Spiritsaid Fiber Art
What is your 6 Senses Walking Practice?
Most people use their five senses when walking.
But I intensely practice using my 6th.
After decades of work, I've learned to get direction from the energies in my environment. This generates information beyond my five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell).
Sometimes it's a general sense like an urge to investigate an unfamiliar alleyway. Other times it can be as specific as an inner voice that says “Get to the Chancellor St. entrance of the Hyatt Centric hotel in downtown Philly by 6:45 p.m. on September 16th.” (That yielded this treasure trove of beads on the sidewalk).
I love the joy and surprise of discovering something new on the street corner!
I love the feel of working with energies that have my best interests at heart just as I have theirs.
It's not just picking up litter or leaving the environment cleaner than I found it.
It's taking home something precious I can use to create beautiful art and talk about what it's like to work with our environment instead of against it.
Every day is like a gift waiting to be opened.
My "Second-Hand Supplies" Pledge
All materials are second-hand: found, foraged, donated, traded, or purchased in a thrift store or charity shop.
I don’t buy new tools unless I have exhausted all of the above sources, and I absolutely cannot find what I need. (In practice, I end up purchasing about one new item per year)
All methods are eco-friendly: sewing, tying, crocheting, weaving, or binding instead of gluing, stapling, or varnishing with plastic based sealer.
Any non-biodegradable materials come from picking up litter on the street or in a natural environment. Anytime you see acrylic yarn, a canvas with acrylic paint, or anything plastic or glued, rest assured that I found it that way.
There's one exception…every once in awhile, I purchase something small from a local independent retailer or artist (hand-dyed yarn from a disabled artist, a set of hand forged curved needles to support the Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch, UK.) Local stores and makers deserve support. So on the off chance I do buy anything, that's where I source it.
For me, it’s like the doctor's Socratic oath “Do no harm”...except for artists!
What is your "Second-Hand Supplies" pledge?
Why do you list the biodegradable content of your art?
I think it's important to understand a work’s entire life cycle. While I use mostly biodegradable materials and 100% eco-friendly construction techniques (no PVA-based adhesives or plastic packaging) I do sometimes work with foraged acrylic, plastic, or other non-biodegradable ingredients.
I hope clients will treasure my work, but I want collectors to be aware of how to dispose of my art in an ecologically responsible way. To be honest, I think the percentage of biodegradable materials should be de rigeur, like ingredient lists and caloric breakdowns on food packaging. We want to know what we're eating. I think we should know what we're buying, too.
Who is Sophia?
Her name ("Sophia 2026") is written on the back of this canvas.
I found it on Fitzwilliam St. near the corner of Percy St. in Philadelphia, across from a playground.
Is this her school assignment or daycare project, carelessly discarded on the way home?
However this canvas came to be discarded on the street, I loved using her painting as inspiration to create a new work of art.
Crochet lace made with 100% cotton thread is strong and colorfast. A few careful considerations will ensure its enduring wellbeing.
To avoid fading colors, do not display in direct sunlight.
Do not place under hot pans or serving utensils (cotton can scorch at high temps.)
For general cleaning, secure an old pair of nylons or length of gauze with a rubber band over a vacuum nozzle, and vacuum gently to remove dust.
To remove stains, try spot-cleaning first by soaking the stained area under cold running water and gently scrubbing the stain by hand. Please do this right away!
If this does not remove the stain, you have two options:
1) Wash the entire medallion by hand in cool water with dish soap, rinse and spread it flat on a towel to dry (this will not damage it, but the size may constrict slightly).
2) Send it back to me, and I will wash and stretch it to restore the full shape.
Note that some medallions with delicate edge points may benefit from professional stretching, so if you try #1, and the dried medallion doesn't look right, contact me, and I'll stretch it for you.
What are the best ways to care for and clean this artwork?
I do. Everything can be shipped. Once you give me your location, I will give you a shipping quote and estimated delivery window.
All work is packed securely, using re-used cushioning materials and the most eco-friendly shipping and packaging options I can find.
Do you ship your work?
Absolutely. I have a rainbow of colors and can produce any size and color scheme you would like. Please email me to discuss your needs, my production schedule, and pricing. I've done everything from medicine pouches to custom visible and invisible mending. I would love to hear what you are looking for.
Do you take commissions?
Do you accept returns?
Yes! I want you to be able to buy with confidence and only keep my work if you love it. If it doesn't fit your space, or you just change your mind, let me know, and we'll work out a full refund.