Gentle Water
“To have the time to do nothing is the greatest gift.”
— Agnes Martin
I went to the Olive Stack Artist Residency in Listowel, Ireland determined to rest. To hit the hard reset on every level of my being. No plans or intentions to make, aside from the journal I made. That was the only creative commitment I made. I threw thread and needles into my bag at the last minute, because it felt -wrong- to travel without them. But I had no intention of using them, except for maybe mending something that ripped on the way.
Jet-lagging our way through Cork, we stumbled into an arts supply shop, and 10 kilt pins fell into my hands. Ideas started growing, and soon, I had begun a series of brooches using only materials I gleaned, bought, or was gifted while on the island.
I found material in antique stores and charity shops, gathered stones and rope from the coast line in Ballybunion, Maggie brought me her mother's costume jewelry to take apart and reuse as I wish.
And so I created. Surprising myself with a series of brooches. Solas means 'light' in Irish, and the brooches guided me forward through the mists like will o' the wisps.
When I came home, Listowel continued to influence my work, and a series of mobiles inspired by the shapes and colors of the trip began. I am still working through these ideas, the seeds (síol) continue to grow, the work is not done with me yet.
