Just back from my trip to the Southwest traveling with my brother Gary. Aside from the beautiful nature to be found, in spite of the heat, traveling affords me two benefits. First, it’s a respite from my work and surroundings. This break makes it easier to see things fresh. I have talked about what I call “aesthetic tunnel vision”. It is so easy to get lost in a work that it can become difficult to actually “see” what you are working on. Not in the literal sense but in the ability to see what you are doing and how it compares to the goal you have in your mind.
The second is to find inspiration. It can be anywhere, from an unexpected reflection in a shop window to a beautiful vista looking out over Mesa Verde. I am sorry to say that I didn’t get the information on this weaving. It was in a gallery of fine art weaving in Santa Fe. The work was so fresh and unusual that it was surprisingly inspiring. As much as I would have said that weaving was a craft, the work I saw in this gallery raised this humble craft to an art form. This weaving was a delight to my eyes.
Clearly it is not what you do, it’s how you do it. So I come home looking forward to continuing my work. Of the many things I am grateful for, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to travel, to see new inspirations but I am also grateful to be home.