Time Stops
There are moments in my creative life where time stops, everything around me gets quiet, and magic happens. It’s been a very long time since I have had one of these, but it happened last night and I am deeply grateful.
I have been exploring overshot motifs as part of my Overshot Summer course. I admire teachers who have an entire curriculum set out before teaching a class for the first time, but I have been doing this for long enough to know that this is not how it works for me. Pathways through concepts develop as I teach them. I learn from my students as much as they learn from me, and through these interactions, I gain clarity on how to build a course.
Before starting, I had thought that I had a deep understanding of this glorious weave structure, what material I wanted to present, and how I was going to lead my students through this material. Once I got into it, it went in directions that I hadn’t anticipated. For me, that is where the excitement lies, and last night I hit it!
Time ceased to exist and it was just me and my loom. I was pushing hard to get the piece finished, the light was fading. And then I looked out and the implications of the fading light shifted in my awareness. The sky was glorious and I gave in to not finishing my piece right then. Something more important was happening. I grabbed a glass of wine, and headed off for Miradouro Cruz Do Canário (FB link with pictures). It’s a five minute walk from my house, but I often forget that it is there.
It was a beautiful night. So achingly beautiful that it was hard to pull myself away and go to sleep. This morning I am tired, and my weaving is still calling to me. I know that by tonight, there will be finished cloth, and that brings me joy. This beautiful island has taught me patience.
