Review of "Mining the Surface: New Sensibilities in Art Textiles" in August 29 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The reception for the "Mining the Surface" exhibition at Swan Coach House Gallery in Atlanta is this Thursday evening, Sept. 4, 6-8 p.m.  The gallery e-mailed a link to a review written of the exhibit by Debra Wolf for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  She says: "Bottom line: In a show that encourages us to look closely at the range and skill involved in fiber arts, diverse themes and techniques come together in a lively exhibition."  My work was noted in the very last sentence:  "There's plenty more to appreciate in this exhibition, including...Tommye Scanlin's soft-spoken tapestry...."  So nice to have mention, even in the last words!

more from Tumbling Fun Falls Conservation Easement

Yesterday's photos of the new trail weren't the only ones I took while in NC.  And, the name--Tumbling Fun Falls (or Tumblin' Fun Falls) is one that was noted in a book, The Land of Waterfalls, by Jim Bob Tinsley about waterfalls in Transylvania County, NC.  Tumblin' Fun is the falls shown in the photos in this post.  It's on the property that Noel & Patrick have recently placed in a conservation easement; over 100 acres of beautiful cove forest that will be preserved forever.  Whitewater Falls is not too far away.

On Noel & Patrick's property there are two falls, the Tumbling Fun Falls shown here and Dorothy's Falls, which was inspiration for many of the photos taken a few weeks ago...as well as the sketches and watercolors.  There are quite a number of seeps, springs and small creeks on the place, too.

Although dry again this year, Noel & Patrick continue to be able to grow the most marvelous plants.  The beauty of these show the deep love both N & P have for nature and for healthy, beneficial ways to grow food for themselves.  As I left yesterday, Noel was planning for an afternoon of elderberry jam making.  But not only are the cultivated plants wonderful, all of the surrounding forms show such vitality.

After the new trail walk, Patrick and I went down to the base of Tumbling Fun Falls where I took a number of photos.  I'll take the watercolors there next time I go up; there's a rock at the base of the falls that I can get to pretty easily and so I'll be able to sit almost directly under the falling water to paint.  

A magical spot

I've just returned from another couple of days in North Carolina, staying overnight at Noel & Patrick's Thursday and Friday nights.  Sandwiched in between the visit at Tumbling Fun Falls was a trip into Asheville for a Guild committee meeting.

Noel and Patrick have opened up a new trail on the property and we took a walk along that this morning before I left.  This path is my favorite now!  It meanders through laurel hells and along the creek, dense layer of leaf litter and humus underfoot.  I took quite a few photos on the walk but most didn't turn out very well.  But I manipulated a few of the shots with iPhoto in an attempt to give a sense of the timeless quality that I feel in the place.  I could imagine these woods giving off the same essence of spiritual presence 100 years ago--or 1,000 years ago.  It's as though this cove forest stands removed from time in the way I experience it.

Democratic National Convention

I've been so thrilled to discover that I can watch live coverage of daily events at the Democratic National Convention, online on my laptop!  Now talk about weaving with meaning, watching Mark Warner give a rousing keynote address last night while I was weaving on the fiddlehead tapestry--that was something to be treasured.  This tapestry is about renewal--and that's what this campaign represents to me, a chance for the American people to renew their sense of values and honor their commitment to all of our citizens--not just a select few.

I was energized watching all of the strong women speak last night, too.  And what a speech by Michelle Obama on Monday night,  as she spoke so eloquently about her background and family; how her experiences and those of her husband mirror those of so many Americans as they strive to be the best people they can be, in spite of or because of their circumstances.

I also was glad to see and hear Hillary Clinton last night.  She had my vote in the primary but I'm happy to move on to Barack Obama now as my candidate.  I found his 2004 keynote address on the videos at the DNC website, too--I was very happy to see it again and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's acceptance speech.  

I don't usually make overt political statements through bumper stickers, yard signs, or campaign buttons but I've taken to wearing an Obama pin, his face encased in a bottle cap with milagro heart attached, that I bought at Folk Fest last week. The woman from whom I bought the pin is donating 1/2 of her proceeds from sales of Obama pins to his campaign.

OK, so this is my first and last political post....nothing from next week, I'm sure!  I'll be back to talking about tapestry and other assorted things I'm up to--and anxiously waiting for the next four months to pass.