FanningSparks – Page 55 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

Folk School

First Impressions as a Work Study Student

Have you heard of the John C Campbell Folk School? It’s a nationally recognized school dedicated to teaching time-honored and contemporary crafts, music and dance. The Folk School offers more than 800 weeklong and weekend classes year-round in traditional and contemporary craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing.

I’m eager to tell you about the Folk School because I’ll be spending 9 weeks learning, working and living here! I applied for and was accepted into their Work Study Program. The Program combines 5 weeks of working for the Folk School with 4 weeks of taking weeklong classes. I’m working on the gardens and grounds crew. I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve been aware of the Folk School for some time, and even visited the campus several years ago, but never managed to attend any classes or events… until now!

The Folk School is located on 300 acres in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina in the small community of Brasstown. It provides a special blend of history, art and natural beauty.

Flipping through the Course Catalog, either online or in hard copy (see More Info below), reveals an endless list of creative possibilities. Just looking at a map of the campus is enough to get a maker excited. There’s a Woodturning Studio, a Book & Paper Arts Studio, a Cooking Studio, a Blacksmith Studio, just to name a few. Davidson Hall, for instance, houses the Cooking Studio, Music Studio and Wet Room, as well as provides student housing.

In the first week I was here, there were classes in Clay, Cooking, Felt Making, Glass, Music, Painting, Printmaking, Rugs, Woodturning and Woodworking. This is an example from the Printmaking class “What a Relief! Intro to Linoleum & Wood-Block Printmaking” with instructor Donald Martin.

Talented instructors and eager students come in from across the country to share their knowledge and learn together. Class sizes are kept small for an optimal learning experience. A highlight of the week is the Student Exhibit where students display and view the work completed during the week. Here’s an example from the Glass class “Not Your Ordinary Flat-Panel Lamp” with instructor Sheryl Koch.

These amazing Windsor rocking chairs came from David Abeel’s Woodworking class.

It’s worth taking a minute to consider the unique history of the Folk School because it is truly special. As stated by the Folk School: “The John C Campbell Folk School was founded in 1925, a collaboration of two progressive educators and the people of the surrounding communities. Olive Dame Campbell, Marguerite Butler Bidstrup and the local people created a unique institution that seeks to bring out the best in people. The School was named for Olive’s husband, John, who died before the School was founded. He was a Christian educator whose life’s work was trying to help mountain people. In their search for ways to help, the Campbells became interested in the Folk Schools of Denmark. These schools were devoted to life-long, non-competitive learning. When the idea of a Folk School was presented to them, the people of Brasstown, Peachtree, Martin’s Creek, Murphy, Hayesville and other communities responded enthusiastically. They pledged days of work, loads of stone and lumber, and even land to help the new school get started.”

Mixed in with modern studios and facilities, the Folk School campus showcases time-worn treasures from the past.

Today, the Folk School mission statement still reflects the same early ideals: “The John C. Campbell Folk School strives to provide experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening.”

Sharing knowledge, building community and lifelong learning are beliefs that resonate with me. It’s one of the reasons I jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Work Study Program.

I arrived at the Folk School a week ago and spent my first week getting oriented and working on various yard and garden tasks. This week I will take my first class ”Intro to Glass Blowing” with Alex Greenwood and Tony Prince. The shared housing and family-style meals are a great way to get to know others. I’ve already met a host of fellow makers‒people who love to work with their hands and find joy in making. My first impressions are very positive and I can’t wait to see what the next 8 weeks will bring!

More Info

You can learn more on the John C Campbell Folk School website, their Facebook page or Instagram account. Information about the Work Study program is found here.

Mar 6 2019 Update: The fun continues at the Folk School! Check out the following posts:
. Weave a Market Basket
. Artistic Details Around Campus
. Carving in Brasstown
. Getting Started with Woodcarving

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider taking classes at the John C Campbell Folk School in North Carolina or at a Craft or Folk School near you.
2. Seek out fellow makers to connect and re-energize.
3. Consider the many benefits of lifelong learning.

Make Other Media Southeast Travel

A True Hot Glass Experience

Gilbert Glassworks, in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, recently started offering a series of workshops on glassmaking. I had the good fortune to attend their Glassblowing Fundamentals workshop which focused on hot glass techniques. And, yes, at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s HOT! They’re not kidding when they say “This is a true “hot glass” experience”. It was fantastic‒authentic and exhilarating!

