Louise Bourgeois, Insomnia Drawings

A block of paper beside your bed and a pencil and pen not only increases your abilities to draw and write in the dark but also record all those special insomnia provoking thoughts that keep you awake. I am so happy this week to have found Louise Bourgeois's insomnia drawings.
"I am an insomniac, so for me the state of being asleep is paradise. My drawings are a kind of rocking or stroking and an attempt at finding peace. Peaceful rhythm. Like rocking a baby to sleep." Louise Bourgeois.
Also these drawings link very nicely with a TED lecture on the value of doodling by Sunni Brown.

Books, Books, Books II

Above: some pages from my textile Sketch Book
Inspired by the wonderful textile book of Louise Bourgeois, I have started my own, for fun and as an example for my textile students.

I am loving it as I don't know how anything is going to turn out, so I have the naive pleasure of innocent creation for creations sake . . . long may it continue.

Louise Bourgeois's Textile Book

When the media announces at the end of a year who has passed away, there is always at least one loss, that causes a lump in your throat. This year for me that 'lump in the throat' loss is Louise Bourgeois. I stumbled across her textile book Ode a L'Oubli (Ode to forgetfulness) at Peter Blum Gallery and then, when researching further, discovered that Bird In The House had featured it and the wonderful Lark Crafts. It is a beautiful and inspiring piece of work, a wordless book that speaks across time, holding between its covers a lifetime of gathered fabrics and techniques.