I am drawn to the spiral. The in and out of it. The widening gyre of it, the repetitive motion of it. It’s a whirlpool and a growth vector at once. It grows out from a core and twirls into itself. I meditate with it. I get dizzy with it. I stitch it. It distracts me. Calms me. Defines a center.
“The spiral is an attempt at controlling the chaos.” - Louis Bourgeois
The spiral shows up in my stream of consciousness drawings. When I am stressed, the act of drawing a spiral pulls me away from the anxiety that can build. I layer spirals, create patterns with spirals and use spirals as textural elements.
It’s thrilling to see the form in nature.
And it’s no surprise that I end up stitching this form into my work.
What forms do you find yourself repeating? Do they induce calm? or add to your tension? In addition to spirals I repeat egg shapes, ladders, antennas, gaping mouths and arrows. Why? I’m not sure. Sometimes they show up without my planning for them. I think that is part of the mystery of letting the thread tell you where to go.
Spring Workshops are just around the corner.
Treat yourself to a fun week with people who share your passion. There is still room in the At Play in the Garden of Stitch workshop with MISA in Santa Fe. The classes are small and intimate so that we can focus on what you want to learn. It is a fearless free-motion stitching journey for all. Let’s play with stitch together.