I knew there were different ways of making glass but didn’t quite appreciate the variety and significance. In researching for this post, I found this basic explanation from Bernard Katz (see More Info below) very helpful. He groups common ways of making glass art into 4 categories: Hot Glass, Warm Glass, Cold Glass and Lampworking.
1. Hot glass involves working with molten glass (with a temperature around 2000° F/ about 1100° C). Three primary methods are used glass blowing, glass sculpting and casting into molds. Here’s an example of some finished pieces.

2. Warm glass involves heating glass in an oven or kiln. Slumping and fusing are common warm glass techniques. In slumping, sheet glass is placed onto a mold and heated to a temperature between 1250° – 1400° F, to melt and bend with gravity. Fusing, typically done with a temperature between 1400° – 1600° F, is used to melt together pieces of glass. Slumping was used to form this coral-patterned bowl.
This pretty plaque was created with glass fusing.
3. Cold glass techniques include grinding, polishing, etching, and engraving. According to Wikipedia, traditional stained glass work and lead crystal also fit in this category. Lead crystal, such as the well-known Waterford Crystal, is made by cutting glass with a diamond saw, or copper wheels embedded with abrasives, and polishing it to give gleaming facets.

4. In Lampworking, or flame working, the artist heats glass tubing or glass rods with a torch to then blow and sculpt beads, ornaments and other small figurines. This beautiful example of lampwork was created by Russ Gilbert, the owner of Gilbert Glassworks.

Interestingly, there appears to be a distinction between the terms “glass art” and “art glass”. “Glass art” seems to be used more broadly and encompasses individual works of art that are substantially or wholly made of glass. “Art glass”, on the other hand, seems to be used more narrowly to describe small decorative works made of glass.

So… back to the Gilbert Glassworks workshop. This experience is not to be taken lightly. Students spend 3+ hours in the midst of a working glass studio surrounded by sharp and crazy-hot materials. It’s critical to listen attentively to the safety instructions and follow them carefully. This is not your typical “Stand behind the rope, don’t touch anything and let us dazzle you!” kind of demonstration. Stay alert and prepare to be amazed. Here’s a case in point, one of my fellow students is using a torch to activate the color in his glass piece.

The Gilbert Glassworks’ website refers to this workshop as “Furnace Glass” and explains: “This is what is normally referred to as ‘traditional’ glasswork. Utilizing a furnace full of glass and a glory hole to re-heat your work, a steel pipe or rod is dipped in the furnace, picking up a “gather” of glass. Then a multitude of tools, air and gravity are used to manipulate and shape the glass, creating a work of art. Re-heating the glass in the glory hole is necessary to maintain the heat needed to shape and mold the final piece. There are a great number of methods and techniques used to add color, shape, and texture.”

Students actually create their own glass sculpture under the watchful eye and constant guidance of experienced glass artists, Russ and Brit. During the workshop, I had the opportunity to experience a number of the glassworking steps. Here are some examples. We learned to constantly turn the steel rod to maintain the shape of the molten glass.

It’s amazing how flexible the glass is when it’s hot. But it cools off very quickly and you have to work swiftly. We learned the glass needs to be re-heated repeatedly. Here’s the glass being re-heated in the glory hole.

We learned to use a wet, wooden block to shape and smooth our glass piece. This is our instructor, Brit, demonstrating the technique.

In the below photo, a student is rolling her glass in glass frit to add color to the piece.

We used a thick felt pad, soaked in water, to further smooth our glass.

We marked our glass with jacks. We cut our glass with shears. We experienced numerous captivating tasks. And, yes, we even had a chance to try to blow a bubble into our glass. Blowing glass, it turns out, is not as easy as it sounds! There’s a lot more to it than simply blowing into the tube.

As I learn more about the art of glassmaking, I have a better appreciation for the two glass artist studios I visited on the Henderson County Open Studio Tour. See my post, Peeking Behind the Studio Curtain, for more info. Cat Martin’s studio, which I featured in the post, focuses on warm glass techniques such as slumping and fusing glass. You may recall, I used Cat’s glass pieces to embellish a woven statement necklace for the holidays (Add a Little Sparkle).

I visited a second glass studio on the Henderson County Open Studio Tour. Suzanne Cancilla-Fox focuses on lampworking. This rainbow of glass rods at her studio caught my eye.

