[Working Art] Marie-Hélène Morell | Rugs Are Like Children
When I founded CreatedHere I didn't know that writing about other artists would awaken the artist in myself, which is totally what happened. Having rediscovered my creative voice while simultaneously raising three small children, the similarities and differences between making and child-rearing have stood out to me again and again. With my craft, what I make today will still be there the next time I pick it up (unless I have a mistake to deal with). The housework and the breaking up arguments will just have to be done again tomorrow. Some days I choose making over sweeping just to have the satisfaction of knowing I'm moving forward.
Doing a creative project and being a parent are similar in that you can’t skip to the end without doing the in-between. When raising children you have to put in the labour of every day, every meal, every bedtime. In the back of your mind you keep the goal of seeing your child become an independent, happy adult. Craft also requires being fully engaged with an eye to the finished product. In the case of fibre and textile you must work each consecutive stitch with forethought and attention before moving on to the next.
One of my favourite techniques is making braided rugs with upcycled sheets. These take hours: first acquiring sheets, then ripping and balling the strips before finally starting the braid. Working from the centre it takes no time at all to make it around once, twice, three times. I start out optimistic and full of motivation to see the end product in my chosen colours. It goes quickly at first because the radius is so small, then as the circle grows I slow down. Inevitably I reach a point when it feels like I’ve been working on this too long and I lose steam.
When I step back, I see how far I’ve come and I experience the entwined colours that have taken shape. I remember the enthusiasm of starting a new rug and the anticipation of seeing my original vision realized in sturdy, comforting texture. Only when I dig into the endurance part of myself and commit to just showing up to the next stitch, can I continue to move forward and enjoy the process through to the end.
With children it’s a longer game - years made up of days that add up to a life. When you are in the middle of parenting small children, each day, each moment requires your care and energy. Sometimes it is all cuddles and fun, but sometimes all you can do is anticipate their bedtime. When you step back from that routine you see that your toddler has grown up and lost a tooth and your baby is off biking around the neighbourhood, running a lemonade stand or talking about building their own personal jet pack.
As a parent you commit to showing up and trying your best to make the choices that result in a well-balanced person. There is a certain amount of risk in undertaking the raising of a human. There is a similar trepidation in taking up a new creative project. The uncertainty often stops people from starting in the first place. The optimism, perseverance and gratefulness I’ve been learning in my craft has overflowed into my reality of raising small humans. Messing up is a fear that must be faced to bring something of value into the world.
Often while making a braided rug, I am reminded of the circular nature of life. I start in the middle and work outward. Every time I make it around it builds bigger and bigger, every rotation like a year of life lived. The discipline of showing up in the small things - the stitches and the band-aids - is how I create my life. This type of effort will always build up to something worth the work, be it a finished rug that lasts for years, or a child you get to love through all the stages of life.
