The Making of Our Shrinking Coastlines
Art and movement have always provided me with a place for reflection and growth, a space to weave connections with others who can or want to see pathways towards justice, and a way to find and nurture networks of solidarity, care, and transformation. The Our Shrinking Coastlines series is a reflection on the beauty and precarity of our natural world. It is also a reflection on the power of art, space, and movement to bring about empowering and life-changing connections.
Breaking Through
In the artwork and short story “Breaking Through” I explore the experience of breaking as one of courage, growth, and expansiveness. Brene Brown describes this journey of loving-kindness and “becoming real” as the ultimate act of bravery, where “vulnerability is the path and courage is the light” (Brown, p.110). The researcher and psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains how such a journey can create feelings of immense enjoyment when we have gone beyond what we have been “programmed to do and achieved something unexpected, perhaps something even unimagined before . . . we know that we have changed, that our self has grown: in some respect, we have become more complex as a result of it” (2002, p.46).
Surrender
The artwork titled “Surrender” has been grounded in the following short story that I wrote while on Wadandi and Pibelmen Boodjar, as I reflected on vulnerability and the strength in surrender. As the writer and researcher Sarah Lewis says, “ to surrender means not giving up,” but “giving yourself over to another mode of being” through a process of courageous and expansive self-inquiry (2014, p.86). That is, by acknowledging a situation, by accepting that it exists, you can find the wisdom you need to make way and move forward - a state of being that researcher and psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes as “that inner strength and serenity we admire in people who seem to have come to terms with themselves” (2002, p.217).
In the following story, I explore this journey from struggle and resistance through to the acceptance, centeredness, and expansiveness of surrender.
Testamonials
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Such stunning pieces of art from my favourite and incredibly talented artist and now dear friend. I have come to know the gorgeous-hearted person behind these weavings through the commissioning process, and this makes these unique tapestries even more special. They bring me warmth, peace, and calm every time I look at them, as they remind me of my beloved ocean, the waves, and the bond between my daughter and me. The love, protection, and connection we share are beautifully reflected in these artworks. There is so much fragility and strength, and a unique story woven into every thread. These tapestries whisper to me the beauty of nature, our connections and the experiences life brings upon us at different stages – sometimes gentle as currents and powerful as tides.
Anna Janickova
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I am obsessed with trees; the feeling of being under them, their branches, their bark all unique and deeply calming. I came to Elise with an idea for a woven piece. She collaborated with ease and together we decided to focus on the tree trunk and capture the quality of bark. I was sure this would be too challenging to create with yarn but what she produced was beyond my wildest imagination. The final piece has the texture and shape of the tree trunk with the imperfections and beauty of bark integrated meticulously all made from yarn. Her final translation of the trunk of a tree is exquisitely beautiful, textural, organic and unique. She is a passionate artist who nurtures her client to exceed expectations.
Katrina Joy Bell
