time, creativity, passion

Time is wild. How is an hour with friends the same amount of time as an hour in a virtual work meeting? Perceptions of time change dramatically depending on the activity. 

And yet, time is the framework we use to talk about our lives. How long was I a classroom teacher? 14 years. How long have I had my first loom? 11 years. When did I move to the Hudson Valley? Seven months ago. 

a nearby waterfront in the hudson valley

Relationships are measured in time. I lived in New York City for 10 years. I’ve been with my partner for 5 years. I’ve known my closest friends for 20-21 years. Outside of my family, the longest relationship I’ve had in my life is my relationship with creativity. 

Creativity is my purpose. I had a remarkable art teacher in high school who believed in my ability to create. Because she believed in me, I believe in myself. Her lessons on making art and making it often have been a guiding light in my life. As we measure relationships in time; I first entered her classroom 24 years ago. This is when this journey started.

coffee tray with handwoven coasters

Because this teacher taught me the value of making things and making time to make things, I’ve worked in printmaking, photography, bookmaking, cooking, sewing, and more. I’ve found a lot of joy in my work making prints, bags, books, photos, and meals. The strongest feelings I have for creation come when I’m working in fiber. I have a passion for textiles. I imagine anyone who knows me would agree with this.

Passion is enthusiasm and devotion. I’ve been a weaver and a dyer for 11 years. I’ve been a spinner for 17 years and a knitter for 21 years. I’ve found passion for the fiber arts. I have incorporated my love of fiber arts into many aspects of my life, including my relationships, my travels, and my work in education. 

During the height of lockdown in New York City, I found myself making more. I am grateful that I had a passion for textiles to nurture in a time of intense solitude. I think my creativity saved me. In my tiny studio apartment, I had a floor loom, a table loom, and a spinning wheel. My devotion for textiles takes up a lot of room in my heart and just as much room in my physical space. 

my studio apartment 2019-2022

I have been a student of textile arts and I’ve been a teacher of textile arts. I view my work as a weaver and a dyer as me finding my place in the story of humanity. Humans have been making cloth for millenia; we will continue to do so for even longer. When I work with fiber, I feel comforted knowing that there are humans before me and after me who do this work. Once again, I’m using time as a framework. 

I’m a part of the history and the future of humanity when I’m working at the loom. I feel connected to the natural world when I work with local corriedale fleece and foraged walnut hulls. I’m a scientist when I build indigo vats and felt wool fibers together. I’m a mathematician when I plan the geometry of a weaving project and calculate the twist of a yarn. I’m a historian when I study the joys and horrors of humans and textiles. 

I’m passionate about fiber art. I am creative when I work at the loom. My time is dedicated to textiles.