Searching For Stillness (Haiga Collage), 3/52, BlackBerry 52 – WEEK 3, January 22nd 2011, photo © 2011 by A~Lotus. All rights reserved. Medium: Origami paper, stickers, Elegant Writer calligraphy markers, color pencils, Fiskars Paper Edgers scissors, color lithograph on card stock by Ota Saburo (cutout from a 2011 planner). Poem & origami cranes by A~Lotus. Photo taken on Canon PowerShot A550 camera.
Hard to believe, but we are already into the 4th week of January. A~Lotus created the beautiful haiga collage Searching For Stillness in response to the BlackBerry 52 Jump-Off for Week 3, The Mirado Black Warrior. You can read more about her process of creating the collage on her post #aros: 30th Stone; BB 52 Collaboration (and see the Jump-Off for Week 4).
We will continue our call and response by posting a BlackBerry photo for the 52 weeks of 2011. Feel free to join us if you wish (learn about the project’s beginnings at BlackBerry 52 Collaboration). To read more about Lotus, visit her at alotus_poetry on Twitter (where she writes poetry every day in community with other Twitter poets), at Poetry By Lotus, and on her Flickr account.
-posted on red Ravine, Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
-related to post: haiku 4 (one-a-day) meets renga 52
I tried to leave a comment on A~Lotus’s Livejournal post but it didn’t go through, so I’ll comment here. I loved reading about how your photo, QM, influenced her collage. And I noted the shared deep interest in artistic materials and attention to detail and quality. Very cool!
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This haiku and art slows me down right away. Stillness? Yes.
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This is beautiful. I keep being draw back to read it again and again, and to explore the artwork. It brings a sense of peace.
Thank you. 🙂
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That should be “drawn back.” Silly typos.
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Lotus, I’m on board with everyone else — I am drawn to return to your haiga & collage. I love reading all of the materials you used in making it. It makes me want to explore even more in the post for next week. Your rain-studded Jump-Off inspires me, too. It’s the mood I am in today.
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yb, I’m glad you brought up the comment about how the photo influenced the collage. I didn’t see it at first. Am adding a link here to Lotus’ process & reflection (LINK).
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Lotus, took some time this morning to explore your web site and read several things. Beautiful place to explore as is the work that leads off this post.
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Oh, amazing. I found myself holding my breath as I compared QM’s art with the collage by Lotus. I so want to touch the collage. It is really a lovely project.
Once I am settled in my new temporary home, early February, I would love to join in the fun.
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@Roma: Sorry you had difficulty posting on LJ. It sometimes does that for some reason, but glad you can come by here. 8) Yes, I always look forward to QM’s photos. Like we were discussing in our email exchange, our BB 52 Collaboration has really stretched us both to try new things! So, each week is like opening a new Christmas present for me or a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re gonna get! 😉
That’s an interesting observation/similarity about us: attention to detail and quality. Never thought of it that way, so seeing your perspective from the outside is fascinating. Thanks, Roma! 🙂
@Sinclair: Thank you so much! I’m glad the haiga stills you. 8) May it bring you much peace.
@Robin: Thanks! A sense of peace was definitely what I wanted to capture that day, so I’m glad it resonates with you. One can never cease sharing peace. 8)
@QM: I am blushing with everyone’s comments just knowing how strong an effect it has on everyone! Thank you! I am also honored that you have featured this on red Ravine as well. Thank you so much for the opportunity! Like I mentioned in our email exchange, I am very much excited to see your masterpiece as a response to my haiga. We have come up with amazing work so far, and we have the rest of the year to try something new each time! I’m truly grateful that we are doing this collaboration because I am rediscovering parts of myself and expanding other parts at the same time as well as discovering what it’s like to work with another individual creatively, so the process itself is truly rewarding.
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@QM: Addendum–Yeah, we all have our own rain-studded days I’m sure, but then there are other days when I don’t mind the rain at all. 🙂
@Bob: Thank you for visiting my site/blog! It is sincerely much appreciated. Like QM, I can’t believe we’re already 4 weeks into this collaboration, but I am having fun with it. You hit on a key word, “explore.” In a collaboration, there are many things to explore: ideas, medium, styles, etc. The possibilities are endless…
@Bo: Thank you sincerely for your lovely thoughts, Bo. I am blushing. The cranes are still popping out of the collage even though I had try to flatten them after gluing them. 😉 So, yes, there is definitely more texture to this collage… That would be wonderful if you join in, Bo! Please do share your creative endeavors to our Jump-Offs or any post QM shares of our BB 52 Collaboration Project. 8) Also, take your time moving! I know how that was for me when I moved to my current house 5 years ago. Didn’t realize how much junk my family accumulated over the years!
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I wish I had this hanging in my room. Sublime combination of words, colors, origami, etc. I love how art can evoke a peaceful feeling, and it’s a lot less work getting there than a yoga class or a hike in the woods (which of course I love too).
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They’re beautiful, A~Lotus – your poetry and your collage. I’m amazed at the wealth of talent at this site and I thank you all for sharing it. I’d also like to thank you and QM for inspiring me to write poetry – if anyone had told me a few weeks ago that I’d be composing haiku and dedicating gogyohka to black bears, I would’ve thought they were bonkers! I’m now attempting my first mandala and thoroughly enjoying it 🙂
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@Teresa: Thank you for your lovely words. 🙂 I am glad that you find it peaceful. Speaking of those two activities, I love doing yoga and hiking, the latter which I really would like to do again since I haven’t done that in years! 8)
@annieoakcake: Yes, that’s why I love red Ravine so much. Visiting this site whenever I get a chance is like opening a box of chocolates! There is always something different be it art or writing. 8) I love the fact that yb and QM feature arts and writers of all walks and talents of life! I’m glad we’re inspiring you to write Japanese form poetry. I am thoroughly enjoying your gogyohka; it suits you beautifully, in fact. I would love to see your mandala! Do you have a website/blog? And as always, I’m so glad you joined red Ravine.
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Thank you, A~Lotus, that’s very kind of you. I’m in the process of setting up a wordpress blog – I’ll manage it eventually!
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@annieoakcake: That’s wonderful! 8) Can’t wait to stop by your WordPress blog. 🙂
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