WINTER COLLECTION, 2018

 "That is what comes of collecting plants" - The Moomins #3, Tove Jansson

I find that I am often amazed as I follow the path to inspiration.  In the middle of very big plans for new creative work, a little side project beckoned that has ended up nourishing me greatly.  Go figure!  Enter "Winter Collection".

In January I was deep in the Finnish woods at a residency at the Arteles Creative Center.  The theme of the residency was "Silence, Awareness, Existence".  Sequestered with 13 other artists, I had many days that were screen-free, and half of those were silent.  I would wander the wintery grounds and marvel at the foliage of the season, frozen and as silent as I was.  I had a little bag with me that I would fill with things of interest that I'd encounter on my wanderings.  When I would get back inside,  I'd lay the items out on paper and dry them. Some would almost dissolve from the warmth but some would be quite striking.

I was traveling with a little box of things I like - string, paper, cloth tassels, etc.  I started playing with combining these treasures with the items from the woods.  There were also a few trips to local Finnish thrift stores in the mix where I was getting more strange tidbits.  I was also hunting around in the residency house and found some things there.  Like lint from the dryer.  Yes, that is blue lint in the image above!

I got the idea to photograph the groupings on my desk in the precious morning light.  You see, when I first arrived at the residency there were about 5 hours of daylight.

True only child behavior.

Did I mention that rural Finland is sparse but astonishing?  So much fir and spruce.  The smell of the smoke sauna.  The taste of the tenderest salmon I ever had.  Strange but splendid salt licorice.  The long blue twilight.

  

Oh, and moss.  Lots of moss.  I had just finished a one-year project with choreographer Jacqulyn Buglisi called "Moss: Awakening Our Humanity" and had just finished doing a lot of research about this mysterious slow-growing botanical.  Then I found myself surrounded by it!

During that time I developed a new respect for the tradition of botanical collecting.  Hence the title of these series.  But I am collecting following my own interests, not for the British Empire or some such.  And combining the elements to amuse myself!

Look for the bling!