Just Like Titanium!

video games

animation

film

books

i have been fortunate enough to live a life in the arts, creating things and following hallowed footsteps. its something many buckaroos dream of, and as someone who has done it, THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS i received are the moments in between. if you generate with AI, THAT is what you rob yourself of

anyone who has done theater will know this, because it lives in the energy backstage. anyone who has played in a band will know this, because it lives in the late night diner afterwards. anyone who has written a book will know this, because it lives the coffee shop where your plot point locked in

in other words IT IS NOT THE PRODUCT. yes, it is cool to see your name on a marquee or your book in a store or your face on a poster, but the REASON this is cool is because it tethers you to the BETWEEN TIMES. the between times are everything. the PROCESS of creation is a gift to yourself

i think this is REALLY difficult for these ai goofballs to understand, and why the things they make dont resonate. anything you create without the in between is just a hollow shell, a movie poster without small talk at crafty or an album without eating burritos on the studio rooftop

we have ALWAYS had the ability to NOT make something and pretend that we did. the difference now is theres an algorithm built for convincing people whove never stepped outside the theater door for a smoke break on opening night that they actually have. they have not. there is no ai for that.

Booklet of embroidery and drawnwork (early 17th century). Probably Portugese. Linen, silk, leather, paper.

butcher bird 🪶

🕊️

The Ocean at Dusk -  Kate Jarvik Birch 

American , b. 1977 -

It took me thousands of stitches to figure out the best way to knit, to purl, to tension my yarn. I tried English and continental. Circular and straight needles.

I crocheted on and off for a decade or so, and never passed advanced beginner/intermediate. Then the pandemic hit and I was an essential worker so I had to keep going in and I had no energy for writing, but desperately needed a creative outlet - and bonus, unlike writing, crochet produces a thing you can hold! And use!

I've had crochet projects going consistently ever since, and let me tell you, the amount I improved in just the first year was enormous. I went from relatively shapeless ponchos to accessories to amigurumi to creating my own patterns/freehanding.

I frogged a lot of projects, I started a lot of projects multiple times till I figured out where I was going wrong, I learned to read charts and patterns and looked up articles and videos when I got stuck. All of that is useful but it has to be done ALONGSIDE crafting.

(This is all true with writing too, but I don't have a neat, succinct story for that!)

I got older and started creating more on my own, and upon reflecting figured she was just doing that to keep me quiet and focused on something so she could relax. When she passed away in July, I learned that I was the only person in the family who kept on sewing after she taught them, so naturally all of her works in progress and the majority of her fabric stash came to me.

I started going through them today and after opening up the first quilt in progress box, I found it. A quilt top of all the squares we had made together while I was little. It’s a scrappy piece, and just big enough for a baby blanket or maybe a small lap quilt but I’m going to make it the first piece I finish by myself.

Coat

1790s

Dress

1780s

The Kyoto Costume Institute