TO BE OR KNOT TO BE...

Cats and cradles

It takes a piece of string to tell a story. Tie up the ends and you have a loop. Scoop your hands into it and the frame is set for the story to begin. A delicate tug, a warp, a twist, a quick swoop and the story unfolds, animated by the lines of the strings. Between the two palms, tales are woven in midair. You may have been promised stories about cats, cradles, fishes, diamonds and witches’ brooms. At the end of it all, you may or may not see them. But the real story lies in the in-between – in the flights your imagination takes in anticipation, while watching the strings dance between deftly moving fingers.

The story

Here is my story. It is a story held together by a string in the space between the hands. A story told by my hands. All these years I sought out a space for my work outside in the world. Now I have circled back to find it nestled between my hands. This is all I ever needed and wanted. I wouldn’t say the journey has just begun with trivialPURSUITS. It simply continues with fresh perspective and focus.

So then why all this elaborate metaphors of strings, stories and cat’s cradle explaining my journey so far to trivialPURSUITS. I believe that although all of this has been in motion for years, the point of departure was with a piece of string and knots. When I trace back to when trivialPURSUITS came to life, it would have to be the interval of six and half hours I spent working with yarn to make a necklace for my best friend for her birthday. I remember intuitively picking the colours I wanted to work with. And I worked for the entire stretch of time, getting up only when I was done. I had never done anything quite like it. I was excited to see the outcome. It was deeply ruminative process, the rhythm of repetition and working with my hands brought me a sense of peace coupled with joy.  I didn't want to stop and I knew I had to see this through. I was curious to what else could be and what more could I make with my hands.

Knot to be

With trivialPURSUITS, I have made a space to learn, fumble, grow, err, experiment, crash, seek, burn and fall. To rejoice in the small victories and celebrate the failures. I choose not to be afraid to fail. Letting go of this crippling fear has been liberating and has been replaced with an enthusiasm to make, create, try alternate things and venture into different places.

"I am not what I am. I am what I do with my hands." - Louise Bourgeois