Wow…I’m still processing the seven days from my photography course. Immediately after the class ended on Saturday, I headed to the Jersey shore for a couple of days of relaxation with good friends. I really needed some “toes in the sand” time after an extremely intense week. What can I share so far about the photography course? I learned so much…not only about photography, but so much about myself. I learned what I like and what I don’t like about “street” photography. I use that word loosely…because in reality I think street photography is just photography. Regardless of where you’re making images, you’re still trying to capture the essence of a person or the story around the situation.
After the last class on Saturday, I went back to the course description and just had to chuckle. (This week I can chuckle, last week…not so much.) I think the word “push” was used multiple times. Students will be “pushed” to do this and “pushed” to do that. I don’t think I quite picked up on that word prior to class, but this is exactly what happened. But it was all for the good and I needed time to reflect to come to that conclusion. Like I said, I learned so much…to scan, assess, look for the story and then go after it…all within seconds. Sounds easy, but oh so different in the moment of a real-time street scene. What was most stressful to me was having to produce each day. My normal mode of operation in daily city living is to walk the streets and let things unfold. If I come home with one or two good photographs, I’m very happy. This week each day the goal was 30. That’s doing a lot of looking, a lot of assessing and a lot of getting in people’s faces to make those thirty images. I found that to be very intense and very stressful. I’ll be sharing more in future blog postings along with some of my captures during the week. It was a learning experience for sure, and one that I’ll never forget.
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To continue with the spirit of inspiration I’ve been so wanting to share an amazing artist who happens to be a weaver. I met Sandy through a good friend of mine. The day I walked into her apartment here in the city and saw the variety of stunning colors of thread surrounding her loom…I was smitten with her craft. Then I started following her on Facebook and totally fell in love with how she used photographs for the inspiration of the color palette for her pieces.
But I was curious how this all started for her…and interesting enough…it seems it started out a little stressful for her too…oh how I can relate coming off of this past week…
I signed up for a week long intensive weaving class at our local yarn store. The class was a bit stressful. I think there were 8 women and our male instructor who was a past co-worker of my husband’s, so I knew him and felt worried that I would appear too dumb to weave! So much to learn in the short week, and a couple of the women were crying and dropping out! But when I unrolled the very first piece of plain weave towel from the loom, I was hooked. I fell in love with weaving on the spot. I went home at the end of the week and researched looms and purchased a 4 shaft floor loom, and two years later added an 8 shaft floor loom. Now, with a move to New York City, I have added a 12 shaft floor loom.
Knowing that most passions begin to consume us (haven’t we all been there!) I was so curious to know when that happened to her in her journey…
I believe I was consumed with it from the first week. I wove full time – placemats, coasters, napkins, towels, blankets, and lots of scarves! I was always thinking of the next project while the current one was still on the loom. I started weaving baby wraps two years ago. I began with custom designs, and then moved to creating my own designs. I have lately been using inspiration pictures from the babywearing mama’s, trying to create a design that matches the inspiration from their experiences. (Isn’t that so cool!) Color, weave, fiber – the choices are limitless.
The photo collage below is of the baby wrap – the Sacred Well. The image was submitted by one of her “babywearing mamas.” Isn’t this just beautiful?
The New York skyline baby wrap was clasped weave in all cotton. I wove the skyline in black silhouette, carefully placing and replacing each thread to form the buildings. The background is all sunset colors. I call it “The 10th Kingdom” (from the movie) and I sold it at an auction to a babywearer with whom the world trade towers had significance in her life.
The wrap below (Africa Strong) was designed from a collage of photos that had special meaning to another babywearing mama from her time in Africa. This photo below is of another mama wearing the wrap in a Double Hammock with a Poppins Finish. In this case the baby is on her back and if you look carefully you’ll see her baby’s legs. There are dozens of ways to wrap your baby.
The baby wraps become special to them because they encompass their experiences, the colors they love, and the love, hugs and special moments of baby wearing, keeping their babies safe and close.
See the brown dog label? That’s Rachel…her chocolate lab that she named her business after… Even though Rachel is no longer with Sandy…you can see she really is…as we know they are part of our family and will be with us forever. You can find more images of Sandy’s weaving on her website here. Thanks so much Sandy for inspiring all of us with your beautiful wraps and providing us with these wonderful photographs!
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I’ll be heading to Arizona in a couple of days…preparing for a three week trip to discover the state of Oregon with some really good friends. Totally stoked at the photography possibilities so stay tuned for more updates!
