Deb Brandon: Living in Radiant Color

storytelling

Textile Tales

Stories are inherent in traditional textiles, about the artisans and their communities, and about their cultures and traditions. Some of the stories are in the process, others are integrated in the designs, through figurative or geometric motifs. Though we usually associate stories with words, many are told through symbols or images, whether through hieroglyphics, geometric designs, or figurative imagery. Stories do not have to have a beginning, middle, and end, and they can take many forms, such as prose, dance, poetry, or even a list.

Safe Environment

Carson burst into song, “I’ve never been to Alaska!” I had trouble suppressing my smile. “That was definitely something boring in an interesting way. Many teachers have a ritual to break the ice with a new group of students. Doug asks them about their favorite flavor of ice cream. Russ hands out index cards asking … Read more

Me or Me?

I posted on Facebook: “I lie here in bed contemplating my headache. What should I do for it? (Or should it be against it?) It’s definitely a bad one. (Are there good headaches?) Then I wondered about wondering—it’s getting to the point where wondering/thinking will aggravate the pain. I should stop.” My inner voices are … Read more

Curly Teeth

“If you eat your meat, your teeth will curl.” I wasn’t horrified at Granny’s pronouncement, merely perplexed. My confusion wasn’t over the possibility that she might be telling the truth, at least as she saw it. I was just having trouble visualizing curly teeth. And I actually liked meat… When I think of Granny, my … Read more

Breathing

I stand a couple of feet away from the wall and fall forward towards it, catching myself with my hands. I straighten my arms and press hard against the wall, as if I want to push it down. I take a quick deep inhale, then let it out slowly as I intone, “Monday.” Then again, … Read more