The Milkweed Project

Shan Bryan-Hanson conceived The Milkweed Project. She wrote, "The Milkweed Project is a collaborative art project that will culminate in a giant art installation that will create, for visitors, the feeling of being inside a Milkweed Pod (as I imagine it to be)."

She opened it to those who wanted to knit/crochet elements of the work. She will gather the elements and make an installation. From Shan's site: "...The project also explores our interdependence with nature. Milkweed pods are a small but important part of the ecosystem. They spread because of the light nature of their seeds, which are carried by the wind. By using the internet as the wind, and each participant as a new plant, this project attempts to mimic that process. " I was most intrigued by her idea of using the internet as wind. I like the thoughtform of bending technology and shaping it into a new natural element.

I played with the idea a bit over the summer, and asked one of my classes at Fiber College to consider creating work to submit. I hope they did! (ETA: I see that one of my class participants, Jackie Fee, did send in work. Well done!)

I will look forward to Shan's gathering and coordinating the work of many to create a new vision for all of these elements - all these explorations by individuals who took time out of their lives to consider how shades of white could be bent/stitched into shapes that were open, closed, tight, loose, straight, curved, hard, soft...enjoy the pieces by other participants here.

the nesting project

if there is a bit extra this week, consider bidding (thru 1.14.10) on a nest to raise money for some who have been without homes. i want to be living in a world where we are all cared for and have our own nests, sanctuaries.

(the navigation at the nesting site is a bit wonky - to see images of all nests after the first page, one must click on "previous page".) lots of beautiful and imaginative interpretations there...