AIR day, more weaving, more faces emerging

Yesterday was an interesting artist in residence session, with the people stopping by full of questions about the whole process, and  all the materials I'm using, especially my handspun yarn and handmade beads.  

I didn't get much actual weaving done, but I did accomplish the other purpose, which is to let people into the world of someone who makes art, right in the act of doing it, and the decision making and the materials they employ, some fancy, some humble.  

I took in a couple of beaded bracelets to show, and the looms I made them on, which was very surprising to people,  to one of whom I gave a quick lesson in beadweaving on the fly.

And, as usual, as I was packing up after giving an extra half hour, a little group arrived and was all sad, oh, you're leaving!  why?  but they think they'll be back next Friday to watch. 

And with any luck next Friday, my glackity inner artist will remember to bring the camera to record the week's output.  It's now marked on the calendar along with the event: AIR BRING CAMERA, to be exact.  For years and years I never took a step out of the house without the camera (largely to record my walks and encounters to show Handsome Partner on my return after he was unable to walk with me) and recently it seems not to be getting on the agenda.


However, I did more work at home last evening on a small loom (it stuns people to realize these crummy old bits of cardboard are looms that can yield actual art) and photographed last evening's output for you.  

Beading, coarse yarn, medium yarn, and fine variegated.  I looked up and realized it was getting on for midnight before I had to stop working.  This is a very good place to be, and a first in many years, if ever, that I can just give the art the priority and not have to be attending to anyone or anything else.

Back to the AIR: it will take a while for this kind of "first" to be understood by the general library-going public, which is fine by me.  Along the lines of the second mouse gets the cheese, I've usually been the first one out there in a variety of contexts, not getting the cheese, but making way for people coming next who get a bit more attention and cheese. I like firsts, though, since I can just make the rules.  Suits me fine.

And sometimes cheese shows up many years later as a huge and lovely surprise.  Either way, it's getting the chance to make the art that counts.