After days weaving strands on her classroom’s loom, losing hours of sparkling daylight to an indoor obsession, missing recess and skipping lunch to feed her creative fever, more impressed and impassioned as completion neared, she only reluctantly brought it out of her backpack when it was done:
Mommy, when I show people they say it is pretty but I don’t think they mean it.
The artist’s life.
From the bottom of my heart, it is one of the sweetest, prettiest works of art I have seen in a long time.
Good Job!!!
Comment by I AM — March 12, 2008 @ 4:31 am
People may or may not mean it, but I’ve learned to love the work anyway.
Comment by marta — March 12, 2008 @ 4:42 am
Children sense insincererity. That’s why it’s better to talk details, “Those colors are bright,” rather than make a blanket “That’s so pretty,” compliment.
Comment by MamaShift — March 12, 2008 @ 6:24 am
Georgia, I LOVE your pot holder and I think I have a pretty good eye because I’m an artist. I’m thinking that it would extremely cool to sew a bunch together and make a rug or a blanket.
Guess I better go find a loom…
Comment by Wendy — March 12, 2008 @ 11:50 am
Georgia – Is this potholder available for purchase? Please advise.
Comment by Jena Strong — March 12, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Hey no fair, Jena, I was thinking the same thing and came back to ask!
Also Georgia…do you have this book?
http://www.amazon.com/Potholders-Other-Loopy-Projects-Spiral/dp/157054963X/ref=pd_sim_t_img_3
Comment by Wendy — March 12, 2008 @ 11:56 am
I’m serious, Georgia…RUGS!
http://www.re-modern.com/product/CF-PTRUG.html
Comment by Wendy — March 12, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
What matters most, dear Georgia, is that YOU enjoyed making this potholder. I make a lot of art that other people probably don’t like, but it gives me pleasure to use my hands and see where my creativity will lead. And practice makes perfect. When I knitted my first scarf, it had lots of mistakes! Now I can make one without them. If you had fun weaving the potholder, keep it up. 🙂
Comment by Kathryn — March 12, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
MamaZen, please convey this message to Georgia.
“Georgia, people are often lazy and just say it’s pretty when they should take time to explain what the like about your work. So, please remember that and don’t be upset, and if you want to hear more about what they think of your art, then ask them questions like, “What is you like about it?”
I personally like the colors you chose. They are bold colors that go very well together. I also like the size of it. ”
Best regards, O
Comment by onedia — March 12, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Perceptive, isn’t she?
I very much liked this Georgia.
My favorite part is that bright splash of spring grass green that is woven right through the middle.
Comment by bella — March 12, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
Georgia,
Your potholder reminds me of long summer afternoons when I made similiar ones at summer camp. It also reminds me of a rag rug I had at that same age–warm, soft and comforting.
I love the pattern and colors, I like the uniqueness and love behind your choices.
Hope you had fun.
Comment by Busymomma66 — March 12, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
Why is it so hard to love our own potholders? And what’s better than something both creative and useful??? I’m not sure I could even make one of these that would hold together–good job, Georgia!
Comment by Shannon — March 12, 2008 @ 6:25 pm
Dear Art Lovers,
I will share all of your remarks and ideas with Georgia when she comes home from school, where she has lately exchanged her love of weaving for kickball. In the meantime, we have given her work inestimable value by using it daily. She did, Wendy, immediately ask for her own loom because this experience incited her to keep going and trying new patterns, and in that vein, she may have an entrepreneurial proposition for you and Jena yet!
Much the same can be said about her mother’s art, by the way.
With much love.
Comment by Karen — March 12, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
oh i LOVE IT!!!
Comment by Stella — March 12, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
And so GG hears all of these comments and says to me, “Mom, I’m hogging your famous.”
Comment by Karen — March 12, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
my mom has a potholder that i made when i was georgia’s age, and it looks exactly like that, although a bit faded. just looking at it made my fingers itch to do some weaving, as i was similarly obsessed.
to georgia, i say: art is process, baby. enjoy the ride and be proud of your hard work. those who know this secret will see the true beauty that your wee potholder holds.
Comment by Holly Lash — March 12, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
how cute is that? i love her colors and pattern of red stripes and green stripes–the girl really has an eye (as well as the heart) of a true artist ♥
Comment by jouette — March 12, 2008 @ 11:38 pm
Oh my gosh…I made a potholder very similar to that when I was in school! Let’s hear it for the potholder artists!
Comment by Shelli — March 13, 2008 @ 1:33 am
tell Georgia it IS pretty.
Comment by Mika — March 13, 2008 @ 1:58 am
“Hogging your famous!”
The artist life, indeed!
Comment by Mama Zen — March 13, 2008 @ 2:10 am
Georgia has an eye for color.
Comment by Moanna — March 13, 2008 @ 3:31 am
It is so beautiful. The colour combination is eye-catching and I love the little bit of roughness to it. It evokes the beauty of the heart for me – the perfect openness and wornness of care. wabi sabi.
Comment by Sandra — March 13, 2008 @ 5:07 pm
This precious little potholder reminds me of rugs I had as a child and rugs I have now (rugs that I pay good money for). Georgia has a fantastic eye for color and her weaving looks quite skilled to me. How does one bind off the edge? Binding seems as if it would be quite difficult to do.
But there is something this potholder has that my rugs do not; it was made by hand and neatly tucked in those weaves is love. Love is what makes this potholder special.
Comment by Shalet — March 13, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Awwwwwwwwwwww!
Comment by denise — March 14, 2008 @ 4:09 am
Ah, that brings back fond memories! How I used to love to weave potholders as a child. Thanks, Georgia, for the smiles!
Comment by Mary P Jones (MPJ) — March 25, 2008 @ 2:54 am