Hope you’re having a good week! gg
If I were in the right place at the right time, dear Robin, I know I would love to weave, so sharing Sandy’s passion is very inspiring. Watching colors meld together like that would be so fulfilling. I especially like the idea of baby wraps. And I love looms.
But you and your photography! I wonder how I’d do with such a stressful class? I don’t know. But surely we’ll learn from you in the days to come. I can hardly wait.
In the meantime, enjoy Oregon. I visited a friend there once years ago but have no memory of the state. One day I’d love to see it…especially if g’son Nicholas really does end up going to OREGON, his dream university (he likes their colors and their football team).
I could so see you weaving Ginnie! Her work is so amazing! So tomorrow I head for Arizona and prepare for the Oregon trip. So very excited! And how cool that Nicholas has his heart set on attending there! Yes, still working through my thoughts on my class…but so very fortunate to have had the opportunity. There’s no doubt there! More soon!
I love this post!
Sandy’s weaving! How stunning, how inspiring! How inspired, actually. Just the best. And the fact that these wraps are connecting mamas and their babies makes me crazy happy. Having a daughter and daughter-in-law who have recently had babies, I really feel this. Simply beautiful. I love everything about what she shared. My daughter was a fibers minor in art school, and she has woven a fair amount. I loved the weaving room at her school, full of huge looms. Ahhhhh.
And you, Robin! That class sounds like intensity intensified. Like Ginnie, I so look forward to what you will share from that experience!
And Oregon! I am in love with that state, having lived in Ashland one semester in college at an old logging camp converted to a college extension campus. It was heavenly. Pacific Crest Trail, etc. Just an incredible state. I know that you will show us through your eyes how glorious it is, beyond what we might have already seen. You have a gift, dear lady!
I knew you’d love her work Ruth…and yes, the class was very intense but one that I learned so much! Always so appreciative of your kind words!
I have a friend in Ahwatukee Az. that has a huge loom in her living room and she weaves beautiful fabrics too. I could sit and watch her weave all day. I love the baby wrap you photographed above. The colors and the texture of it are just stunning.
Wow, you photography class sounds very intense but I know you loved every minute of it… Can’t wait to see some samples of what you worked on and learned.
Oregon is calling your name now and next summer it will be calling mine and Bill’s name as we continue to make our way across our beautiful country. I will be looking forward to your photographs as a preview to our trip through Oregon…
Thanks for sharing this great post. Love and miss you. XoXo
The colors she weaves together are truly stunning for sure! Now I can’t take credit for the photos…other than the first one. Sandy sent me all of them to share. So stay tuned for more about the class and of course Oregon!! Miss you too! xoxoxo
So what’s our rule of thumb….if you walk away with one new idea that you can apply to your work…the workshop was a success. It’s interesting how sometimes we have to be pushed to have a breakthrough, however no one mentions the stress that comes with it. At this stage of the game I’m looking for more fun than stress. Good for you for hanging in there.
Love the textile story, textiles has it all, color, and sexual texture, Now you need to make a trip to Laos to experience their weaving!
Yep, that’s our rule of thumb and the good news is I got so much more! That’s so true, we sometimes do have to be pushed to have a breakthrough. So true. I’ll look forward to sharing more in future posts, but even more so when we see each other in October!
Hi Robin, Thank you so much for the showcase! I love reading all your blog entries and when I’m walking the streets, I always keep an eye out for you because I know you are Everywhere!
I’d love to meet up with you sometime when you are back from Oregon.
Wishing you good weather and happy times on your trip!
Sandy
It was my pleasure. You’ve inspired me since the first day I met you! Yes, let’s get together. I’ll give you a shout out when I get back to the city! Thanks so much!
Robin, This series of posts have been a joy. I truly love meeting artists of all varieties and learning from their perspective. Sandy’s weaving is clearly a deeply meaningful activity for both her and the babywearing mamas. Her work is exquisite.
I can imagine the stress that came with the photo workshop. I hate to admit it but I would probably have been tempted to drop out. I think I might have used the rationalization that photography is supposed to be my hobby and fun, but truly the work is worth it. I felt much the same when I trained to run several half-marathons, but I’m glad I stuck with it. You can take what you want from the experience and leave the rest behind. The best thing about art – it’s up to you! Looking forward to your next posts, but also really glad you had some time for ‘toes in the sand.’
I knew you’d love her weaving! And yes, I’ve had a class or two where I dropped out, so I do understand that recourse, ha! Thanks so much and so looking forward to sharing more. You nailed it with the similarities of half-marathons! I too am glad I stuck with it! More soon!
I love that opening photo, Robin, and I’m sure that shooting in the streets wasn’t that easy as it may sound. Actually I find it pretty hard to read the situations and circumstances and react to them quickly. I’m looking forward to reading more about that course and your personal experience.
