Lengthening shadows

This time of year delicate structures start to reveal themselves after the fullness of autumn fades. I am aware of missing the change in seasons, wrapped up in a world of work.  While I have busied myself, in another world muted greys and greens and lengthening shadows have been developing a soft palette of botanical patterning.

Lately time has taken on a different quality for me. Days and weeks slip by and sleep is fugitive. in spite of the seeming lack of time to reflect, in recent days I have noticed a few fleeting glimpses of things from the past; reminders; shadows of thoughts to bring me back to the why and wherefore. It has also been a time to consider the important things that define me, reminding myself that money does not motivate me and that seven years is too long to wait to renew old acquaintances. Still it was worth realising that we may be a few years older but deep down just the same as we ever were.

Knowledge of self is more valuable than all the study and diplomas in the world.

Walk more, look more, smile more, sleep more

Slow Textiles Conference - Stroud International Textiles Festival

I have been using today as a rest and catch-up after a busy week. Last weekend I went to Stroud International Textiles Festival specially for the two- day Slow Textiles Conference. The event included several speakers that I have been interested in for some time; Becky Early, Clara Vuletich and the chair Helen Carnac. It was a brilliant opportunity to hear from people at the forefront of environmental awareness in textiles and the slow movement.

I found the lecture by Emma Neuberg especially thought provoking as it delved deeper into global, social and personal contexts for 'fast' and 'slow'. I was surprised to find myself quite emotional about this. I shouldn't have been surprised as the subject runs so deep in our capitalist consumer culture and affects us as all. Patterns of behaviour and social norms are so ingrained that we stop noticing.

A few words from the conference on slow:

wellbeing

participation

collaboration

reveal

biodiversity

cultural distinctiveness

practice

people

care

sharing

discussion

durability

taking responsibility

artisanship

passing on

making

eco systems

time for reflection

trust

connectedness

generosity

process

When I think about all of this I realise it brings me back to where I started at the beginning of my MA (in a good way). A brief recap will draw some connections with my research over the past year and half, and the fast / slow subject:

• I started out with a whole muddle of different ideas that seemed connected but struggled to work out  how...
• then from this developed two distinct themes: busyness and quietude
• these themes of quietude and busyness represented my personal response to environment - speed of living; proliferation of image and object; over-stimulation; becoming de-sensitised; longing for space and time for reflection; looking for deeper engagement with the world
• I can now see these themes as closely aligned to ideas of 'fast' and 'slow'
• I have also been looking at particularity of place and feelings of home, belonging and displacement
• Some of this needs to be re-instated in my work - meaning, depth of engagement, sharing, personal wellbeing, connectedness, etc.
• My recent exploration of Hirst Wood as a specific focus for my work has given me the time and space I needed to reflect and 'open out'.  Perhaps I have forgotten this and become too wrapped up in the process of making?
• The use of hand processes and materials found in situ has helped me feel more connected to my surroundings and given me a place to belong

There is a lot to draw out from this and I am only just beginning to realise the significance all this has for me. I have a lot more to do in understanding how to put this into practice.

Twilight photography

I decided to try taking photographs at twilight as this was the time of day I first encountered the shadows of branches on my bedroom walls. Twilight also has a slightly peculiar atmosphere about it; light plays tricks with your eyes, scale is distorted, colours change and it is a fleeting experience. I have always liked this time of day, especially during summer and autumn.

These photos were taken with my mobile phone from the window of a fast train (Leeds to London). I took an almost continuous stream of photos but stopped when it was darker outside than inside the train (because at this point I could only get reflections of the ticket guard). I wanted to capture the changing colours of twilight, hints of details in the landscape and a sense of speed as I rush through the landscape. I like the watercolour-ish look of these photos.