Marie at 1 Write Way

Lens-Artists Challenge #303 – Connections

This week Donna from Wind Kisses challenges us to find connections using photographs.

Let’s photograph connections this week. Are you interested in the intricacy of mosaic art, or how the strings of a marionette bring it to life? How about railroads, rivers and bridges connecting spaces and places? Personally, I can’t have bacon without eggs, or paper without a pen. And it is impossible to ignore interactions of people connecting with each other and the world around them.

I’ve thought long and hard about this challenge, and I might (I said, might) step outside my comfort zone to meet it. Donna’s post is truly inspiring, expanding the idea of connections beyond what I usually consider the word to mean. And that’s a good thing.

Of course, I see connections in Nature, such as how my (finally) blooming Indian Blanket plant follows the rotation of the sun.

Every morning, and sometimes in the afternoon, I rotate the pot wherein this plant currently resides. It sits on my deck, and I see it through my window while I’m sitting at my desk working. The plant keeps me connected to the outside world just by being available to me visually.

Now, this might sound strange, but I feel connected to myself when I work with fiber, whether it be knitting or weaving. When I was about 9 or 10, I taught myself (not very well) to knit, and so knitting is part of who I am. I’ve used my knitting to connect me to others. Weaving came to me later in life at a private college where I was floundering. I was very unhappy at that college until I signed up for a weaving course. Long story short: the class had such an impact on me that I elected to take my tuition money and buy a loom rather than continue at the college.

I wove a few things but not very well and eventually sold my loom to a friend. Fast-forward a few decades and I yearned to weave again so I bought a modest 20-inch rigid heddle loom. My first project:

I wove this scarf with wool and alpaca yarns meant for knitting socks. Needless to say, weaving the scarf went a lot faster than knitting socks would have. Still, I made mistakes, wasted a bunch of yarn, but … I wear it. I love it. And the process itself connected me all the way back–40-some years–to when I first learned to weave.

I try to connect myself to the environment by upcycling and recycling. From a poster on a Facebook group I was in, I got the idea to cut up all our old t-shirts. Some were so worn that I knew they would only end up in a landfill if I gave them to Goodwill. I used a rotary cutter to slice through the shirts, tied the ends together, and then rolled the strips into balls. A weaving project was born.

I wove the above with no real end in mind. I just wanted to practice weaving. At worst, whatever I made could be used as a cat blanket. Then I wove another piece, only this time I untied the strips as I went, making the weaving process more meditative, connecting more closely with the threads and fabric.

This work I do with my hands often connects me to other people. I can’t wear all the scarves, shawls, socks, and potholders that I make. Sometimes I work with a special person in mind.

I knitted this blanket (above) for my mom. She’s no longer here and the blanket is with someone else now, but I still remember her saying that she loved it.

Connections.

I grew up among women. My mom and my two sisters, my aunts. My uncles were around but disinterested in a pouty-faced little kid.

Out of the seven sisters, only one is left, my Aunt Orvetta, the blonde in the middle. My mother sits to my aunt’s right. I look at photos like this and pine for the days when connections could be made with a letter or a phone call or a visit. Now the connections are made through memory.

I am so grateful for how photography, over so many years, has helped me stay connected to my family. So many of them have died, but when I see photos like the one above, I can almost hear their laughter.

Many thanks to Donna for this thoughtful and expansive challenge. If you choose to participate in this week’s challenge, take Donna’s words to heart:

Have you ever thought about how photography connects the world? Nobody sees the world exactly the same way you see it, and our impressions are as unique we are. How you interpret this week’s challenge is up to you.

Please include the Lens-Artists tag and/or link in the comments so we can find you.

Also, thanks to John for last week’s challenge, AI. What fun that was! Participating in John’s challenge helped me feel a bit less intimidated by AI, and I really enjoyed the contributions and conversations around it.

Ritva will host next week’s challenge starting Saturday 12:00 EST. Visit her site and get ready to be inspired.