This next photo shows Russ doing some flamework at Gilbert Glassworks. I assume this is the method he would have used to create that gorgeous dolphin sculpture pictured earlier in this post. Impressive, eh?

Russ is a highly-regarded glassmaker known for naturalist styles and themes. He’s spent a lifetime (well…since 1979) perfecting his craft and it shows‒his work is beautiful and innovative. Russ is also a gallery owner. His gallery, Fusion Art Glass Gallery, has two locations. The first location is in Seaside, Florida and the second location is in Sandestin, Florida .

In writing this post, I came across a quote from Russ regarding the joy of creating. He said “There’s nothing and then there’s something. That’s the hook‒the passion, the creation, the possibility of what you can make.”. Perfectly stated!

It’s obvious Russ is passionate about the art of glassmaking. Not only is he an accomplished glassmaker himself, he supports other glassmakers through his galleries and now he makes it possible for anyone with an interest to experience the joy of glassmaking at Gilbert Glassworks. Many thanks to Russ and Brit for a great workshop experience!

More Info

Learn more about the Gilbert Glassworks workshops and the Fusion Art Glass galleries.

This VIE Magazine article from Sept/Oct 2016, From Ashes to Beauty, is an interesting read about Russ Gilbert and the art of glassblowing.

Here’s the link to Bernard Katz’s web page on how art glass is made.

The Corning Museum of Glass website has lots of interesting information including this explanation of the tools of the glassmaker. By the way, the Corning Museum of Glass, located in Corning, New York, claims to house the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass with nearly 50,000 objects representing more than 3,500 years of history.

See my post, Peeking Behind the Studio Curtain, for information about the Henderson County Open Studio Tour held in North Carolina every fall. You can contact the two glass artists mentioned in this post via email at Cat Martin or Suzanne Cancilla-Fox. See my post, Add a Little Sparkle, for more of Cat’s work.

Today’s Takeaways

1 Explore the possibility of hands-on glassmaking through workshops hosted by local glass artists.

2 Seek opportunities to admire and study the work of professional artists. Show your support through the purchase of their work.

3 Consider the joy of creating as described by Russ Gilbert “There’s nothing and then there’s something. That’s the hook‒the passion, the creation, the possibility of what you can make.”.

Decorate Interiors

Decorating with Texture

Interior designers use texture to bring a unique dimension, give a sense of depth, and add visual weight to a room. In my last post, Texture by Mother Nature, we looked to nature for inspiration. There were numerous examples of beautiful and unique textures such as smooth beach stones, abrasive granite boulders, slimy pond scum, a hairy lion’s mane, a woolly lamb, a downy goose feather, a ribbed seashell, stringy corn tassels and a fuzzy peach. With this broad variety of textures as inspiration, let’s consider some options for using texture to increase the richness and depth in our homes and surroundings. Keep in mind, texture is only one of the 7 design elements and must work in harmony with color, pattern, space, line, form and light to create an aesthetically pleasing interior.

The below photo was taken in the living room of a Southern Living Idea House. Notice how the professional interior designers incorporated texture into this setting. There is texture on the floor, the furniture and the décor items. But it’s the coffee table that caught my eye. The unexpected metal grid provides a sharp contrast to the soft furnishings. It is further enhanced with carefully selected decorative items which also incorporate interesting textures such as the smooth polished glass candle jars, the waxy pillar candles, the smooth book covers, the rustic antlers and the fine leaves of the small plant.

Plants and flowers are a great way to introduce texture. In the below example, Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascene) seed heads make a beautiful textural bouquet. The seed heads contrast beautifully with the layered and knobby vases.

Here’s another example of using dried flowers to add texture and interest. This lovely vignette is brimming with carefully arranged textures‒the carved wooden mask, the woven side table, the flat tray, the dimpled vase and the dried flowers. Splendid!

This perfectly-executed bed design is from the same bedroom. The bed cover, which appears to be popcorn-patterned chenille, is complemented by the richly detailed pillows. The bed frame, in hammered metal and fabric padding, plays a strong supporting role while the eye-catching mirror with the ruffled frame completes the scene.

Pillows are an easy way to add texture. They can be made or bought in a wide variety of materials and treatments. Here’s an example from my own home. I designed and made the below pillows and embellished them with piping, buttons and pompoms. They add texture and interest to the banquette seating in our kitchen. See More Info below for a link to the step-by-step tutorial for these DIY bespoke pillows.

