Slow Stitch - Wonderment Wall Art By Toby Crispy #03

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To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour. 

—— William Blake


「世界已被虛耗到盡頭,唯有自然界懶理我們的目光,自得其樂,在不同的階段流露著不一樣的美。世上任何的東西,只要我們願意拾起來細心欣賞和花點心思,或許它會變成永恒。」Toby說。

以「Wonderment」為題,Toby以剩物製作了5幅獨一無二的wall art。「自然界的美,人見人愛,尤其用作裝飾或創作,不費一點力已經很美。但是,我曾聽說沙灘上多了會走路的膠瓶蓋,是因為很多遊人拾走貝殼,使寄居蟹無家可歸。這令我領悟大自然的一切,都有其作為,即使是地上的落葉、枯枝,也可以作為某些生命的食物或家居;反之,回到家中,我們卻對唾手可得的不屑一顧,如細小樹枝的提子柄、菜心裡的小花,隨手便棄掉。我很想藉著作品為它們平反,展示它們一直被忽視的美,也希望提醒大家別錯過家居裡正在等待被發掘的小可愛。那些在山中海裡的,就留給自然界物盡其用,生生不息吧。」這次使用的材料中,不少是Toby收藏以久、風乾了的植物標本,正好用來創作。「植物材料會隨著空間和環境而慢慢變化,並會和物主互動,我覺得這也是一種生活的修練。」

在這5幅作品中,Toby用上最多的是最平凡、基本的行針(running stitch),加上種子繡(seed stitch)來拼合手撕的布碎。另外,在英文的書寫中,她運用了自由而隨意的雛菊繡(lazy daisy stitch)、回針(back stitch)和飛鳥針步(fly stitch)組成。

Toby說,想藉作品表達「花開一時繁華,花落一世牽掛」( “Waste is not waste until it’s wasted.” ),於日常裡學習如何與萬物共生。

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Materials
片藍造藍染棉布
銀葉菊標本
柯根紗布

Measurement
105mm(闊)x 155mm(高)x 15mm(厚)

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To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour. 

—— William Blake


“The human world is completely exhausted. Yet nature is still going at its own pace, showing off its beauty at different stages. As long as we are willing to spend the time to look closer, anything and everything in this world could become eternal.” Toby said.

Centred on the theme of “Wonderment”, Toby created five pieces of unique wall art with leftover materials. “The beauty of nature is appreciated by everyone. When nature becomes part of an art piece, not much extra effort is needed to show off its beauty. However, I have heard that there are more and more moving plastic bottle caps on the beach. It turns out that they are hermit crabs who lost their homes to human visitors who pick up shells on the beach. This made me realize that everything in nature serves a purpose. Even the fallen leaves and dead branches can be used to nurture and as a shelter for other living things. Back in our household, we are always taking things for granted and casually discarding parts of nature that are relatively easily accessible to us, may it be the stalks of grapes or the tiny flowers bear in choy sum. I would like to show people through my work the side of nature’s beauty that is often neglected and ignored, and to also remind people that there is nature’s beauty readily available in the household. Let the beauty and treasures lie in the sea and mountains remain wherever they are. Let them serve their instinctive purpose in the natural cycle.” The wall art series uses a lot of plant specimens that Toby has collected over the years. “Plant-based materials change over time because of the surrounding space and environment. They also interact with their owner. I think this can also be seen as a practice of life.”

Of the five pieces of work, Toby mainly used the most basic running stitch and the occasional seed stitch to put together cloth pieces that are hand torn. For the English characters, she used the lazy daisy stitch, back stitch, and fly stitch.

Toby said she wanted to express the idea of “Waste is not waste until it’s wasted”, and remind people that they can live a harmonious life with nature.

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Materials:
Indigo dyed fabric by Lantau Blue
Silver ragwort specimen
Organza fabric

Measurement:
105mmWx 155mmHx 15mmD