Art in Progress: Art to Wear/ Art to Display: Kumihimo Braids

Lately, I have been playing around with Kumihimo braids. I enjoy the threads and textures and am really excited about mixing them with beads. In addition, when I am trying to take my mind off of a migraine, they are soothing to work with and do not involve looking at tiny, shiny things. That being said, some of the braids are definitely better made than others, both because of where my technique level was when making them and because of how well I was feeling at the time. Nevertheless, they are evidence that I "persisted" in my art-quest (if I may steal a phrase from our recent political situation). And to be honest, I think persistence is 99% of making art. Inspiration is great, but having the tenacity to work through setbacks, knots, unravellings, and a myriad of other roadblocks is really what gets the job done.

I always tell my children how much I hate finishing off the pieces with findings; but, as with proofreading, it is essential to how the piece turns out. I believe that both proofreading and finishing are difficult for many because these actions do not feel like part of the "creative process." They occur after the aha-moment has passed and the adrenaline is depleted; yet, I have noticed recently that they can also be quite innovative in their own way.

With writing, proofreading provides the author with a chance to embellish, expand, and, yes, correct grammar. With finishing, the artist can add to a piece, fix or embellish over any mistakes, and make last-minute changes to create an innovative work of art. Few of the following pieces are "works of art" with capital letters, but they are a display of a journey in learning and playing with a new technique.