Saturday, September 5, 2009

KIMONO

" Airing out
kimonos
as well as her
heart
is never
enough"
Chiyo-ni
(1703-1775)

Haiku always inspires me, with it's inner  wisdom. After  reading Chiyo-ni's   beautiful haiku,  I entitled this commissioned ATC " Kimono". The words and collage  seem to share the same Asian essence.

In the early 17th century , ' airing out' was done in the summer to prevent kimonos , books and scrolls from being eaten by insects and mold . This woman would have most certainly been frustrated living  within the feminine restraints of the Edo society. Still she is graceful and humble in her approach to everyday life.

Creating from collage and haiku posed a few problems for me. I kept wanting to  add more embellishments to this card... but ZaaArt of  listening to one's" inner self ' dicatated that less was more in this creation.

Friday, September 4, 2009

TIMELESS HAIKU

I am always encouraged  by the gentle prose of Haiku.   This is my ATC entited ' Butterfly"  which is beautifully illustrated through the ancient haiku of  ' Kaga no Chiyo".( 1703-1775)

Chiyo-ni  is considered one of the foremost  women haiku poets of Japan . She studied under two masters, who themselves, apprenticed with the great  male poet, Basho, who  ironically had  set down rules that forebade male haiku poets from befriending female haiku poets. History does have a sense of humour... Today, most Haiku masters are respectfully women !!!

1.
" A Butterfly--
What dream
is making your wings flutter?"






2.
" Butterfly --
you also get mad
some days."








3.
" What the butterfly
wants to say --
only this movement
of its wings."
This is one of  four new ATC's   commissioned and set to Haiku prose...  ENJOY !!!