Today I went to Elm Park with Mihoko to see if the floating sculptures (that someone installed for the upcoming Art In The Park event) interfered with the view of the banners on the bridges. They did, and we walked around the park and the red bridge to see if any angle was clear.

I received an email in response to my 'press release packet' that was rather demeaning, accusing me of 'bothering them with information that didn't pertain to them".

After further consideration, and feeling guilty for a bit that I hadn’t explained the installation adequately, I read over both my email and the Press Release Itself and saw that it was this person, in fact, who was completely misunderstanding the gist. I have a feeling this person didn't even read the Press Release (which reiterated what was briefed in the email).

Very rude. So many assumptions made on their part.

So, after feeling personally slighted, I simply let Nat (who already noticed this email and decided to act proactively before I had even read it) deal with it as he would. He knew this person and other’s in their organization.

All set. Good.
This morning We received 5 boxes of banners from Japan, Connecticut and…Colorado?

It was so much fun to open all of them-like Christmas.
I sewed labels on to each banner.
(I updated my blog…)

I just emailed all of the poeple on our 'publicity' list. It feels so good to check something off of the list.

Update monitor roster. check.

publish updated word doc. to the internet. check.

email all 167 publicity people. check

update the 'publicity' database as i go. check.

research how to get the SAORI Bridges of Elm Park on the hand weaver's guild website... I'm on it.

Today Mihoko and Nat and I had a meeting right when i got in about what they both needed me to do for the upcoming week. This week we are painting more walls in the studio and moving shelves around. I am sewing labels on banners as they come in, updating the Monitor's Roster on line (and the contacts database on the office desktop to keep our contact info for these volunteers up to date), emailing different perfectly worded emails to publicity people/organizations, and researching more news papers and guild-publications that I can send our "press release package" to.

I painted the wall behind the warping boards a lovely purple. Mihoko got a darker accent purple for the wall behind the yarns. I am so excited to see this studio change shape and take form. It looks more and more like a room every day.

I am going to update the monitor roster now. A husband and wife are monitoring together for 6 hours on thursday.

so sweet.

The beginning of another busy week, i am, sure.
This thursday is out last Community Conversation (Vamos a Hablar de Nuestro Barrio)...Last time we had such a good turn out, and it was a lovely gathering. I hope we have as much interest this week.

The Summer showers always feel so intense and new, as though every time they happen it is the first summer of my life. The first time my nostrils have breathed that deep. The first time the raindrops have been so fat.

I am sitting at the desk in the office above the Weaving Studio at SAORI Worcester.

Earlier today I painted a second coat of "lavender cloud" on the studio walls, while Mihoko sanded the Spackle on the other wall.

It's a friday, which means no classes. That gives us more time to do bigger projects without being interrupted.

I did, however, make a horrible mistake today in my weaving:

I had the warp all set up and ready to tie on to the apron, and the slippery threads i was using began to SLIDE out of their heddles! I told myself i would be careful this time (because I ones lost everything carelessly moving my loom the first time i ever threaded a warp)--but i guess it was some sort of necessary learning experience.

Now I am making phone calls to various folk in worcester and beyond who can help me publicize.

:) I love being a SAORIer.

Contact us page on the SAORI Worcester webpage:


Hey all! Won't you please help us monitor the SAORI Bridges of Elm Park round-the-clock Wed.Aug.25-Sun. Aug.29? All you have to do is, with your shift team, keep an eye on the two Elm Park bridges, politely ask people to stop if they are hurting the installation, and call 911 in case of any emergency. Full instructions (what to bring, what to do, where to be, etc.) will be given to all volunteer monitors. We need at least 4 people 18 or older not only to sign up, but to SHOW UP for their shift, about 10 minutes before it begins so there is no gap in monitoring. Day shifts (during park hours) are 6 hours long; Night shifts (station to be set up on Park Ave.) are 4 hours long.

"How can I become a Monitor?", you may be asking yourself. Just enter your contact info, then write your message in the "comment" space above with: 1) the shift(s) you want; 2) the number of people volunteering. We'll confirm your message right away! You can sign up for as many shifts as you want, but please be reliable. If you can't make a shift that you signed up for, give us a call at 508-757-4646 as soon as you know. Check the SAORI BRIDGES OF ELM PARK page to see who else is on your shift!

THE SHIFTS (we need people for ALL of them!).

WED. 8/25: 8pm-12am.

THU. 8/26: 12am-4am; 4am-8am; 8am-2pm; 2pm-8pm; 8pm-12am

FRI. 8/27: 12am-4am; 4am-8am; 8am-2pm; 2pm-8pm; 8pm-12am

SAT.8/28: 12am-4am; 4am-8am; 8am-2pm; 2pm-8pm; 8pm-12am

SUN. 8/29: 12am-4am; 4am-8am; 8am-2pm

Thank you in advance for helping us make this community peace installation possible!

~Grace (the SAORI summer intern)

I am becoming accustomed to signing letters and messages:

"Grace, the SAORI Summer Intern"


It has a nice ring to it.




This week I am running head first into publicity for the SAORI Bridges of Elm Park. World meet the Installation; You're going to be great friends.

Last night Nat and I attended the Party Fundraiser for Art In The Park at Beatniks. We arrived at 8:30 and set up our loom and leaned a sandwich board against a wall. The space was small and Helen was trying to help us squeeze into apropriate spots (where we wouldn't get hit by the swinging kitchen door or be in the way of people watching the bands play).
We chatted with people, and tried to get folks to sign up to monitor the banners, and I taught many people how to weave--right in the bar! So many people remarked that they had never done anything like that before, especially in a bar!

we stayed later than I had wanted to, until about 12:40, and I didn't get back to my home (after loading up the van with loom and weaving supplies and driving back to the weaving studio to get my car and from there driving home) until 1am. i was so sleepy, but it was completely worth it.

:)
who else can say they taught people to weave ina bar!? No one else, i'm sure.

Today I wove and wove and wove. Mihoko Taught me 3 color interlocking last night, and I became addicted to it today. It feels like stitching-up something precious.

I called and emailed some important people in Worcester, and I sewed some labels on banners from Japan.

My classes are shifting from being mostly taught to me as the student to me helping teach others. It is a satisfying feeling. It's all sinking in.

Mihoko told me that when she first started doing Saori Weaving she didn't understand it. She was young, and she couldn't grasp the idea that she was "weaving Herself".


I'm sure now, I must not get it.