Through a deep concentration in psychotherapy and creative weaving practice, I have learned to untangle the threads that have bound my heart— the threads that have strangled love from emerging. While slowly untangling the binding plies of fear/terror, anxiety/worry, sleep/sadness, addiction/ annihilation, my soul, like winter soil thawing out in the spring, began to become aware of love and compassion. The ritual of using my hands and the repetitive practice of weaving created a space for transformation to occur. Hours at the loom are my meditation.

My most recent works, in the series called “Pulp Fiction,” are woven from my shredded divorce documents. The process of rereading and shredding net worth statements, deposition papers, and final documents, then plying the paper—eight strands at a time—and weaving them back together to create a piece of beauty started the reconciliation required for forgiving myself and others, finding love for myself and others. Without this art practice I would have found it very difficult to relax into this transformation.

Creativity cures sickness. Connectivity with oneself and community is paramount. Culturally we have come together to strum and drum, knit and sew, build and paint, sing and pray, view and purchase. When we hold that spirit together, it creates a forum of worth, usefulness, motivation, and sharing. It breaks down the barriers of isolation, frustration, anger, and contempt. Art and music open up the heart for all communities, villages, and cities around the world. In sharing my love for weaving I give classes to designers and students to help inspire their creative juices.

Being creative is extremely humbling. In order to succeed you have to experience failure over and over. While going through the process of failure, I recognized how I imprisoned myself and everyone around me, blaming and criticizing, fearing the worst in myself, and judging others. When mistakes would happen, I would implode. That impact of sheer pain that I put myself and others though crystallized with the breakthrough of my personal weaving practice.

I was so out of balance. The overthinking, overreacting, churning created disturbances everywhere. In becoming aware of the beauty of my creations, in juxtaposition of my behavior in hard times, I began to reflect on what it would feel like if I flipped the negative emotions to a positive emotion. I became aware of the beauty in the people I was surrounded by, their talent, their humor, their creativity. It transformed my outlook on life. My work with humble materials reflects the fact that beauty comes from within.