Equal Opposites

Here are a few more close-ups of the handstitched linen, cotton, velvet and silk piece I'm working on. I'm enjoying how its coming to life and surprising me with what wants to emerge. In the top photo, I selected the fabric thinking of the glints of the moon on the sea and the stitch meanders like the wake it casts over the water... Only my moon is becoming a panda! But another moon has emerged from its dark velvet sky, so all is well. I've also been thinking about how drawn I am to go in two seemingly opposite directions - one being abstract machine pieced large art quilts and the other small detailed handstitched works. Each type can unfold in the intuitive way I like to work, imbued with personal meaning, yet have a very different quality and feeling, and the phrase that comes to mind is 'equal opposites'. And a panda is both black and white... So I'm steeping these dreams to refine my fibre art focus and I have written a poem about the meaning of this time of year for me:

Winter Flower

My fingers let go

of the perforated white bag

that cushions its dark, barely visible contents

like seeds hold flowers

deep in the hush of the white ground.

Now it stops

in its rush

as it contacts the surface

to slow and descend,

suspended while sinking,

and a red cloud blossoms

in the hot, clear water

and I feel thick promise in the back of my throat

as I wait fo the tea to steep.