Home

Recently the L.A. Times published a story about a woman who was hurt that her husband programmed his parents' number as home.  Having just returned from staying at my parents' house I can understand this desire.  It is home!  That doesn't mean that where I live with my husband and kids isn't also home and I hope my kids will always have fond memories of time spent here, but my childhood home lives in a different part of my heart.

It seems each summer I write about my favorite things in Cleveland (like here and here).  For a change I will write about what I saw that was new.

The Cozad-Bates House, which was likely a stop on the Underground Railroad.  

You can learn more and see better pictures here.  I think this quote describes the site well.

Today the house seems rather out of place amongst the towering medical buildings, large parking structures, and high-rise apartment buildings that surround it. However, if you look at the historical circumstances that surround the house it becomes clear why it is located and still standing in the heart of Cleveland’s cultural center.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is not a new place to me, but they recently completed a renovation, so this view of the inner atrium is new.

This is new, but I did visit my favorite, Monet's Water Lilies.

Also new to me was the outdoor chandelier at Playhouse Square.

You can learn more about the dazzle project here.

I know I swam at Forest Hills pool,
but I have no memory of visiting Forest Hills Park.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has a program showcasing local artists with temporary exhibits, so that was new, too.

several sculptures by Jerry Schmidt

Type City Cleveland

Bye, Cleveland.  Bye, home.
I look forward to returning to my favorite spots and discovering new things.

IFF Workshop

Over three months ago I wrote about visiting The Institute for Figuring and how I hoped they would move to Claremont.  They still haven't done that, but we did make our second trip there because I was invited to lead a workshop.  It felt like Mark Spitz asking me to teach people to swim.  I overcame my fear (and sense of awe) and said yes.

The director had acquired the amazing book by Knud Vaegter, chosen paper, and photocopied a few templates.

The sample hearts I brought were set up in the room with samples from previous workshops.

Workshops participants started by being given properly cut paper and being shown a basic heart.  They were given as much time as they wanted to get figure it out.  I was impressed by their willingness to work at it and their ability to figure it out once they were given the first step.  I was also impressed with their willingness to try very challenging patterns, but I realized they didn't know they were very challenging.  I loved seeing the participants joy and satisfaction after they completed a heart.

Even though traditionally hearts are red and white (like the Danish flag), fluorescent orange, pink, and green were offered along with black and white.  The contrast was fabulous!

I didn't think to take pictures during the event, but here are a few hearts 

(the ones with black were made by other people).

The director loved to look at the inside, which did look fascinating.  The traditional shiny paper is colored on one side and white on the other so it doesn't show the same inner life.

Some Claremont friends weren't able to join me so I will host a local workshop.  Maybe one of them will host one on a different topic, like making our own crocheted coral reef.