Walls often present a blank canvas for interesting décor. I designed and made the below wall hanging to add color, interest and texture in our bedroom. It’s woven with yarns in a variety of stitches and embellished with yarn fringe, beaded trim, silver wooden beads, and jeweled beads. I also glued beaded trim to the lampshade, shown in the photo, to pull in more color and texture.

Here’s another, albeit much less common, example of adding texture to walls. The artist adhered pine cones, twigs, acorns and other nature elements to the walls to create patterns and designs. While decidedly unconventional, and perhaps not so practical, this treatment is unique, fresh and exciting. I spotted it at Camp Boxwoods during the Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes (see More Info below).

A carefully chosen piece of art or vintage object can add textural interest. This clay pottery chess set by Jim Bridgeman, spotted at the 2018 Perspectives Georgia Pottery Invitational, is a case in point.

How about adding this vintage three-legged stool, spotted at an antiques market in Tongeren, Belgium, for more texture? It’s too extreme for my taste but there’s no question it would bring a unique dimension and add visual weight to a room!

Incorporating vintage textiles into your room décor is another option for adding texture. The cross stitch on this vintage tablecloth is an example.

Increase textural interest with a collection of objects. I spotted this display during the Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival garden tour. A collection of shiny, smooth glass stoppers sits on a bed of springy moss. The glass stoppers are complemented by a trio of shapely bottles filled with feathery ferns. A oval tray pulls the display together giving it enough visual weight to complement the weathered concrete bust.

Here’s another example of a grouping of objects from the Southern Living Idea House. Notice how the weathered leather of the vintage trunk complements the woven textures of the basket, tray and wall hanging. The glass bottle provides the perfect contrast with its smooth polished surface.

It’s worth calling out that none of these examples rely solely on texture‒all draw from the other design elements adding aspects of color, pattern, space, line, form and/or light. All 7 design elements must work in harmony to create an aesthetically pleasing interior.

More Info

In my post, Texture by Mother Nature, we looked to nature for inspiration on texture.

There are 7 elements of design including color, pattern, texture, space, line, form and light. The Interior Design Academy explains these elements must work in harmony to create an aesthetically pleasing interior.

See my Color Palette by Mother Nature post for more information about inspiring color palettes. See my Patterns by Mother Nature post for inspiration about patterns.

The post, Our Pony Wall and Banquette Combo, explains how we designed and built a combination pony wall and banquette to solve a functional challenge in our kitchen and entryway. The DIY Bespoke Pillows Tutorial post provided step-by-step instructions for making the pillows shown on the banquette.

See the post, Madison in May – 15 Favorite Fotos, for lots of great photos from the Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes.

See the Event Expands Pottery Proficiency post for more examples of the work presented at the 2018 Perspectives Georgia Pottery Invitational.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider adding texture to bring a unique dimension, give a sense of depth, and add visual weight to a room.
2. Explore ways to add texture through functional items such as coffee tables, bed linens and pillows.
3. Weave texture into a room’s decor with wall hangings, plants and flowers, textiles, collections of objects, vintage items or art work.

Decorate Interiors Nature Wildlife

Texture by Mother Nature

Looking to nature for decorating inspiration is a fun way to build awareness and discover a variety of options. In previous posts, Color Palette by Mother Nature and Patterns by Mother Nature, we explored color and patterns. Today, I’d like to take a similar approach with texture. Texture, color and pattern, along with space, line, form and light comprise the 7 elements of design.

Within this context, the definition of texture is “the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance”. Texture is broadly categorized into tactile (aka actual) and visual. Tactile texture is the actual three-dimensional surface that can be seen and touched. Visual texture gives the illusion of texture and can only be seen. For instance, the eye can perceive texture portrayed in a printed photo but the tactile texture is simply the smooth surface of the paper. Both tactile and visual texture play a role in interior design. Interior designers use texture to bring a unique dimension, give a sense of depth, and add visual weight to a room.

Let’s look at some examples, starting with some limestone beach stones from Schoolhouse Beach in Wisconsin. The texture of these stones is smooth and polished.

The texture of the granite boulders, in the below image, is abrasive with rounded edges. This photo was taken at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia (see More Info below.)

The bird tracks provide an interesting pattern but the texture of this sand is simply gritty and fine grained.

This pond scum, which I assume is algae of some kind, has a slippery, slimy texture.

Nature presents another whole world of texture on animals and birds. These next two photos were taken while on safari in South Africa (see More Info below). This magnificent lion has a furry texture both in his short haired coat and his glorious long haired mane.

