moving meditation

I suspect it is a restlessness in my nature that loves movement. I love to walk. And to dance in my studio when no one is watching. I love paths in gardens because they show a way to move forward. It is with movement that my mind quiets most easily to a meditative state.

So it is no surprise that I love the feel of movement in art work. Think of the Motherwell swoosh of black paint. It’s one of the things I loved about painting. With one arm gesture and a brush loaded with paint I could get the feeling of movement. 

If you ever get a chance, look at the Maurice Prendergast Umbrellas in the Rain painting. He was a master at moving our eyes from one splotch of red to the next. 

With fabrics and stitch, more often than not, I need to use the Prendergast approach to movement. The process of moving hands and eyes in stitch becomes the meditation.

I miss that larger movement, though, and suspect I’ll find a way to incorporate that some day.