Art for our marriage…

What started as a utilitarian need to reduce streetlight glow and sunlight heat turned into a metaphor for marriage. And much needed art for the focal point wall of our “tiny house” walk-in-closet/ bedroom.

 The bones of this piece began life as a crochet tablecloth.  By the time it landed in an antique store in Alabama it had aquired several holes.  Two of them were too large to close.  To use it as a curtain I would have to integrate the “fix” for the holes into the design.  Adding appliqué flowers or shapes failed– the holes were spaced awkardly for a decent design and I wanted to include more color… I started just laying fabric over the holes seeking a solution when the muse hit me.

 As I wove strips of fabric into the biggest hole, it got exciting.  The original crochet geometry played peek a boo as the lines of weave alternately hid and revealed the smaller shapes in the fabric.  The weave itself highlights the interplay of the various purples and points out the contrast between the circle and the grid.  It came together in that magical space born of focused intention, experimentation and willingness.

 It feels like my marriage.  Two fundamentally different kinds of cloth, repairing one another, holding each other up and coming together to create something more exciting than either would be on its own.

 An iron pipe holds the whole thing to the wall.  Again, like marriage, a strong foundation and secure anchoring is actually why our marriage feels so free.  I trust my spouse.  I know he can hold my weight; I can’t knock him over if I push with strength- or if I fall; and he has the same trust in me.  And that trust means we both have freedom to move and change and the safety to let go and be soft.

Pragmatically, the pipe continues the theme of exposed pipes used elsewhere in the “tiny house.”  In the bedroom a larger gauge pipe serves as a clothes rod.

  Yes, that’s a mirror hanging from the bar.  The need to use every odd little space continues to inspire fun, creative solutions!  I hope that’s like marriage, too.  The quirky needs of our shared space inspire creative growth!

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