Labyrinth and knitting

I love knitting, always have a thread to make knots and stitches with.

During the Christmas Holidays I knitted a long string for the labyrinth, to tie the old, worn women's shoes with.
Why knitted? Because we have always done it...
Remember Penelope? She un did what she had knitted during the day waiting for Ulises to come... Now even my grandson has asked me to teach him how to knit... And quite a few girls, like Camila, and Julieta, and Emilia and Luisa... and Marcela, and Maria and Laura del Mar...  that I remember of here in Ottawa. Oh, In Colombia I knitted with the group fron "La Asociacion de Mujeres de las Veredas de La Calera"  and other groups. We all have learned how to knit.
I tell the girls, /When you need it. you will remember. The important thing now is to learn how to make some stitches...
And why purple?  remember that poem... " When I am an old woman I shall wear purple"... That is the color for us.
So here is my knitted string that ties the pieces of the installation together.

Getting help

It has been such support to get all this help. The garments, worn shoes, curtains and materials for the Installation from so many people... family, friends and friends of friends.
Photos shared from travels, albums even Ame´s wedding photos.
But even more, those that have come to give me a hand, spend the afternoon working, discussing diverse possibilities for the Installation.
Hanne is a great potter. she has been technical, artistic and fun support during the process of the Installation. But today, Bruce, (Hanne´s husband), who is helping with translation of my work came all the way from Manotick Ontario to get a new copy of the File in Power Point he is working with. As he was working, IT became corrupted. Why does that happen??? We tried to fix it by email. Too big to be sent by Internet. Could not figure out how to do it, so he drove, we had coffee, talked and he went back home with a new copy in a CD in the heavy afternoon traffic, leaving me in AWE... what gift friends are!
Thank you, each for the gift of your time, comments, support and frienship.
It´s Christmas... may it be Joy...

Making the first Sculptures

Maria's embroidered mantilla. It belonged to her grandmother. Women always wore a hat, cap, veil or a mantilla to go to church. Always covered...

Top, a Capulana from Mozambique, from María Isabel Casas' collecton.

With cotton blouse from India that my sister Pilar gave me, bought in the "San Andresito" of Valledupar, Colombia.  

Barbora Balabam lent me this hand painted silk dress done by her friend from Chekoslovaquia.

Lysanne really wore this XXL T shirt in her teens. She is a size 6.

A light Baby doll...and a cotton blouse with a lace bra under cover.

Below: Paula´s wool shawl

Marcela´s shawl made from her Graduation velvet dress with an African cotton wrap'around skirt.

 Libby´s  macrame shawl.

Allyson´s long night skirt with a leather jacket

She wore this lace neck during the wedding with my son Ricardo, 15 years ago. The black veil is what widows wear on their head and the small cap is from the ¨Cancer marathon run¨ in Seattle, June 2008.

This sculpture is ¨Honoring Claudia¨. She died of Ovarian Cancer in January 2008

Allyson´s corduroy jacket with a gold pashmina

Fashion in the ´70´s

Jeans, cotton tops and a handmade belt from Guatemala

Inviting OGP Potters to participate in the Installation

During the November OGP meeting the theme was the past Fall Sale at the Hellenic Centre in Ottawa. I asked for 5 minutes to talk about my Installation. the response was inmetiate, they got it... an applause and several potters came forward to offer treasures for my work. ..."I have this beautiful dress I brought from India, you may haave it"... "I have a special curtain from Chekoslovaquia, some embroidered blouses and garments, if you find use for them"...  "My sister died of Cancer four years ago. She was a beautiful woman, always in fashion; but she had these old worn slippers... I have kept. Will bring them tothe next meeting and you may have them" ... and so on.

During the December meeting many treasures came: old worn shoes, shawls, jean skirts and tops from the '70, garments from India, Latinamerica and items teens used here in the past century. Andthe beautiful pink old worn slippers that Marie's sistor wore 'till death. Thank you Potters and friends... I have been working with all these, and already have about half the sculptures made.