Dot Obliteration, Version 1

Four years ago, April 2017, I was in a very strange place in my life. My aunt died at the end of March, and while I was in Michigan for her funeral, I found out I was being laid off from the company where I had worked for almost 11 years. Dealing with the loss of a family member and the loss of a found family all at the same time was emotionally exhausting. I realized how much of my life was wrapped up in my work, and how devastating it was to realize that it didn't matter to them as much as it did to me. My family and friends were amazing support during this time, from listening to rant and rave about the injustice of it all (yes, I can be dramatic when needed, and yes, I know that my being laid off is not true injustice) to inviting me to join them in Ocracoke (thanks Kelly and Greg) to hanging out with me and creating distractions while I figured out my next steps. I found a new job relatively quickly, and am much happier where I am today. 

One of the things I did during that April was visit the Yayoi Kusuma exhibit Infinity Mirrors at the Hirshhorn. It was one of the most amazing art exhibitions I've ever experienced. The exhibit was primarily comprised of immersive rooms that included mirrors, lights, and various objects. Visitors were allowed in each space for set periods of time. My favorite was Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity; it was the most beautiful experience I've had in an art museum. Given my state of mind at the time, it was emotional and cathartic. I shared photos from my visit on my other blog. You can check them out here. I think about this exhibit a lot, and it's been on my mind recently. 

I like Kusama's work for a lot of reasons, but one of them is her affinity for polka dots. It's a motif she's used throughout her career in various formats and ways. I love polka dots, and in embroidery terms, have translated my love into lots of French knots. A French knot isn't the only way to make a dot, but it's the most fun. I find French knots soothing, just like patterns can be soothing. When I visited Infinity Mirrors, calm was the feeling I felt the entire time. Even with the use of bright colors and fun shapes like pumpkins, the entire experience was calming and soothing. 

I wanted to do a piece for Kusama's birthday last most, but I didn't come up with anything I liked. Last night I was playing around with dots and circles and came up with two different pieces inspired by her work. Today, I focused on French knots in different sizes in uniform (almost) rows, much like the rows in All the Eternal Love I Have for Pumpkins (another favorite of mine). I used multiple colors because I tend to use more than one color for most things. I plan on using the same color palette for tomorrow's piece too. 

Details:
Stitches: French knots and back stitch
Thread palette: DMC C666, C740, C820, C550, C699 (3 and 6 strands), DMC 310 (3 strands)
Inspiration: the work of Yayoi Kusama - there's a documentary about her on Hulu that I plan on watching this weekend.