Interested in knowing more about the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

If you’ve read this far, here’s your reward.

Fat cat sleeping.

Marie A Bailey

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44 responses to “Lens-Artists Challenge #303 – Connections”

  2. The weaving with t-shirt material is really something, Marie. The blanket you made for your mom is beautiful. Yeah as we get older memories are all we have of some of the important people in our lives. Thanks for sharing all of this.

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  4. HI Marie, I ALWAYS look forward to your posts. You clearly take the time to think them through and bring us a piece of your life. Connections was right up your alley. I smiled all the way through the read, and I wonder if you actually know how talented you really are. I guess it is kind of funny that you left college and bought a loom, but clearly it was the right thing to do. I there is one thing we all need, it is to connect with ourselves and you do that very well. I love your images, and The blanket for your mom is a treasure even if it is with someone else now. Ill bet she loved it. Thank you for your kind words for me. I truly appreciate you.

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  5. Before I forget, that blanket is amazing–a work of art, as well as love! I can understand how weaving gives you a connection to yourself. It’s a creative process plus a tactile one. Memory is definitely a connection, too.

    I love the kitty photo!

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  6. This is such a beautiful post, Marie. I love your interpretation of connections and each of the pieces you made are gorgeous. That blanket! The scarf, I see no errors and I would wear it with pride, too. Beautiful.

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  7. Marie, your photos just get better and better, your weaving is wonderful, and THAT BLANKET, wow. I hope the person who has it now really appreciates it. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

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  10. I agree that photographs, authentic ones not AI ones, connect the world in a meaningful way. That’s an astute observation by Donna.

    I like how you’ve connected with your younger self via weaving, something you learned 40 years ago. I’d guess it is empowering to see how far you’ve come comparing your early work with what you create now. Such an interesting way to establish continuity with yourself.

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    • Thank you, Ally! I am glad I picked up weaving again. Of course, now I’m wishing I had a floor loom like I had 40+ years ago, but we have no room for something like that. Not yet anyway … ;-)

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  12. I love your connections! I love your view of connectedness with nature and the way your hands connect to your projects and your ideas connect with the gifts you’ve made. All so beautiful.

    I really love your tree blanket. My mom would have loved that idea and I’m certain would have tried to make it. The trees use a kind of cable technique, no? I was discussing one of her afghans with someone yesterday and noted how the pattern was similar to a fisherman’s knit sweater. That was some of her favorite work to do. As long as I can remember, if she was sitting still she had knitting needs or a crochet hook in her hands.

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    • Thank you, Zazzy! Yes, some of the patterns in the tree blanket called for cable stitches. I must say, I probably won’t knit another such blanket. It was a bit of a bear, but it was worth the effort just to say my mom say she loved it. I had a thing for fisherman sweaters back in the day. They are real classics.

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  13. I love the scarf. The blanket is beyond beautiful and unique. I would love to get into weaving. I have a very small loom. My mother, sisters and nieces have been part of me forever. We love getting together and have so many wonderful memories.

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  14. I’d say you handled the challenge beautifully. I love the patterns in that flower and on your handmade items. Just beautiful. And very relaxing. Something orderly has that effect on me. 😊

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  16. Thank you for a loving and warm post – it went straight to my heart. So many beautiful things you have made, and with love. The blanket to your mother is absolutely wonderful – the pattern speaks to me. And so does the cat!

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  17. Amazing Marie!! I loved your post which is truly heart-warming. All of my family from parents up are no longer with us but I have 4 brothers all with families and we cherish our times together, as do all of the next generation. I know it would make our parents so very happy. And I loved your examples of your handiwork- amazing!

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    • Thank you so much, Tina! I get a lot of comfort from looking at old family photos and especially reminiscing with my cousins. Wow … four brothers with families! Your get-togethers must be so special. Only one of my siblings had children, but she had three boys (now men, of course) and I cherish my time with them.

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