Learning to Fly

Learning to Fly is the title of my most recent collection of patterns. It was inspired by feathers found on a walk.

If l were to place a retrospective title to this year, it would be the same - Learning to Fly. 2022 has been a year of change, new experiences, re-learning and awakening.

My husband and I sold our house in the Minneapolis area and relocated to the woods of northern Wisconsin, near Lake Superior. We felt an intuitive need for a smaller, quieter and a more intentional life, a feeling that had been simmering for some time. With this in our hearts, we chose to relocate, downsizing our physical space to live more harmoniously with the environment. In our new location we have planted the beginnings of a large garden and food forest, have embarked on preserving food, have tagged maple trees to tap for syrup next year, started a culinary mushroom farm, all while living in this small home while we renovate it.

This year has been both thrilling and challenging. This year also provided opportunities for re-learning of lessons. For me, as lessons usually do, appear when I am most outside of my comfort zone, when usual routines are not there to ground me.

Re-learning:

patience

shedding unrealistic expectations

trusting my intuition

playfulness strengthens relationships, feeds the soul and

creativity

being present

I have found that this new place is home to a large community of creatives and makers, who share my curiosity, wonder and gratitude of the natural world. In this place I have become a student again, and have entered a state of Shoshin (a Buddhist term for beginner’s mind meaning an attitude of openness and eagerness in learning).

New experiences:

Permaculture and food forestry

Food preservation

Log pounding (in preparation for basket weaving)

Native plant and mushroom identification

The accumulation of these experiences, lessons and observations, along with working with my hands and living immersed in nature, continue to influence my artwork. They have nourished my heart and awakened an inner knowing about myself and my relationship with the earth. My new surroundings have been deeply inspiring and I feel propelled to evolve my art making process. I have an urge to be more tactile, to interact at a more sensory level, to be more playful and to allow nature to speak for itself.

I feel this year has been a gift of which I am just beginning to unwrap.

Awakenings:

learning what I am capable of
learning my value
learning that fear can be a companion but not the boss

learning the gift of a generous community
learning that I can be a student and a guide simultaneously

learning the internal reward of perseverance

I am
LEARNING TO FLY.