The february 2nd birthday of the sea goddess appproaches, and this nice offering was seen recently on our local beach.

Just after new year, we were fortunate to visit Cuba.  What a fascinating place, and we had a memorable time.   Knowing things are starting to change there, for some time we’ve wanted to see this country before the pace of change accelerates.   I was only 12 in 1959 when Fidel Castro’s communist government took power after six years of armed revolutionary struggle, and so have little memory of that except that my parents were concerned and became very stressed, along with the rest of the world, as international tensions heightened in the leadup to the Bay of Pigs and the Russian/Cuban Missile crisis of the Kennedy era.  As the economic blockades and sanctions tightened, Cuba became isolated from countries that were not communist, and the resulting isolation has had profound long term effects still highly apparent, so that arriving there today gives the visitor a strong sense of stepping back in time – much as we experienced when we first started coming to Uruguay just 4 years after the end of the last dictatorship here, only much more pronounced.

One fascinating thing we saw, which we might not have happened upon or understood without our guide, was a small group of people down at the water’s edge who were meeting with a shaman (green headgear)  He conducted their offering ceremony to the water goddess.   The blue shopping bag you can see on the river’s edge just in front of the lady with the white hat and shoes, contained the same corn, lentils and other grains, fruit, vegetables, fabric, bottle of scent and cheap glittery jewellry that form similar offerings here.  We didn’t like to go close with our cameras, but stood back and watched them place things in the water and wash devotional objects including some fabric.   From our guide it was quite clear that with some local differences, this is the same spiritual belief system  – brought to the continent with the African slave trade from early in the C16.

Some day soon I’m going to re-listen to the recorded book (in english translation) of “Island Beneath The Sea’ by Isabel Allende, a fabulous story of the early plantation  era of the caribbean islands including Haiti and Cuba.

During the blogs on the creation of this group of quilts, this was the one I used repeatedly to show various stages; so here it is finished and named “Tidelines 9”   Shortly after the photography, the quilts “Tidelines” 8 – 12  were on their way to Australia where they will appear in the Golden Textures Exhibition in Maryborough Vic, next February.  The design inspiration for each quilt were some sand ripple patterns photographed on my beach walks, hence the title.

Computer manipulation of the images simplified the shapes.

The whole saga of how I got to stencilling the gold shapes,  followed by free machined stitch lines and stippled quilting was posted in October. 

Hence the title.

Continuing with my occasional series on beach offerings – this interesting one the other day was a bit different.  In a box were quite a number of foods –

you can see white beans, corn, what look like dulce de leche stuffed pastries, there were meringues, and something wrapped in dark brown shiny packaging – could have been anything from chunks of meat, cake, soap perhaps – or judging by what seemed could be waterproof wrapping, perhaps something paper.  I ruled out dolmades – the contents appeared quilt rectangular. A number of yellow candles were inside, too.   I never touch anything  at these sites so did not break this rule to unwrap one and see what was inside.  Also in the box were  carnations, a bottle of scent and it was all originally under yellow celophane, but the birds had broken through that and pulled it back to feast on the contents.  Several 10 peso coins had been tucked into the food – on the close up detail you can see one right in the centre of that panel, its brass/copper  metal edged with silver metal.

Or, how I am now planning to add another piece to this (as yet untitled) group for the Golden Textures exhibition.  My submission proposal did mention 4-6 pieces.   For several reasons, including  (a) a remark by visiting textile artist Regina Benson last week about  ‘an odd number’ and  (2) that although I had set a date for photography friday last with time to spare before my friend Suzie takes them with her to Australia later this month, I found I did need to postpone it, after all.  And as Eduardo won’t be back in his studio till 10th Dcember that gave me time to seriously consider adding a fifth piece.

So a couple of days ago I fiddled with a couple more sand ripple photos, chose one, cut a stencil and sprayed it, final dimensions not yet determined.  Yes, I know its crooked – I just quickly popped it up to confirm the effect – and gave myself a green light to go ahead.   Gold stitchery and quilting start his morning.

And, I now know I will need to be particular about the exact order in which the four are to be hung, because this placement isn’t ‘it’ .  A friend who has already seen this photo commented how the designs make her think of bones / skeletons.  It had occurred to me, too – and I am now thinking of the title with some possible inference….. but despite a few things swirling round up top, I haven’t started my usual list yet.