2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibres

The U.N. deemed that 2009 will be the International Year of Natural Fibers and plans to announce it in a celebration on January 22nd at the U.N. Agricultural and Commerce headquarters in Rome. The idea is to stimulate worldwide economy in small farming of natural fiber and to use sustainable farming and manufacturing practices.

I find great inspiration in this. And with that ideal in mind, I would like to start off 2009 with a more honest approach to my artwork, craft and lifestyle.

Lately, and by lately I mean since college, I have been wondering what kind of career I want. I've tried a myriad of things and always fall back to tending bar and serving. Not glamorous or great but fairly lucrative and flexible. I have wrestled with all sorts of ideas such as, seamstress, restaurant management, metal fabrication, teaching, picture framing, veterinarian technician, writer. Although I was and am genuinely interested in all those fields, none of it felt honest or could withstand the test of time. (Except for maybe metal fabrication: my love of fiber has met it's match in metal.) So, I finally decided I didn't want a career. To be able to live and craft and make art and write stories and walk dogs and make delicious food seems fine. No security, no health insurance, the constant explanations that yes, I went to college, no, I don't want a 'real' job, seemed like little annoyances that would fade over time. But still... and so I started back up knitting this fall. And it has snow balled. I'm thinking about art in new ways. I'm thinking about color and structure and form and composition. I'm also aware again of my affinity for making things. I struggled to find my voice in college and I have struggled to find my voice in the real world. I think I have possible found it. Not just in knitting, but in making things. Taking away the stigma of craft and arrogance of fine art and come back to the pure act of making objects. Its satisfying and simple. It's a can-do in every sense of the phrase.

This little guy, one of my bathroom succulents, makes me so happy. He sprouted his new hat a few weeks after I put him in my shower window.

To start things off on a positive and ambitious note, my sister and I have talked about (and will decide tomorrow) buying a slot in Chicago's Hand Made Market, held at The Empty Bottle for March. Conveniently only 3 blocks from me. That gives us a little over 2 months to make things to sell. Might be a good idea to cut our teeth on something small before we take the total plunge in the wildly popular DIY industry. Above are some sketches for dog booties that actually are made to fit a dogs foot. They are a response to Vogue Knitting's dog booties that look an awful lot like baby booties and not surprisingly, don't fit my dogs paws. If I can work up a pattern and make it work, these dog booties may become my first item to sell in March!