CREATIONS COLLECTIONS AND CURIOSITIES

More Spirit than Art is the upcoming BLUE & WHITE SHOP AND SHOW at the 10 DAY Tokiwa GALLERY. FEBRUARY 29 – March 8, 12 – 5 Daily

What do Boro, Special Abilities Art, and Bonito Flakes, above, have in common? What power do they share that infuses them and imparts energy and wonder and hope? Why am I so drawn to these disparate forms of expression? It may simply be that they are spontaneous and unintentional, unplanned pieces of art. They work with what is available and make the best of their abilities to express something that cannot be created rationally.

This Goddess of lustrous silk threads comes from somewhere within the artist that otherwise might not have found an outlet for expression. What was he thinking? Did he know that my dream is of a Textile Museum in Tokyo? and when it happens, she will hold the special place there.

 

Snippets of embroidery on scraps of material were sewn onto lengths and pieces of linen to be used as wall hangings or shawls or scarves or any which way by SORA & UMI Special Abilities Workshop

I wanted to buy this mysterious message of small embroideries sewn onto a piece of ecru linen.  Of course it had been sold before I returned, but the owner has kindly agreed to let us display it for our upcoming show.

Years! ago, I bought this enchanting embroidery of faces on a simple piece of spotted cloth at NishiNishi in Takamatsu, Shikoku.  Through moves and changing exhibits, I have treasured this moving thread work map of human feelings.

And then there is the eternal BORO, the art of making do, making things last. Made of thick linen bags for straining sake, mends and all, by forgotten people, sake brewers probably, making every bit of cloth matter, using whatever was available and unknowingly infusing it with unintentional, intuitive beauty.  The beauty of usefulness. The usefulness of what is available. 

 

MORE SPIRIT THAN ART

Spirits have no boundaries.  Here an African Yoruba beaded prince, waves the cut and folded washi Gohei of the Ariga ?Matsuri in Shimane.  Below a huge and fearsome Dragon of painted washi and bamboo curls up in a corner of The Pola Gallery in Ginza at a marvelous recent exhibit of the little known arts and culture of Japan.  Noticing my interest, they generously presented me with the paper and bamboo Gohei..

Special effects fireworks explode from his mouth! (Dragon photos by Becky Wells)

What is it in festivals, special abilities artists and flea markets that ignite a flame of shared vitality in us?  Why do we have to keep returning.  No money left, but still there are things we must have! Must live with.  Must try to create new things with. More than an addiction, it is a spark of energy and life that we find in these varied expressions of spirit, of something beyond us.  We reach out to touch their unintentional beauty and their spirit of innocence! Become a part of it.

POP UP SHOP & SHOW AT TOKIWA TEN DAY GALLERY FEBRUARY 29 -MARCH 8 OPENING PARTY SATURDAY FEBRUARY 29 FROM 6 PM. DRINKS AND SHI SHI MAE PERFORMANCE