The Weaver

The Weaver, 16x20 Soft Pastel

Again, the poetry of William Blake has inspired my artwork...this time the theme of sewing and fabric weaves together several poems, a passage previously noted from "Auguries of Innocence," where "Joy and Woe are woven fine; a clothing for the soul divine," and also a passage from "The Gates of Paradise," which speaks of "Weaving to Dreams" and "weeping over the web of life."

The weaver is tucked away in a room lit only by the bright sun streaming in through a high window. She weaves a tapestry filled with figures, weaving the web of life, complete with joy and woe, experiences good and bad, journeys and the people met along the way. As I created this piece, I thought of the people and experiences in my own life, how we are all woven together, interconnected and tied to one another in complexities. Our lives are woven intricately and are full of depth, of various threads from our past, our present and future, which cannot be separated. Each small piece creates the whole, and must be present to hold it tightly together. This way of thinking helps me accept the hard or painful experiences in life, knowing they help to create my web of life. The patient and careful process of weaving echoes the long journey of our life; having a long view of our life process brings hope and patience as we discover and learn more about ourselves as each day passes, as the light fades and returns again each morning.