This awesome rhino has tough leathery skin.

This alligator, spotted while visiting the Everglades in Florida, is crazy scary‒every.single.time I look at this photo I get the willies! But for the purposes of this discussion, note his knobby, bumpy tough skin.

But there’s no cringing when I look at this adorable little lamb! This Dorset sheep was spotted at the Lismore Sheep Farm in River John, Nova Scotia. He provides a great example of a woolly texture.

Feathers present another type of texture. Preened feathers form a smooth, layered coat as seen on this Red-tailed Hawk spotted at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

But individually, feathers have a different texture like the downy softness of this goose feather.

Seashells have unique and intriguing textures. This one has a beautiful ribbed texture.

This seashell has an intricate grid-patterned texture.

Moving on to the plant world, there is yet another endless variety of texture. This cactus has sharp, prickly thorns.

The leaves on this Japanese Maple tree have a delicate, veined texture.

The flower head of this Queen Anne’s Lace has a light, bouncy texture.

This garden corn was spotted in my sister’s vegetable garden. The corn tassels have a silky, stringy texture.

Peaches are abundant in Georgia, where I live, so I have a lot of peach pictures! It is, in fact, the official state fruit. This ripe peach has a fuzzy softness.

The types and variety of texture multiples as wildlife build homes and find food. Here’s a neatly woven nest built from pine needles.

In the below photo, a series of small holes, probably made by sapsucker woodpeckers, add interest to the bark of a pine tree. The resulting texture is rough and varied.

This blog post barely scratches the surface on the variety of textures Mother Nature provides. While each natural texture is compelling, it seems to me it’s the variety and abundance of textures that give a natural scene richness and depth. Man-made structures, on the other hand, tend to be dominated by flat, smooth surfaces such as walls, floors, tables, countertops, cabinets, and so on. Contemplating this contrast helps me appreciate the importance of adding texture in my home and surroundings. Texture can bring a unique dimension, give a sense of depth, and add visual weight.

I’ll wrap up this post with this serene natural scene which showcases a rich variety of textures. Note the natural smoothness of the still water, the airy delicacy of the tree leaves, the sharpness of the pine needles and the roughness of the tree bark.

More Info

Jan 29, 2019 Update: See the follow up post, Decorating with Texture, for suggestions on how to use this natural inspiration to add texture in our homes and surroundings.

See the post, Color Palette by Mother Nature, for inspiring color palettes.

See the post, Patterns by Mother Nature, for inspiration about patterns.

May 19, 2020 Update: Form by Mother Nature is the latest post in this series.

Peggy’s Cove, in Nova Scotia Canada, is renowned for its rugged beauty and is a popular destination. The post, First Light at Peggy’s Cove, includes lots of photos and shares more information.

The lion and rhino were seen in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa. To learn about my awesome African safari, see the post Majestic Lovable Elephants.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consult Mother Nature for inspiration on texture.
2. Take time to consider a broad range of options and observe a variety of textures.
3. Use texture to bring a unique dimension, give a sense of depth, and add visual weight to your home and surroundings.

Fiber Make Southeast Travel

My Batik Journey from Singapore to Miami

A recent road trip to Florida turned into a batik-themed adventure. It started with an African Wax Prints exhibition in Melbourne and wrapped up with a Malaysian Batik Painting Experience in Miami. Both activities were fun and interesting‒especially for someone as intrigued by batik as I am.

Batik is the art of decorating cloth using wax and dye. The UK-based Batik Guild explains it this way: “To make a batik, selected areas of the cloth are blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them, and the cloth is then dyed. The parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain the original colour …. After the final dyeing the wax is removed and the cloth is ready for wearing or showing. Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles.” For instance, painting the fabric with brushes and fabric dye is a popular alternative to tub dyeing. Here’s an example of a beautiful batik piece done with wax resist and brush painting.

Here’s a closer look at the color and design of the angel fish. The white lines would have been covered with wax before the color was painted on.

In the more traditional approach, complex designs are achieved by repeating the process of waxing and dyeing to layer color and create elaborate designs. Certain wax blends will crackle during handling which causes jagged lines of color to peek through. A batik master uses these cracks to produce fine detail lines in the design. Notice the subtle color change and crackle lines behind the dragonflies and bamboo in the painting below.
My interest in batik goes back several years to when I lived and worked in Singapore. I had the good fortune to attend a series of Saturday morning workshops taught by a well-known Indonesian batik artist. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from an expert. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of his work but I still have the pieces I completed. No masterpieces here‒I was obviously still learning!

