It’s almost done!
Turn the stovetop to low and set the table because the feast is
happening very soon. I thought my Fall
Stew was done and I’d have a great picture for the blog, but it looks like I’m
a patch of parsnips short of a weaving.
Upon inspection, I also see that the ratio between the green beans and
the veggies and roots that Jim finds more palatable might be a little high for his
liking, but Grandma would love it.
I’ve been working on the vegetables since Thanksgiving. It’s nice to be able to spread out
making the little components of the larger composition over a long period of
time. Then the assembly phase
brings a sense of anticipation and reward when I get to see everything together
in my cornucopia. I’m really
pleased with how it turned out!
The completion of one ‘some-assembly-required’ piece leads
me to think about what I should make next. This is where the different phases of my arts-filled life
come together. I’ve been working
on costumes for the upcoming ‘Pippin’ production for Bloomington High School
South. In one scene I’m imagining
a Jimmy Buffet themed set of costumes.
The kids will all be wearing Hawaiian shirts and leis in citrus
colors. Thinking about the citrus
colors took me to slices of citrus fruits—lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits
and even a kiwi. It will be fun
for me because I will get to return to my roots (ha-ha!) as a plant scientist, and think about the botany and structure of the citrus family. I will get to teach myself what defines
a citrus fruit while I bask in bright, happy colors.
In last week’s blog I wrote a little about how another
Sounds of South experience contributed to my art. Two years ago I was the props mistress for the Phantom of the
Opera performance, and that experience brought me into possession of a
collection of gears and steam punk metal pieces. I wove metal pieces alongside my chocolate-colored, earth tone yarns and created the ground for
‘Biological Clock.’ In essence, it will featured the below-ground gears and controls not visible
to the rest of the world. This
week I wove the sky on top and now the piece is ready for the plant. I’m going to make a flower with a clock
face, which I think will incorporate a real watch.
I’m presently spending about two days a week organizing the
bits and pieces and found objects that will go into the costumes for the Pippin
performance. Specifically, right
now I’m thinking about the circus costumes. I’m absolutely loving the colors I chose, which are amethyst
purple, emerald green and sapphire blue.
I have sorted through the costume studio's drawers of blues, greens and purples and
pulled out the specific bits of trim and jewels that are the right match for
the costumes. I’ll keep collecting
and adding to this collection each week as I go to the Recycle Center in town
and take advantage of the Materials for the Arts program there. It’s such an amazing resource to have
in this community—it lets me raise the bar on the quality of the costumes and
stay within a high school performance budget. This week we have also gotten some real treasures, which are
clothing pieces that are either not useable or sellable from My Sister’s Closet or the Bloomington Thrift Shop.
These organizations have also been wonderful about contributing their
non-useables to the cause—a big shout out of thanks to them!
On Saturday mornings I do an exercise class, and this
morning I came home to an amazing smell in the kitchen. It wasn’t pie, but oh my gosh it had a
sugary-buttery-smell of baking monkey bread. I’m not sure what was in Jacob and
Jim’s head, but I believe they were the chef’s in charge and I’m just delighted
that they made it happen—yum yum!
There STILL hasn’t been a pie, though. This is my birthday week, held in January to distribute the
treats away from the week after Christmas. I’m sure a pie will come my way in the next couple of
days. Stay tuned to see what kind
it will be!
Until next week,
Martina Celerin
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