Ajisai Matsuri
Inspiration from Hydrangea Season.....
It seems that Oklahoma has taken some inspiration from Japan and entered it’s own version of monsoon season. Wind and rain and steamy heat has settled down over us here, making things pretty miserable- but good for staying inside and creating! All this water and heat have been good for one thing- her in Oklahoma and in Japan— it is the season of the Ajisai, or as we say in English, hydrangea.
Ajisai means ‘water drinker’ in Japanese, and these beautiful plants with their cascading balls of blossoms. These plants are notorious for their love of water (even the English name includes the word ‘hydra’, which has Greek connotation of water) and they very happy at this time of year!
I find it so interesting that “Ajisai Matsuri”- the Hydrangea Festival- has these flowers blooming in Japan at the same time they are blooming here in Oklahoma. I have several varieties that I grow in my garden. Above is the hydrangea “Annabelle”, which has large snow white blooms. I also have several Oak Leaf Hydrangea, because they can take the heat stress well of an Oklahoma summer. In fact, they start off white and as the summer progresses, they become tinged in pink. Another favorite hydrangea I grow is the “Phantom Hydrangea”, which also has white blossoms and grows very tall! Those are just beginning to bud in my garden, and I cant wait to see them in bloom!
And while I’m trying to embrace the romance of the idea of this weather bringing us the gorgeous blossoms of the hydrangea, it has got me pretty inspired to stay indoors and make things rather than be outside in the steam. Instead, I have been diving into my books about Japan and Japanese crafts.
I recently picked up the book “Mindfulness Travel Japan: Nature, Food, Forest Bathing, Tea Ceremonies, Onsen, Craft & Meditation and have found it so inspiring! It focus on ways to travel in Japan that are slow and meaningful, with lots of great photography and tips. I’m not sure I will ever really see Japan (although my son and I have entered 2 different raffles to win a trip! Fingers crossed!) but I love reading about how other cultures see the world and how they find meaning.
I also love the idea of slow and beautiful creating, like boro mending and sashiko stitching, and have several books on the subject. The book Sashiko for Making and Mending has lots of great craft ideas and patterns! Looking at it has inspired me to make some small pincushions using patchwork and stitching inspired by Japan.
I’ve also decided to make a few special pieces inspired by these Japanese craft ideas, and the concept of Hydrangea season; lots of indigo blue, punctuations of white, and rich intense summer green….
I also finished this painting, which includes the hydrangea-bedecked frame, to celebrate Ajisai Matsuri. In the next week or so, I will have this plus some other painted objects I’m slowly working on to offer in my Etsy shop.
Through all my reading, and resting, and re-examining of my art and life, I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to….slow down. I want to put less pressure on myself to have output with a defined date. I want to just have fun again with creating, and offer for sale those things I’ve finished as I have finished them.
Life for me these days is really, really full. Family life with ‘big kids’ is very busy- and I want to be there as much as I can for that. I also really enjoy teaching, whether its homeschool or in my parish’s Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. I find that work just as meaningful as painting, and I want to have time for that too.
And so, these days, my art life might look smaller. It might look like a gathering of season items, more one of a kind things for one moment in time. Its all very ichi-go ichi-e 一期一会 (“one time, one meeting”)
Thank you all, for indulging me. And for your understanding! I hope that the things I do offer are things that you can delight in as well. If I’ve learned anything these last few years, it’s that life is always changing. It’s ok to pivot, to change your approach. Kids grown, circumstances change, your focus shifts. It’s beautiful, and an adventure!
At least, these are my musings on another steamy, hazy morning after a thunderstorm, as the hydrangeas slump under heavy drops of water, ready to turn their faces to the heat of the afternoon sun….
