Pashmina

This commission commemorates a significant 25^th wedding anniversary — a surprise gift from husband to wife.  The client provided the text chosen from Anais Ninn ” And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”.

I have interpreted this in nine stages of creation — from bud to blossom.  According to Indian philosophy there are nine stages of creation — from unmanifest to creation.  This is depicted on the pashmina — one side showing the manifest creation depicted as a bud at nine stages of development and the other side in an abstract way — the remaining remnants of the material as a mirror image to each bud.  Inside each bud is stitched the Anais Ninn quote and again running along each side of the pashmina.  The silk used for the flowers comes from an antique kimono and a green silk Victorian Quaker wedding dress.  As each bud opens it reveals pearls and gems of garnet and quartz and scattered along the length of the pashmina, hand cut and stitched ‘petals’ reminiscent of the couple being blessed as seen in Indian miniature paintings…where the petals fall from hands from the sky.

The client’s response:

‘Ros… it’s one of those incredible moments that leave you speechless. The tenderness and care with which you created the work… the delicacy…the subtlety… the spiritual resonance that floats from it like perfume…You have created something fabulous and incredible.  Achingly beautiful. Sublime.  It’s so far beyond what I had imagined that I’m almost thinking that this should be framed and displayed…but then it would be untouchable… the one thing that it yearns for… it wants to be loved and caressed.  I’m moved by it… and your care in making it … you have soaked yourself into it too… you have achieved something truly marvelous.  I’ll have to send you photos of when she opens it…The boys were transfixed and stood and just gaped at it…touching it and marveling at it… you have really done it!’