Value of Labor

I suspect that if you visit and read my blog posts that you probably are involved in some type of handwork or needlework yourself and you already spend hours of your leisure time on some similar pursuits and know the value of that time spent.

I am driven to create something. Not always a useful something and quite often an UNnecessary something. (Who needs lots of lace shawls?) But I spend part of every day either making something, thinking about something to make, or reading about making something and I have pretty much my whole life.

Today I visited the library where I usually sit and read the latest Fiber Arts. This is another wonderful Interweave publication. I love the cover of this issue especially!

The Profile section of this issue introduced me to two compelling artists.

Mary Smull uses white (and sometimes black) wool only to complete unfinished needlepoint canvases in order to stimulate conversations about the relationship between labor and leisure and the value of labor-intensive processes for the maker. [second from left thumbnail in the link above]

You can read more about her work here as well as watch her explain more about it in a short video.

Whitney Stansell has a sculptural work entitled "Garments". It will be on exhibit in Atlanta at Whitespace from April 9-May 15. Hopefully I can get down there to see it.