Psychic Adolescent Psychobiology

Got a dentist appointment for 4 PM today to get my tooth stuck back on, but that means I have to stay home because if I open my mouth to talk the air rushes in and Yeeee-Owwwww! I also broke a small hunk off a bottom front tooth this week and filed down the sharp edges with an emery board, but this one doesn't hurt (yet). I will have him look at it- what IS it with having pieces of myself drop off along my path these days. I guess as long as it's teeth instead of limbs I won't complain for now.

So, since I am trapped I guess I will spend some studio time. I have to get a few things ready for my talk tomorrow to the Lowell group- the problem is that they want to hear about 'process' but it's really just intuitive moving things around, not concious decisions on my part. In fact I don't even remember what my thought processes are after I am finished so recreating my 'hows and whys' will be difficult. But I am up to it. And I get rid of a few bags of old stuff I can donate to the studio up there.

This past Saturday we hiked up to Lowell to a brunch they gave for us, then to stay for Jane Burch Cochran's lecture. I have always loved her work, probably because I recognise so much of myself in it. And she had several pieces hanging in the current embellishment show, so it was totally worth the trip. I met Jane in 1993 along with Wendy Huhn at Quilt National. They, by that time, were regulars and I was there for what has turned out to be my only time but we all have similar ways of working and 'take' on the world. We all appreciate the stuff of our mothers and grandmothers and filter it through today's life experiences, and probably the most important similarity is that we all believe in layers, then maybe some more layers, with one last layer for good measure. It was great hearing her stories along with seeing her actual quilts hanging in the gallery. And it was great reconnecting and feeling justified in doing what I do. Sometimes it takes other peoples' words to describe our own motivations, doesn't it? Maybe it was just great to have another narrative quiltmaker around for a bit? Whatever, it was a great day AND it pulled quite a few old familiar faces out of their hidey holes.