December 2012 Archives

25 Words

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Hooping took me up to Tohoku, down to Niijima, and around the world on tour. Ukulele, yoga, improv, songwriting, skating, visiting, & fundraising filled the gaps.

Here are all the 25 word summaries since I started this annual project in 2001:

2011
Mother Earth trembled and futures fell apart. Uncertainty ruled us for months but in the end I'm still in Japan, married, hooping, and feeling happy.

2010
Lived my hoop dreams, wheeee! Connected, created, collaborated, choreographed, costumed, capered, camped, coordinated, but then crashed hard. Ouch. Healed and found my truth. Full circle.

2009
Rose petals in blue sky and the scent of muddy elephants conducted me to presence. An intense upwelling of joy revealed the universe inside me.

2008
I made dresses, meals, 100 necklaces, friends. Grew food. Witnessed a birth! I am greying, wrinkling and fading, but I started hooping, so who cares?

2007
Food ruled 2007: went almost vegan, developed recipes, and lost 10 kilos. Also sewed Morsbags, made political statements with robots, and explored Tokyo real estate.

2006
Forty was a pleasure/pain year - a roiling emotional sea. Heartbreaking anguish half drowned me but also un-dammed a flood of patterns, photography and creativity.

2005
This year, a lesson in how to bear pain and loss. Travel doesn't cure heartache; friends ease the agony. Healing and peace flow like water.

2004
Did more, finished less. Strengthened friendships and traveled. Constructed 18 videos, knitted scarves, shared my pencils and my love. Still seeking realisation of my principles.

2003
Hello Tokyo finally done
Neon Chopstix now begun.
'Twas mostly work but also fun.
Hosted friends from far away.
Another visa for three years' stay.

2002
Celebrating four years in Japan, I exercised my right brain and my poetic voice. I filmed then procrastinated. I waited for the axe to fall.

2001
Spent seven weeks on holiday in Maui, China, mainland US. Wrote lots, taught many, earned little. Saw the inside of my head. Didn't do enough.

Move 2013

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move-making.jpg
This is the fifth year that I have selected a word to guide me in the coming year. I display it near my desk and use it as a mantra when I am in doubt.

For 2013, my theme is move.

This was a tricky one. The first move I think of is "move house" which is daunting and unpleasant but there are so many more definitions that suit what I hope for in 2013. I can move someone to tears or move them to action, I can make a move, move forward, move my body, or learn a new move...or I could move house.

Some synonyms to keep in mind: activate, actuate, advocate, affect, agitate, carry, cause, convert, draw up, drive, excite, impel, impress, incite, induce, inspire, instigate, introduce, lead, operate, persuade, prompt, propel, propose, rouse, shift, start, stimulate, stir, suggest, sway, touch, quicken, urge, work on, act, action, change, manoeuvre  measure, motion, movement, procedure, step, stratagem, turn, variation.

Here are my previous themes:
2010, connect: https://mt.mediatinker.com/blog/archives/010736.html

Nengajo time

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2013-printblock.jpg
Pretty colors, inappropriate tool, and lots of imperfection. My kind of art!

This afternoon I am indulging in one of my favorite holiday preparations, creating our holiday cards. 

This year's nengajo project is especially delightful because I am returning to what I consider my artistic roots - printmaking. I love creating multiples. The multistep process of creating a print is stimulating and satisfying. It puts me in a flow state and time passes without me noticing. And at the end of it, I can have as many copies of the print as I want. 

So I've been sipping tea and carving away at the wood for a few hours. I used the tools I had at hand - linoleum knives - and they have been interesting to work with. They dull quickly on wood and aren't ideal for cutting across the grain. Fortunately, my design can take a bit of roughness around the edges and I have a plan to use some other knives to tidy up. 

A few minutes ago, I took the first impression to see what I've got from my labours. Lots of mess! Now I get to clean up the little lines and ridges until I can print sheets that don't have too many stray marks. I'll use the linoleum knives plus a couple of exacto knives for the edge detail. The block won't be perfect even with hours of extra tidying and that is part of what I love about printmaking.

The ink colors Tod & I bought for the project were better suited to my original design idea, which involved a three stage reduction print process. I got frustrated with the design and a little scared about the time commitment. I abandoned that idea on Saturday. The design I settled on two days ago is simpler (and Tod liked it on first sight, whew!). But simple may require a bolder color scheme. Tod & I will discuss this tonight over dinner. I'll pull a couple of prints in the colors we have on hand and we will decide.

I will finish the carving and edition this print by the end of the week, so this is a call out to you. If you moved house this year, or if I don't have your address but you would like a card, please send me an e-mail by Friday. Happy new year, in advance

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