About eight years ago I was visiting my daughter Courtney in Seattle. She had moved there after graduating from Lewis and Clark and was working as the business manager of the Stonington Gallery in downtown Seattle. We had a wonderful time exploring her favorite haunts in a city not very familiar to me – and I was sad to say goodbye. I sensed that something was “up” so I mentioned that to her. I said, “I think there’s something going on in your life – and apparently you’re not ready to tell me – but I want you to know I have a hunch there’s something.” She gave me one of those looks that can only be shared by a mother and daughter and smiled and sent me on my way.
About three months later I got a call from Courtney. “Mom – remember at the airport when you said you knew that I knew that you knew that I knew – well – I’m ready to tell you now.” Out spilled the wonderful saga of love. HOWEVER – the love of her life was a bit older than she was. I said, “how much older” – and she said, “well – um – twice my age.!” Ok – a quick calculation in my head – Courtney is 26 and (gasp) he is 52. Oh, my. And just who is HE. She went on to tell me how wonderful he is – an artist at the gallery named Scott Jensen. Well, actually a carver and gee, Mom – he can do just about anything. And he’s really respected among the artists and he has lots of friends.
Needless to say I was on an airplane to Seattle in the next few days. I met Scott and try as I could – I couldn’t find any raging flaws. So the reality was, if the relationship lasted – Courtney’s life would be quite different from what I had mused about in my mind over the years. I have tried to let my children be independent – in fact – I really don’t think of them as “my children” – rather I feel privileged to be a witness to their lives.
The relationship grew and matured – they finally began living together partly in her home in Seattle and partly in his studio on Lummi Island. Then, about five years ago, they moved to Bellingham – the city where Scott grew up. I worried a bit that Courtney had no women friends of her own – but I shouldn’t have been concerned. About 2 years ago she started going to what she calls “Sunday afternoon” with other women who are artists. The women are all accomplished artists in various avenues we would call crafts. They weave and make jewelry and sew and use raw materials like cedar bark and wool and wood. I love seeing the Sunday Afternoon group email with the pictures of their accomplishments each week. And I love participating when I’m in Bellingham.
One Sunday, Courtney asked Chloe French who she now called “auntie” if it would be ok for her to learn Chilcat Weaving. Normally reserved for only native Americans, the weaving is ancient and amazing. It is very intricate and few people know how to do it. Courtney seemed to be channeling someone from the past as her fingers sped across the yarn creating the lovely raven’s tail patterns. Court has always been able to do just about anything she tries – so her normal jewelry making life expanded into weaving.
On valentines day almost two years ago, after 7 years of friendship, Scott got down on his knee, handed Courtney a handmade valentine and an engagement ring. Whatever their journeys are in life, they wanted to share them. And Courtney decided to weave a robe for Scott for the Wedding ceremony.
The wedding date was set for August 9, 2010 (8-9-10) – far enough in the future that she could finish the robe. First she had to spin 900 yards of warp. This she did in the ancient tradition by rubbing the roving on her thigh. Scott made her a loom and carved the pegs. Her work began in earnest and I cannot say how many hours went into the finished robe. It’s the size of a bedspread and it’s magnificent.
Their wedding was unique – not only were they to be married, they were also adopted into the Tlingit tribe – Scott into the Eagle Clan and Court into the Raven Clan. For Scott, this was the first time in his over 30 years of carving that he would be recognized as a real part of the tribe. For Courtney it meant she too was accepted and honored for her devotion to their culture and traditions. In addition, her Sunday Afternoon friends created a button blanket for her to wear. This blanket robe is intricate and very meaningful as it contains her totem – the King Fisher – and Scott’s world – tree shapes.
The wedding, which took place on Lummi Island – had many parts. There was the wedding – pretty traditional – and there was the adoption ceremony. They also had a ceremony when the robes were placed on their shoulders. First the women gave Courtney her Button Blanket and explained its symbolism. And then Courtney gave her hand woven robe to Scott – placing it on his shoulders and explaining it’s meaning.
The patterns of the yarn are very intricate. It’s basically black and white with highlights of yellow and brown. The robe is the story of their lives together so far. There is a border of x’s and dots – hugs and kisses was the stitch Courtney invented. Then came the box within a box pattern. And each box holds a story. The first two showed dashes in brown symbolizing Scott’s life. And then one box of yellow lines for Courtney – symbolizing that Scott walked twice as far as Courtney through life before they met. Then there is a row of boxes with Scott (brown dashes) and Courtney (yellow dashes) and their two dogs Jack and Sam – short brown and white lines. Eventually only white lines as Jack died last year. The last set of boxes show their lives together as a partnership. They walk side by side – signified by a brown dash then a yellow dash. Then in one of the boxes – the yellow dash crosses over the brown dash – it means if she grows weary, he will carry her. The last box shows the two lives intertwined with the brown and yellow yarns mixed together as they walk as one.
And that is the next chapter.
No comments:
Post a Comment