“Tea Box for the Spirit” is a piece I put together with that rather rare magical speed and certainty which is so satisfying. It started with working to organize my studio, and coming across a fabulous green tea gift box I received some years ago. It was a gift from my brother & the tea was lovely!
The “reverent humans” in this piece are resin figures I cast from a soap carving I made during my winter in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (also some years ago). These have been waiting for me to incorporate into a finished piece of art.
The parts came together over 2 days when a photo of the two figures in the open box inspired a lovely sentence contributed by Maureen Piper: “For Spirit, reverent humans are reviving as best tea.”
This box is first aid for my spririt: it incorporates some antique objects found in my mothers things, and it represents all the treasures she held onto over time. The inspiration comes from her, as do the Flora MacDonald needles (for spiritual repair), elastoplast tin (first aid for the spirit), stones & shark tooth. These were Mother’s, as was the woven stand with the worn piece of drifwood & stones.
The box contains a hidden photo of Mother, with the words “For Spirit”. Today is Mother’s birthday, and I miss her.
Of course I have now spent many, many more hours finessing this project to make it safe to open and view properly. It is still very delicate, but can be displayed upright, then opened & viewed flat to see the layers inside.
Gray Wolf seemed to attend meetings against her better judgement. One evening she came by anyway and said, ” In every service I renew my vow to save the many beings, but, really, how can I do that?”