southeastern Oklahoma

  Here are some more observations from our trip to Broken Bow, OK last month.  I also posted about the plant life a couple of weeks ago.  It feels like I haven't looked at fungi in forever, mostly because I've been working on another project which you'll find out more on soon.  I'm pretty excited about multiple things that are happening in life right now, and hopefully I can be a little less cryptic and let you in on these things in the very near future.  Until then... fungi!

 

Broken Bow Flora

 As I mentioned last week, J and I spent a few days down in southeastern Oklahoma last weekend (where I also did my latest installation for the Decomposition series, "Riot").  It's a beautiful time of year to visit that area -- everything was in bloom: the dogwoods, red buds, wildflowers.  Trees were just starting to leaf out.  A hint of fungus was starting to appear here and there (that's another photo post entirely).  We absolutely loved the scenery, and it was so refreshing to get away from a few days.  You don't realize how much you miss the "sound" of silence until you hear it.  There are few things I love more than the absence of urban noises - cars, voices, industrial sounds... and in its place just the low hum of the wind and a nearby stream.  So peaceful, so revitalizing.  We will definitely be back.
I took so many photos that I will have to break it up into a few posts.  The flora comes first!

Inspiration || Supernatural

It's been a while since I shied away from reposting content from other blogs, but I came across these images on Miss Moss this week and they struck me with inspiration, so I couldn't resist.  The photos are from a floral arranging studio lookbook for a couple of very talented ladies in Cape Town, South Africa: Emma Frost and Jessica Ellis.  Their studio is called Supernatural.  I love these so much, I'm not really even sure what to say about them!  Overall the concept is very creative, and it really gets my wheels turning!
Floral Design  ||  Supernatural
Photography  ||  Alix Rose Cowie
Styling  ||  Kate Desmarais
Model  ||  Shelly Chen
Found via  ||  Miss Moss
supernatural-floral-design-Crown

Signs of Spring

Spring is here, and I'm loving every second.  I spent a few hours this past weekend potting up some new plants that have been restricted to the indoors, as well as repotting some old ones that were due for a little freshening up.  Can't wait to fire up the grill and enjoy some time out on the front porch in the coming weeks.  My hope for you is that you may get out to enjoy nature and all it's simple details this weekend.

Frost

I love the snowflake shapes that plaster themselves to car windows on mornings of frost.  There's something simply satisfying about it, or maybe even nostalgic.  It reminds me of cutting out snowflake shapes from white paper when I was a kid.  Now I can't help but lean in for a closer look, right before I scrape them away so I can be on time to work.
These are from a frosty morning a week or two ago.  The same frosty morning that I spotted these crazy patterns in the ice on my driveway, in fact.  Winter seems to be on its last leg, but man it sure keeps holding on.  It's weird how we can have so many mild days and then suddenly in the last month of the season it's snow, cold weather, sleet, cold weather, etc. etc.  I got out to take a walk yesterday for some 52 Forms of Fungi photos and was almost tempted to lie down and take a nap in the yard, it was so nice.
Check back on Wednesday for photos of my installation and an update about this weekend's Momentum OKC event!  I will be sharing images of my process in the near future too.

Geometric Ice

I came outside the other morning to walk the dog, and spotted this crazy pattern in the ice on my driveway.  I guess there really is something positive that can come out of having a driveway with extremely poor drainage?  What causes this, I have no idea... but I wish I could have had more time to just inspect and enjoy it while it was there.  I guess that's what a camera is good for, huh?  Now you get to enjoy it too.  :)

 

Moisture, Finally

We got some very much needed rain last week, finally.  When it rains my driveway doesn't really drain, which means we have some standing water for a couple of days afterward.  It was such a welcome sight to come home to this from work one day, after having a steady rain for several hours that morning.  I've missed it.  This drought scares me, let's be honest.  I read recently that all but one county in Oklahoma were declared disaster areas because the drought has gotten so bad.  This was mainly to offer assistance to farmers, but it's getting really extreme.  My fingers are crossed that it will break and maybe this summer won't be quite so hot for quite so long... but we'll see.

The red berries are from the American holly tree beside our front porch.  While they can be an annoyance sometimes (my car is nearly always covered in bird poop), they do serve for a nice moment of admiration a lot of the time too.