This is the second in a series of posts highlighting the work of my Stitching Buddhas virtual apprentices.
I have the extraordinary fortune of working with an amazing group of creative, spiritually-oriented, fiber-loving, and growth-hungry, women from around the globe. I do my best to pass on to them a bit of what I learned from my teachers in Dharamsala. These women blow me away with what they glean through the web and through our conversations.
Today, meet Helen Bagnall from the northwestern U.S. who just completed the six-month fundamentals course of the Stitching Buddhas Virtual Apprentice Program and has chosen to continue her studies in the Practice Stage.
What do you most enjoy about Stitching Buddhas?
I like the whole process of getting the silk ready, preparing the horsehair cords and threads, then couching the cords and folding back the fabric to reveal the forms, and bringing them together to form an image. I also like learning a process that has centuries of history behind it. After seeing Leslie’s work and watching the documentary about her, then finding out that she was teaching the art, I was hooked. When I saw the colors and the silk and the horsehair cords defining the forms, I wanted to learn how to do that.
What did you learn?
As a non-Buddhist (I’m a Protestant), I have enjoyed learning about symbolism and meaning in Buddhist images that I have never understood, and how objects in the pictures have meaning. I am starting to look at thankgas and see more detail now. I can now appreciate their value in meditation practices to improve one’s character.
What challenges did you overcome?
Wrapping horsehair at the beginning was my most challenging task. I felt out of control at first, and nothing went right, but after making the first cord, it got better. It still isn’t always a sure thing that my cords will turn out smoothly, but most of the time they do.
Finding the time and changing my priorities to make this a priority so I can learn the art is also a big challenge.
And what does this practice bring you?
It gives me an art and craft to focus on (I have tried different crafts at various times) so I can grow and improve and hopefully get really good at it over time. I also appreciate the spiritual benefits of doing something by hand that slows down the busyness of life.
What do you love about practicing with fabric?
I love working with beautiful Varanasi silk. The Varanasi silk is better than any I have seen previously. I love the colors. I feel rich having pieces Varanasi silk in different colors.
Click here to read about another Stitching Buddhas virtual apprentice, Gloria Gates.
And here to learn more about virtual apprenticeship.
