"You must give birth to your images.
They are the future waiting to be born.
Fear not the strangeness you feel.
The future must enter you long before it happens.
Just wait for the birth,
for the hour of the new clarity."
Rainer Maria Rilke
I feel encouraged by Rilke's words,
especially as I have really struggled with the last few dolls.
But as I struggle to birth new ideas,
I try to remember what has made this doll possible - and be grateful.
Consider one piece of recycled fabric ...
Where was the cotton grown? Have irrigation schemes destroyed the river systems?
What chemicals were used to control pests and encourage growth?
Were the workers treated fairly? Did they earn enough to feed their families?
Were the cotton mills healthy places to work? Noise, fumes, dust, hours, dyes.
Did the transporters have safe vehicles and safe roads? What fuels did they burn?
Were the garment factories and sweatshops just employers?
Did they use child labour?
Did the final user of this garment enjoy it, treasure it,
or simply cast it away as unfashionable after a short season?
Was it donated to an opportunity shop where monies are raised to help the needy?
Now it is in my hands ... continuing the story.
I hope I can be a good steward of what is entrusted to me.
They are the future waiting to be born.
Fear not the strangeness you feel.
The future must enter you long before it happens.
Just wait for the birth,
for the hour of the new clarity."
Rainer Maria Rilke
I feel encouraged by Rilke's words,
especially as I have really struggled with the last few dolls.
But as I struggle to birth new ideas,
I try to remember what has made this doll possible - and be grateful.
Consider one piece of recycled fabric ...
Where was the cotton grown? Have irrigation schemes destroyed the river systems?
What chemicals were used to control pests and encourage growth?
Were the workers treated fairly? Did they earn enough to feed their families?
Were the cotton mills healthy places to work? Noise, fumes, dust, hours, dyes.
Did the transporters have safe vehicles and safe roads? What fuels did they burn?
Were the garment factories and sweatshops just employers?
Did they use child labour?
Did the final user of this garment enjoy it, treasure it,
or simply cast it away as unfashionable after a short season?
Was it donated to an opportunity shop where monies are raised to help the needy?
Now it is in my hands ... continuing the story.
I hope I can be a good steward of what is entrusted to me.