The Week that Was

I've been diligently weaving Ms H's first piece while combating humidity.We've been averaging 70-80% humidity and near-30C. Not only do I drink bottomless glasses of water, but tire easily and yarns and fiber stick to me as I work. I'm not sure if I'm stretching the warp too much while adjusting the tension.

With roughly 150cm woven, I discovered I don't have as much warp left as I should. I can weave 180cm so at least I'll get a proper piece, but a couple of other warps I made for Mom have come out short, too. I can blame the humidity, but it's me, not used to Mom's warping board: hers has much shorter pegs (?) and the spaces between pegs are too narrow for my fat hands.

Never mind.

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My dad's ashes, in the pale green urn, were entombed yesterday. The monk, (who in the old days would have been similar to a parish priest, but since we don't live near the temple, are not religious, and are not fans of the temple, the guy's not popular chez Dad,) told us something like this: Dad was a person, then he died, then he was cremated, and I'm not sure what happened next, but 49 days after death, (so, technically, Monday,) he became a Buddha. Gee.

We know shockingly little of our family, but the monk told us our family have been buried in his/our temple for 400 years, and he's the 25th monk, his son being the 26th.

The mind boggles.

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I've been thinking I should make the most of my time in Japan, a big part being going to interesting exhibitions, but also to go to lectures and workshops. So on my way home yesterday, I signed up for three one-day art workshops, one one-day Zen-meditation session, (where we get to sit on chairs, not on the floors,) and a lecture on the contents of this exhibition, coming to Yokohama in a couple of weeks.

Which also reminded me, for the very first time, that somewhere in Tokyo exists one of Vincent's Sunflower paintings, and sure enough, the insurance company that bought it in the 80's started an art museum in their building, and most exhibitions are free. They start an exhibition on Surrealism a couple of days after Pushkin.

* * * * *

But first the commission. And then I'm tying on a warp to make use of the threading. Then I'm going to work on a Santa Fe/Lahariya project. And, I'm still thinking I could do something for the Small Piece Exhibition, though with a revised plan. Fingers crossed; touch wood. 

If you're taking part in the exhibition, please email me by Sunday night. Email me, not comment on this or the guideline post. We need to think of a name for our do, and I'd like to get your opinion; I'd also like to know roughly the number of pieces I could expect. Thanks.