It's kind of weird to name a silk scarf 'chaos' but that's what I called this one as I worked on it this past weekend. The times are chaotic both inside and outside. We're planning to leave the west coast of the US for the east coast of Canada one of these days but we don't know when. I hate not being in control while making major plans but maybe the idea of control is just a fantasy anyway.I have a collection of mixed dyes that I'm not going to pack so I decided to start using them on some of the scarf silks. There's endless fascination in the complex and delicate symmetry that arise from the relationship of chaos and order and our world would be a drab place if we created things simply for utility. The wild beauty all around us can only be appreciated when we learn to let go.
Tomorrow I'll start another piece with no idea of how it will look when it's done.
Gorgeous!! It is a wonderful feeling to just work freely! Look forward to seeing tomorrow's piece.
ReplyDeleteWe do all we can to plan and to control but in the end we are not in control at all. Oh well, I FEEL better for at least trying to control the things in my life.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and I agree with marja, that is a gorgeous scarf you have there.
I understand what you mean about chaos and control. I think the damage in the Gulf has everyone feeling this way. The scarf is beautiful. Please post a picture when you're done.
ReplyDeleteNow that looks extra groovy. Chaos more than has its place. If we could only control control.
ReplyDeleteIt's an utter beauty Susan
ReplyDeleteWe can try to manage to the best of our ability to keep things from falling apart. I believe that is all. But, wow, do we every try and try and try! Probably the majority of conflicts between people and nations are based on this need to control.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting excited for you about moving! I'm getting excited for us about our vacation cottage in Nova Scotia!
The scarf is so, so rich.
marja-leena - Thanks. It might take a bit longer than a day :-)
ReplyDeleteliberality - I guess we have to learn the difference between steering when we can and freewheeling when we can't.
Thanks for the good word :-)
nancy - It's like the Gulf fiasco was a last straw for me yet there's nothing I can do. Glad you like the scarf :-)
randal - Now there's the trick.
jams - Thank you.
pagan sphinx - That's very true. We're also pretty excited but the waiting is difficult to say the least. If I had my way we'd be there already so we could have dinner together.
What a synchronicity! I have chaos over at my blog too. I love your definition of chaos. Sooooooo beautiful!!
ReplyDeletexxoo
I want to touch that scarf. The colors and texture strike my tactile chords.
ReplyDeletebelette - It seems chaos is everywhere lately; describing our experiences of it may be the only way calm.
ReplyDeletelisa - I'm glad seeing it made you smile.
i love the spilled rust look. chaos is a great name for this work.
ReplyDeletei like control too. or rather, i like to *feel* in control. i am drawn to order but there is a part of me that finds order to be boring.
maybe the 'special circumstance' you are experiencing is giving you the courage to let go a bit?
sera - Spilled rust and blood was pretty much the effect I was looking for next to the soft natural colors. I think what we tend to do is find patterns in everything and hold onto them for safety's sake. Letting go is hard - I see myself steadily cutting through the strings that have held me in place for a while but the landing pad is still uncertain.
ReplyDeleteyour feelings of uncertainty hit home for me. change is exciting, but its hard leaving 'the nice, warm nest' we've become accustomed to.
ReplyDeleteno matter how much faith you have in yourself, the future is unknowable (the part we know we don't like to think about).
i guess change is nature's way of uncluttering our lives?
sera - Yes, once I cut through strings with glee but there was always some slack. That's harder to find nowadays so we have to allow for it ourselves. We arrive with nothing and leave with nothing so what is there really to worry about? Nothing.
ReplyDeleteI think I just paraphrased a passage from The Life of Brian :-)
Hi Susan
ReplyDeleteThat’s quite a big move for you to Canada so I can understand a certain desire for resolution, but even so I think it’s likely we know in life sometimes when it simply feels the right time to make a definitive decision and being patient is often a good idea. Having just returned from Europe I was reminded of the futility of past glorious empires evident in the dazzling architectural riches which were plundered and destroyed by subsequent warring generations. The desire to impress and convert ones heart and souls with baroque majesty cannot escape the reality the only real treasure we can store up is to find people with whom we can trust and with whom we can coexist in kindness.
Best wishes
beauty in chaos? .... have made several tries at saying something interesting, and failed each time.... came by, loved the scarf. blessings on your relocation ordeal. may the bureaucrats (i can't believe spellcheck liked that word on the first try!!!) .... may the bureaucrats blink at the times most opportune for you, and forget to be difficult.
ReplyDeletelindsay - All in all it really is pretty huge and even more so considering we're planning to give up going to work every day. That in itself is cause enough for trepidation in this economy. I like your recommendation about finding people we can trust with whom to coexist in kindness. That's certainly possible here too but the pull is back toward the east coast where our son will be about 2500 miles closer than now. It's a beautiful area too.
ReplyDeletegfid - It's all in how we look at it but I'm still very distressed about all the unnecessary chaos we cause. Once we were few and could do little harm. Thanks for the good wishes :-)