Openness
Remember my fantastic Great Aunt Bettie? I have to give her a lot of credit for opening my eyes to creative potential. Twice now she has presented me with magazine cutouts that she really wanted me to see. Both times the subjects were fashion pages from Vogue Magazine (not Vogue Knitting - Vogue the fashion magazine). The models were wearing far-out, gorgeous works of crocheted and knitted art. Aunt Bettie immediately realized their intrinsic artistic value. I would guess that the vast majority of people would look at these pieces and make a value judgment as to the garments’ practicality and how they themselves would look wearing the garments. I realized that there was a big lesson to be learned in this.
This also goes along with something that my Aunt Susan was telling me. Forgive me if I butcher this in paraphrasing - but Aunt Susan was talking about A New Earth by Eckhard Tolle (apparently Oprah was hot and bothered about that book recently). One of his ideas is related to labeling. For example: “Let’s go back before it gets dark - we’ve seen a ton of sunsets before.” Nope - that’s labeling. You assume that you don’t need to experience what is happening now because you have already seen it. It’s called a “sunset,” plain and simple. You don’t even realize what experiences you are denying yourself by labeling things.
Back to Bettie. Once I realized what a gift that was - her ability to experience everything she comes across, to be able to appreciate it by itself, separated from ideas regarding the ego, practicality, popular opinion… that made me feel really jazzy. It made me want to incorporate it into my life.
It was easy. Just realizing it made it part of my life. It has directly affected my creative endeavors since. Take my new purse pattern for example - I knew I would design my own pattern, and that I would write it out, in case others would like to make their own. BUT I totally accepted every creative idea I came up with, regardless of consideration of public opinion. I let the purse design become what it needed to become. Thus knit + crochet + sewing, button flaps, and peek-a-boo lining. And it turned out to be an absolute work of art. I trusted the muse whispering in my ear, and the thing turned out to be completely comfortable and useable. I have used it almost exclusively since it’s birth, and I love it.
I have discovered one of my strong points, that I didn’t even realize was a part of me - the ability to view a project as a whole and not confine it to one technique. Being open to whatever ideas want to wander into my noggin.
Anywho, I hope this isn’t too deep and weird. My word for my 27th year is openness, and it’s fun to see how that comes into my life.
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Tags: inspiration
I absolutely love this post! *big hugs* It’s awesome that you havebeen so inspired. You’re inspiration is inspiring. =)
That was so nice to read! Yay Aunt Bettie!