The other day, someone said to me, "You really got lucky with your kids - they're great."
While I couldn't disagree - they are great! - I added, "Luck…and years of hard work."
Of course, that is what it seems like in the moment: luck. We all know stories of parents who were not so lucky. And they might have worked hard too so maybe there is an element of luck in there. But to just chalk it up to luck seems incomplete at best.
Likewise when people marveled at my luck at getting to spend a month making art here in Ithaca, I understood. Yes, I was lucky to be selected. I mean, look at where I am!
It isn't a complete picture either. I have written about this before. Yes, I am lucky to be here. I am lucky to be living this amazing life. And, I have worked pretty damn hard for it all. Please rest assured that I am working pretty damn hard here too.
Look! I made this yarn! I haven't posted any pictures of my work because it feels so new and tender that I don't want to share it yet. But I will share that, in the midst of making drawings and watercolors, I realized that I had to make this yarn and it is now part of a little installation of those drawings and watercolors in my studio. I have been intrigued with the idea of including handspun yarn among drawings and other items that would be considered fine art. Can it hold its own? Can the relationship between all the objects create something new - a third thing? Can this handspun yarn have a role in the conversation, which is a conversation that is NOT about handspun yarn or craft or anything like that. Can handspun yarn be a Serious Player?
I'm trying, my dears, I'm trying.
And then, this happened:
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| It's a hand towel. No, it's a book. No, it;s a hand towel AND a book. |
A friend commissioned some yarn as a gift for someone else. It makes a good evening project when I am pretty well done with studio work. This yarn needs only to be pretty and not a Serious Player.
I think it does it quite well.
2 comments:
Both of us have posted on this phenomena before! I get all umbraged up when people say 'oh - you have so many good pals - you're so lucky' - like I found them in my back pocket instead of cultivating them like the gorgeous flowers they are! I say "put a 'P' in front of 'luck' and you'll know what I am!" I can't find a four-leaf clover unless I walk in a field and scan the ground. You're where you are because you did the work to get there. And it looks like you are truly inspired! And I know it will continue to be a great experience for you because you are one P-lucky person!
Oh Jan, I love everything that you wrote! And I think I am going to steal that plucky comment. Meanwhile, I have embraced my lucky status and started making new work based on it : )
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