Tuesday, July 12, 2016

BEauTIFul BORo


If you have recd. my little newsletter you will have read about a friends beautiful gift that I recd this week - what an honor - just love it!  The art journal gift was entitled 'A Japanese Theme' and it depicts a story of Japanese Boro - and included an interesting article about Boro.  Lead me to the net - and a Japanese museum featuring Boro - and photos etc - it was fun and quite a learning experience.  The museum is  http://www.amusemuseum.com/english/boro/index.html

'In rural Japan back in the 19th and into the early 20th century cotton was very scarce. Most early Japanese garments were made of hemp, but for northern Japan these clothes had to be thickly woven, were often uncomfortable, and did not retain warmth very well. So when cotton was introduced to Japan, it was seen as a luxury item for rural poor. Cotton was brought from warmer districts such as Osaka and other cities by ships, where people bought fragments instead of a cloth roll as it was less expensive. It was common for these textiles to be passed down through generations, where they would be patched and mended to reinforce them for the next user. It’s sort of an unintended art form, which highlights preservation and the importance of reuse and recycling.  From - 'http://stadiumsandshrines.com/gem-club-on-japanese-boro/



Serviceable Items that have Become Works of Art

JUsT A LiTTle WiErD

Some unusual sculptures with doll parts!

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/disturbingly_beautiful_sculptures_created_with_discarded_doll_parts



CHiarA VEniCe ARt DOlls

Are familiar with Chiara Venice Art Dolls?  Check them out at http://www.chiaraveniceartdolls.com.au/
Those eyes!!!!

AWashiMa jiNJa

There are a lot of Japanese superstitions about dolls, and a good number of people in Japan seem to find them a little mysterious or frightening, believing that they have souls or the power to influence human lives. There are a number of shrines and festivals wherein people dispose of their old dolls and toys - they feel that if they just threw them in the garbage, the dolls' souls might come back to haunt them like ghosts.


Awashima jinja is a shrine for women and is famous for its enormous collection of dolls.

Every year on March 3rd, Awashima jinja is home to a doll festival called nagashi bina, in which boatloads of hina ningyo are launched into the ocean. As the boats are rocked by the waves, the dolls fall overboard and sink into the ocean. It is believed that the dolls will take away the sicknesses and bad luck afflicting their former owners, and the ritual has become very popular.
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/awashima-jinja 

Love the ideas of rituals around dolls - sometimes our little gang wonder what will happen to our collections when we've 'outgrown' them.

Doo DAdS


epb getting together with Reets - from 'Reets Rags to Stitches'.  Still love Reet's designs.








Little 'doo dads' that elinor and Barb Willis have been playing with - you can tell Barb's I'm sure!!!
We're going to have a play with these here next get together.  

'SUturE SelVEs'


Jill Maas has been playing with friends - they needed a name and came up with 'Suture Selves' - very clever!  Cute little fellows under production.