Much of my work entails a lot of preparation

I enjoy this part of the process:

. . . the idea. . .beginning the steps to make what is in my mind a reality

. . . the decisions involved — color, material, process

. . . dying tea bags, opening, closing, composing before stitching

. . . burning paper…choosing the book . . . choosing the paper

. . . what the material conveys and how it portrays content and meaning.

Always the processes and materials I choose include an element of surprise, something I cannot control. This often yields unexpected and unanticipated results that stimulate whole new paths of exploration.