Update from Pass Creek

Good morning.

I’ve been home getting stronger after a hernia repair operation – and have been very good (not lifting or doing more than I should as things heal).  It’s pretty hard for me to sit still at the best of times, let alone when I’m supposed to! 

Subsequently, I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading. My current theme seems to be predominantly about (and of) graphic novels/comic books. This last week I finished Alan Moore’s  Writing for Comics, as well as re-reading some Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics). 

Currently I’m reading Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. It’s an autobiographical wp-1481304922763.jpgcomic about growing up in Iran during the cultural revolution and is utterly fascinating. The author and I were born in the same year, and I can’t help but make comparisons between what was going on in my life in 1979/80 (playing in the tree fort, learning to make rudimentary electrical circuits, going to school in mixed classes where the only religious factor was saying the Lord’s Prayer each morning in our public school) and what was going on in her life at that time (revolution, war, the institution of Islamic state, loss of freedoms, family members and friends to imprisonment and torture).

It’s not just a fascinating (true) story, but also a magnificent example (much like Maus by Art Spiegleman) of the use of comics to tell a compelling story in its historical context. I don’t think this story could be told better in any other format. Satrapi has a well developed perspective not only of the events of the era, but of herself as a child in her child responses to the world and all that was happening around her.  Even if you are not a fan of comic books, this is a good book. It’s well worth reading.

Slippers.jpg
Completed slippers and the amount of unfelted fibre it takes to make them.

My younger son has been home the last couple days as well with a very sore throat. Last night we sat down to watch a movie together – I couldn’t sit still any more – so, wet felted a new pair of slippers. 

I’ve got a couple bags of fleece that were given to me 2 years ago after doing a demonstration about yarn, spinning and fibres to a local elementary school class. Yesterday I pulled out my drum carder, prepared far too much roving, made a ridiculously big template, and got my hands back into the fibre. 

Wow. I’ve missed doing things like this. Some of it is the feel of the fibre, watching the transformation under my hands – and some of it is just the wonderful completion rush of a project that can be started and finished in just a few hours. 

Tonight I hope to spend some time needle felting embellishments on the slippers, drafting and sewing on leather soles. Last time I made a pair of slippers by this method they lasted 3 years – and I loved them! These ones look like they will wear well, too. (For the fibre-nerds among you, they were made as one with an internal resist. Four layers of fibre on each side of the resist, layed out so that the slippers are seamless. They were cut apart before the fulling part of the process. Most of the felting/fulling was done by hand, the last bit in the top loading washer.) They fit my feet perfectly.

Today? Today I’m sitting down at my drawing board. Working on some storyboard pieces for Shared Care, and some presentation drawings for a different purpose. Loving the drawing work, so grateful for all the opportunities and diversity it brings.

Until next time,

Lisa

 

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