Letter to a Weaving Friend

Hi Dorothy,

Just a quick note as I am now in the throes of packing. The movers come on Monday, and there is so much to do. But I wanted to take this moment to share a special picture with you.

This trip to Montana was amazing-- truly a once in a lifetime experience! Just to be clear, I wasn’t weaving FOR the Dalai Lama. I was weaving FOR a group of people who carry the vision of creating a place so sacred in the middle of the remote Flathead Reservation---that the Dalai Lama has accepted an invitation to consecrate this “garden” upon completion. I created the Dalai Lama's horoscope weaving as an offering to help raise money (which they dearly need) to complete the project within the next year. The result of this offering, so far, has been nothing short of a miracle, and I haven't even delivered the completed weaving yet. Call me if you want details as it is a story that must be told rather than written.

On the last day of the trip, I looked through the glass front door into the little house I was to rent and took a picture through the glass

and saw the future......(grin)

Colorfully,
Bonnie

Words Cannot Describe.....

There is so much to "tell", but I am starting off with the "show" part---enjoy!

These are the last 5 pictures in the series, something besides me decided I am supposed to show the last pictures first.

From the natural-dyed silk warp to the recycled cashmere weft, each thread was individually selected to correspond to a color sequence unique to HH The Dalai Lama.

You simply have to see and feel this cloth to receive the full impact of the quality.

I will tell you about the finishing process as I move backward in time.

Time is malleable....in weaving

Hanging Around Town

Back in 1975 when I was living in Missoula, I had an exhibition of my wall hangings---cleverly called Hanging Around Town. As I was doing some sorting back in Seattle, I happened upon the poster I made for the show. It is interesting to see where I was on my weaving journey back then.

I'll have to recopy the text below.


I specialize in custom weaving, a part of your environment that is an expression/extension of yourself.

These hangings represent--in part--a pleasant portion of the past 5 years.

It is easy to weave beautiful things---Anybody who wants to weave can weave something beautiful--but it is very difficult to see something in your mind and then weave it.

When someone says, "I want you to weave something for me." They are really asking me to weave a portrait of their soul, but most people don't realize this when they ask so casually. I think that is where the real magic of weaving lies.

When you weave for nobody in particular, you lose focus. You have to look too hard for the answers; but having a person to hold in your mind when you work puts you in touch with the truths of the universe--not that you always remember---but you always know where to look again.

I can surely see I was on the way. This was a few years before Color Horoscope Weaving and just at the very beginning of Almost Ikat.

Weaving Together

Here are some images I like that didn't make it into the earlier posts.

Sharmila and I look at our weavings at the same time on opposite sides of the world.


Hands working together......
This doesn't really relate to the Dalai Lama weaving except that I happened to bring the Mary Meigs Atwater merino wool, horoscope/ikat blanket with me and someone asked to see it.

As you may or may not know, Mary Meigs Atwater was the Dean of American Handweaving and lived much of her life in Montana.

Buddha Garden Weaving Day #3

I came out on the porch and examined my progress--with just one more day to weave.
I am pleased with the amount I have left to weave. I am also pleased that there are not gale winds and rain today. I didn't take any images until I was ready to cut the weaving from the loom. (It was then that the sky darkened and thunder and lightening filled the sky). This is the big moment. I used to say that the reason for weaving was "having woven". Although it may not be the reason, it is a very good part. I know it is the journey-- not the destination, and this has been one amazing journey.

Here is comes!
I just accidentally erased the picture of my hands untying the knots that attach the weaving to the front beam. Oh well....

I never can resist mugging with cloth. I wonder what it means to have that dark cloud hovering over my head? I just noticed that (grin)

I am sitting in Butterfly Herbs in Missoula taking advantage of the wireless connection. I am running out of time, but I will post some more tomorrow. I am not able to connect from where I am staying, so I will have to get used to becoming more efficient. Tomorrow I will attempt to upload more than 5 pictures as per Connie's suggestion.

Buddha Garden Weaving Day #2

Did I mention that my daughter in spirit is weaving a rendition of the Dalai Lama's horoscope in Hyderabad India at the very same moment that I am weaving at the Buddha Garden in Montana?

Here is just one of several pictures that she sent me. Isn't it wonderful! We think this is a great way to have a "peace demonstration"
Meanwhile, back in Montana the wind was howling and the rain pouring and people dropped by to watch and to weave. I was glad I brought a turtleneck jersey and socks although it did warm up in the afternoon.
There young weavers.....
And not so young weavers.....
For some reason blogger will only let me upload 5 pictures, so I don't have picture of the woman on the right weaving. Nor did I get to put in an arty picture of the woven part.

The day ended with thunder and more rain followed by a nice rainbow. I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow. It was a fun and exciting day. I should have no trouble finishing the weaving tomorrow.

A lovely woman from the Ronan newspaper, The Valley Journal, came today and took lots of pictures of me, so I will be in the news. I will put in a link when it comes out on Thursday.

Buddha Garden Weaving Day #1

Wow is the word of the day! Check out my Facebook page and see the daughter of my spirit, Sharmila ,weaving along with me on the other side of the world. I haven't figured out how to lift those pictures and put them on my blog, but perhaps it will come to me tomorrow. I shared the Dalai Lama draft with her, but I didn't know she was going to weave along with me---what a treat!

If anyone would like a copy of the Dalai Lama draft, I am happy to share it with you. Just contact me via my email with your contact information. Although I am saying this now, I have no way to doing this until I get back to Seattle after the 19th.

At first I was concerned that the cashmere was going to cover the silk too much, but not the case.
The colors are rich and subtle. My little visitor seemed like a good omen.

About a year ago, I sent Connie Rose some skeins of white recycled cashmere to over-dye. I am thrilled that I saved it for this project. The variegated skeins look very rich, indeed. Thank you Connie!

And then my friend Linda, from out of the past, showed up to weave a little bit. Actually there were a half dozen folks who stopped by to weave. I wish I had taken pictures of everyone who sat down at the loom. I will be sure to ---if people stop by on Tuesday, although I suspect tomorrow will be a quiet day.

Interestingly, I taught Linda to weave 25 years ago when we both lived in Seattle. Linda now lives 3 miles or so from the Garden. It was sure great to re-connect with old friends. It feels more and more like I am "coming home".
I easily got 1/3 of the weaving done. At about 3:30 we had a huge down-pour which cooled everything off. Then the wind came up and we had to batten down the loom for the evening.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.