Sandy’s story sounds wonderful. I love that philosophy of creating the particular baby wraps for “babywearing mamas.” I especially like the “Sacred Well” design. We had a saying in Czech expressing in a rhyme that blue and green together are good just for a fool but that’s not the case at all!
Thanks Petra for your visit! Yes, that image was taken on the water at the Jersey Shore and I really needed calm at that point! More to come!
If you say that photography course was intense then it really must have been because you are no sissy, that’s for sure! No surprise that you hung in there and no surprise that you headed to the shore right after … good girl! And so is this gal Sandy, and very talented … thanks for sharing her and the beautiful images, I really love the colors and the idea of the baby/mama wraps.
Thanks so much! You are always a wonderful cheerleader! xo
Thanks for showcasing another inspirational and talented woman. BTW, I just love that they happen to be women. All into the sisterhood. Women are amazing. You being on the top of my list, Rooftop Robin!
OK, beautiful talented weaves, colors, etc. I felt stupid and had to go on Sandy’s site to understand where the baby goes. I saw the little legs in your photograph. Wonderful that mommies can use this but I for one would drop my baby in the middle of Toys R Us as the poor baby would unravel and roll under a rounder of onsies. I had to move south to stay warm because I cannot wrap an infinity scarf.
Sandy is very talented, I absolutely love the beautiful colors, too. Wrapping, not for me but don’t have.a baby, so it’s all good. Definitely should sell with a legal disclaimer for people like me. . Just kidding (about the legal disclaimer, anyway).
So cool that you weave, too!
I am really so proud of you, as always, for pushing yourself past your comfort level and staying with the class. I guess sometimes our excitement and expectations add more to the disapointment and stress if we had a whole different scenario of what to expect.
Street photography and that pressure of capturing the moment in a nano-second is extremely stressful and difficult. That pressure could take the joy out of the love of your craft. BUT, I know you walked away learning something new and I am SURE you had an impact on others in the class. Sometimes we’re not always put in situations for us, like intended, but other plans evolve and you touch other peoples lives and sometimes that was the whole big picture of why you were there.
Looking forward to seeing more about it and am so proud of you.
Enjoy your trip and exploration of our beautiful country.
Rock on, Robin.
Love you.
XOXO
Picture me laughing…because I would NEVER be able to wrap up a baby especially when I can’t even tie a scarf! So I TOTALLY understand! Ha! When I saw one of the women in the fields of Peru wrap her baby and tossed it on her back within seconds…I stood there in total awe. But let me clarify if my words took you down a path…I am not a weaver and don’t think my mind could ever do that! But oh how I love to watch the looms being worked. So beautiful.
Your comment is so true…we have expectations in our mind and that can certainly lead to stress etc. But it’s been helpful to have some days to reflect to truly appreciate how much I learned! Thanks always for your comments and your never ending support!! xoxox
I have never taken a photography course…maybe someday I will be “pushed”. I don’t do people in photos…I have never felt comfortable. I love the weavings….the colors of the first one are spectacular…looking forward to seeing Oregon through your eyes.
Thanks so much for your visit Donna! Stay tuned for Oregon!
Meeting all those gifted people will be an inspiration. It always rubs off because we are open to new ‘things to do’. I looked at Sandy’s FB account, what a talent and what a gift. Maybe in my next life I have time enough to be able to create more. Sometimes I wished I knew what I know now when I was 20……
Have a great time in Oregon.
Love and hugs.
Truly! The reality is we can be inspired by everyone…every individual has a unique gift…love that about US! Thanks so much and stay tuned for Oregon! xoxo
My goodness you’ve been busy Robin….all that stress. Well done to you for sticking with it and pushing on! I love Sandy’s weaving…so beautiful and such glorious colours.
Thanks Jane! It was a tough one…but I endured and most of all LEARNED!
Always love your travels. Have a great time in Arizona, and let me know if you ever drift anywhere near London !
Oh, absolutely Peter!! Thanks for dropping in! Always enjoy my favorite writer’s visits!
30 images a day!!! Stressful for any creative! But I’m sure an incredible learning experience, as well! On a side note I am so loving your work, Robin! Absolutely beautiful!
Great profile piece, too! Another amazing talent! Love her work!
Enjoy your travels, my friend! I know you will capture many gorgeous images! Can’t wait to check back with you! Xox-M
Thanks so much for your visit Mary!
So beautiful! I always love to hear from your photography adventures!
Thanks Katrin!
What a lovely project. And, as always. touching pictures.