Tuesday, June 1, 2021

An amazing journey with Gerhardt Knodel and other incidents

Today was eye exam day, all fine, no work needed other than new glasses. The little drawback is that you can't do any close work, reading, stitching, any of that, until the dilation goes away. I tried writing one short email a bit early and promptly developed an ocular migraine. Oh 

So instead I made a batch of pancakes on the grounds of entitlement. Also on the grounds of having missed lunch because that's when the eye appointment was.

Strawberry ginger jam as a sauce. 

These did not last long.

I noticed my neighbor had uncovered his new Toy for Boy, a three wheeler, like a Jet ski on land. What fun.


Before all this  I was picking out which of my many white tops to wear, chose a lovely fine cotton shirt and realized I'd shortened it ages ago and neglected to hem it. 

So why not now, I sez, and you see the Tunisian Mitered Square working as s scissor fob already.

And here's the shirt. It's soft, very fine, buttoned roll-up sleeve. 


Perfect for hot weather which we haven't had much of yet. I probably got it from Dharma Trading, judging from the nice quality. It will go with that skirt I haven't made yet.

Then finally, later in the afternoon, after eye doctors and pancakes and vehicle spotting, I could see again.

So I checked into HGA Textiles and Tea, on Zoom, Tuesdays at 4. Since I don't have a fine craft background, the artists are almost all news to me, and a revelation of textile art.

Today it was this man, very congenial and skilled presenter on screen, retired Director of the Cranbrook Academy, prestigious fine craft school. 

He does enormous weavings, often using a Mylar warp, which is strong enough to hang two story high artworks. Google on him for more info, his work is amazing.







And here's his current loom,  in the studio, hi in Pontiac Michigan


And his latest book, not yet on sale

He's a great explainer of the evolution of his works, from early ideas to influences to drawings to finished artwork. Definitely worth checking out.

He's in his early 80s, and having finished the book, is planning on a return to his loom.

This was a much more interesting day than I'd expected.


16 comments:

  1. And I forgot White Rabbits!

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  2. I don't know about riding a high lift to hang art, by the artist, no less.

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  3. After I get my eyes dilated, I wear these HUGE "old man" wrap-around sunglasses that go right over my prescription glasses and shield my eyes from all light. I even wear them for awhile when I get home until the worst of the light sensitivity is gone. They look like hell but they do the trick, LOL!

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    1. Yes, my eye doctor gives me massive temp dark glasses for this purpose. On a cloudy day you're stumbling about in twilight, but they protect your eyes.

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  4. It's nice to have your eye checkup done and behind you. I hate it too when they dilate your eyes because you really can't do much of anything without getting a headache. Those pancakes look great though - you earned them!

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    1. That's how I felt about the pancakes. I opened a new tin of baking powder, and they puffed up do well I realized my old supply had had it.

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  5. wonderful work by Knodel. I don't wear white. well, I have one white blouse that I rarely wear because I live a life that gets things dirty and white, it would have a stain on it in 5 minutes.

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    1. Yes, my outdoor work is much less active than yours. I have in recent times taken to wearing my table napkin tucked into my neck, Poirot style because I will certainly be wearing food before long

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  6. Great post, I didn't know about Knodel. Glad your eye exam turned out well. The 3 wheeler...gorgeous!

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  7. But those pancakes...
    I broke out some of my strawberry mango jam the other day. It is so good.

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  8. Glad the eye exam went well, barring the dreaded effects of the drops. I think you were very deserving of pancakes after all that ordeal. I've never seen that particular version of a Boy Toy - looks like a glorified garden tractor! Hope he at least offers you a spin in it, just to say you did.

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    1. He is threatening to give me a ride, yes. I'm a bit dubious.

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  9. I might risk a ride as long as the neighbor isn't a speeder...Dharma Trading? Must look that up...your food always leaves me hungry, speaking of eyes...smell-a-vison would be worse though.

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    1. Dharma Trading is a lovely family company in California, the dad, who died recently, an old hippie, the sons carrying on the business with a lovely attitude of fairness all around. And they're very funny. You can get a paper catalog or see online. I've had beautiful products from them, and good advice, for years.

      I agree that smelling the food without being able to taste would be a bit trying.

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