When I had the opportunity to visit other countries throughout Asia, I sought out batik artwork. The tropical fish and dragonfly pieces shown above were purchased in Ubud, Indonesia. Batik has been made in Indonesia since the 12^th and 13^th centuries. Today, the island of Java, Indonesia is recognized as the area where batik has “reached the greatest peak of accomplishment”. Javanese batiks are considered a delicate art form. Here’s another batik piece I purchased in Indonesia.

Given my long-standing interest in batik, I couldn’t resist taking a detour to visit the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. The exhibition, called “Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints“, was excellent. I’m grateful to have caught it just before the exhibit finished its term. The exhibition was presented as “a tribute to African Wax Prints, the common name for a textile that had its origins in Indonesia, was imitated by Dutch textile manufacturers, and ended up marketed to an African and global audience.”
A wide variety of fabrics were displayed along the walls‒each with an explanation of its origin and significance. The vast majority of these fabrics were manufactured by Vlisco from the Netherlands.

Here’s a closer look at the design at the top right. As explained on the exhibit card, this design is called “Rolls Royce and also known as HekWerk“. It is a Dutch Wax Block on cotton and was introduced in 1979. “Thought to impart healing, success, and good luck to the wearer, “Rolls Royce” is an established, popular pattern in West Africa, particularly among the Igbos of Nigeria. One of the perennial patterns of Vlisco, it is called “The Wedding Bouquet” in the Ivory Coast, and known a “HekWerk” (“trellis work”) in the Netherlands.”

After visiting the Wandering Spirit exhibition, I was eager to give batik another try. Fortunately, I’d already scheduled an art workshop to “Make and Paint a Malaysian Batik Scarf” in Miami. I booked the workshop with my sister and friend through Airbnb Experiences. See More Info below for details. The workshop was hosted by Munirah‒a delightful and talented Malaysian artist. Munirah’s passion for batik is evident and she generously shared her knowledge and expertise. The workshop space was filled with examples and inspiration like those shown below.

Munirah introduced us to intricate tjanting techniques and we tried the Tjanting tool. Interestingly, this is the same tool I learned to use back in Singapore at those Saturday morning workshops.

Then we selected our designs and started painting!

By the end of our 3-hour workshop, my batik painting looked like this.

Here’s a peek at all three finished projects. Special thanks to Marian and Denise for joining me and making it a fun day!

We left our paintings with Munirah to dry. Then she removed the wax and mailed the finished pieces to us a week or so later. Here’s how my batik painting looks in its finished state. Not bad!

More Info

You can learn more about batik at the UK-based Batik Guild website.

The Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints exhibition has closed. But check out the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts website for other textile-related events. Here’s a link to Vlisco, the Dutch company responsible for many of the fabrics at the exhibition.

If you’re planning a visit to Miama, Florida, USA and have an interest in trying batik, don’t miss the opportunity to meet Munirah and join her Malaysian Batik Scarf Art Class. She’s a delightful hostess and the class is great fun. Plus you get to make something beautiful to take home.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Are there any art/craft disciplines that you find particularly intriguing?
2. Be curious and seek opportunities to learn more about it. Studying the work of others is a great way to grow your knowledge.
3. Consider experimentation, either independently or under the guidance of experts, to build your skills with various techniques and materials.

About General

My Top 3 Nonfiction Reads from 2018

Dr Seuss, the iconic children’s book author, is quoted to have said “Read. Travel. Read. Ask. Read. Learn. Read. Connect. Read.”. That’s advice I’m happy to follow. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. Typically I read fact-based fiction, such as Daughters of the Dragon and The Dragon Queen by William Andrews two great books based on the history of Korea, which I just finished. But I like to mix it up a little with thought provoking nonfiction. Today I’d like to share my top 3 nonfiction reads from 2018.

I thoroughly enjoyed these books and highly recommend all three:
. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
Rather than try to write my own summary, I’ll share what the experts have to say.

Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
“A groundbreaking investigation that turns everything we think we know about happiness on its head.”

“Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring? Is there a reason that people — regardless of gender, age, culture, or ethnicity — are mesmerized by baby animals, and can’t help but smile when they see a burst of confetti or a cluster of colorful balloons.
We are often made to feel that the physical world has little or no impact on our inner joy. Increasingly, experts urge us to find balance and calm by looking inward — through mindfulness or meditation — and muting the outside world. But what if the natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy?
In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight — and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.”

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
“A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life.” – PopSugar

“Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.”

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
“[A] lively exploration of what modern research has to say about the myriad health benefits of the great outdoors.” – Wall Street Journal

“From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas―and the answers they yield―are more urgent than ever.”

I found Joyful and The Nature Fix to be well-researched―often pulling in scientific studies to foster understanding. Big Magic also draws from the opinions and experiences of others but not in sciential way. The authors are masterful story tellers weaving their personal experiences and observations around their research. The resulting stories are charming and delightful. Many ideas and concepts resonated with me. Here are a few of my favorites:

From Joyful: “…. the drive toward joy is synonymous with the drive toward life. From the first revelation of the ancestral link between bright color and ripeness to the simplicity of the S curve, this correlation has held true. Joy evolved for the express purpose of helping to steer us toward conditions that would encourage us to flourish. It is our inner guide to the things that animate, stimulate, and sustain us. Put more simply, joy is what makes life worth living.”

From The Nature Fix: “nature deficit disorder… what happens when people, particularly children, spend little or no time outside in natural environments resulting in physical and mental problems including anxiety and distraction”. There are “two dominant theories that attempt to explain why our brains need nature” The first theory is being studied by researchers in Japan who “are quantifying nature’s role in lowering stress and boosting mental health using a framework based on the biophilia hypothesis, the idea that we feel most ‘at home’ in nature because we evolved there”. The second theory, being studied by American neuroscientists, focuses on “how nature helps restore our attention-addled brains to a state of sharper cognition.”

From Big Magic: “Most of all, be ready. Keep your eyes open. Listen. Follow your curiosity. Ask questions. Sniff around. Remain open. Trust in the miraculous truth that new and marvelous ideas are looking for human collaborators every single day.”
“I can guarantee you this: A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner–continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you–is a fine art, in and of itself. Because creative living is where Big Magic will always abide.”

These books address 3 different topics; joy, creativity and nature. Yet as the authors explore their chosen topics, they cross into the other topics. For instance, in Joyful, Ingrid Fetell Lee identifies freedom as one of the ten aesthetics of joy. She reveals a distinct connection between the feeling of joy and the tangible qualities of freedom including nature, wildness and open space. She interviewed James Corner, the lead designer of the High Line (the famous public park in New York City) to explore the power of modest green spaces. She attributes Corner with observing that “the delight of a landscape is less about what we see and more about what we feel. … Plants. Scent. Color. The effects of light and shadow. Water. The sounds of water. Ambient humidity. Texture. …”

The Nature Fix author Florence Williams noted that when she moved from Boulder, Colorado to Washington, D.C., she “noticed some dramatic things about my mood, creativity, imagination and productivity in different environments, and I started to ponder it.”

When discussing enchantment in Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert describes the feeling we commonly think of as “flow” or “being in the zone”. She says “It’s the feeling you get when you’ve made something wonderful, or done something wonderful, and when you look back at it later, all you can say is: ‘I don’t even know where that came from.’” She uses words like change, delight, surprise twists and unexpected endings to describe the advantages of having the courage to live a creative life.

Nature impacts joy‒nature impacts creativity‒creativity impacts joy. It’s a fascinating, engaging web of interrelated ideas.

I’m on the lookout for equally thought-provoking reads for 2019. What books would you recommend?

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I originally introduced Ingrid Fetell Lee’s ideas about the aesthetics of joy after hearing her TED talk. Check out my post on Joy Spotting to see examples of where I’ve spotted joy. I was thrilled when she called out my post in her Instagram story.

The books are available on Amazon. Here are the links:
. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams

If you like to read electronically, you may want to check out Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service which allows you to borrow an unlimited number of selected books for about $10.00 USD/month. Since not all books are available via Kindle Unlimited, I supplement this service with my local library’s online borrowing service. They use Libby by Overdrive which gives me easy online access to hundreds of titles for free. The combination of these two services gives me access to a huge selection of books at a very affordable cost.

Today’s Takeaways

1. “Put more simply, joy is what makes life worth living.” Ingrid Fetell Lee
2. “…our brains need nature.” Florence Williams
3. “A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life.” Elizabeth Gilbert

Happy Reading!

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