As the temperature rises, I’m reminded it’s Summer.  A linen blouse, crop pants, sandals and a ponytail pretty much describe my look for the season.  Comfortable clothes combined with the heat, and last but not least, barbecue ignite an intense creative curiosity leading me down an unknown path.  Perhaps I’m nostalgic for Summer days gone by when, as a young girl, the end of the school year meant staying up late and sleeping in, swimming all summer, making lanyards at my local Parks and Recreation Department or hanging out in the mystery section at the library.  Along the way, I loved biking through fields of flowers, racing with dragonflies, and collecting rocks.  A time and place I created for myself, the freedom to explore without any encumbrances.

My current Summer journey leads to an intense study of block printing.  Recently, I attended a block printing class at A Verb For Keeping Warm in Oakland, CA with Rebecca of Rekh & Datta. Rebecca shared a video of India, describing a brief history of  block printing along with the individual family that translates her designs to fabric.

Photo credit:  Mary Lou Fall

Here is my first carved block .

Photo credit:  Mary Lou Fall

Photo credit:  Mary Lou Fall

I decided to separate the block into individual segments to experiment with pattern and design.

Photo credit:  Mary Lou Fall

Much to my surprise, some interesting patterns emerged.  I feel fortunate to have the “time” to let my curiosity soar to new heights and discover amazing possibilities.

I used to think reminiscing about the past was not healthy, but I now believe my past is my present.  Looking back is not past history, and according to Sadie Stein, “As the deep vaults of history are made accessible to everyone via technology, the past has become an alternative present.”  Ms. Stein’s article appeared in The New York Times Style Magazine, entitled, We’re Living in a Copycat Culture, dated January 31, 2017.

“The past is never dead.  It’s not even past.”    William Faulkner