I found the concept of Wabi Sabi a difficult one to put into words but I felt immediately drawn to it.

It is described as ‘the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete’, ‘appreciating the simple, yet impermanent states of life’, ‘humble, rustic simplicity’ and ‘the way time affects deterioration’ (Savvytokyo.com’).

Having read articles, thoughts and descriptions of this way of thinking and seeing things, I would describe it as something transient, never perfect but with a beauty that isn’t obvious and may take study or thought to really appreciate. Using one’s imagination to fill in gaps or to look at how time has affected something is about accepting that there is beauty in everything.

BBC.com/travel states that in Taoism ‘since no further growth or development can take place, perfection is considered equivalent to death. While we strive to create perfect things and then struggle to preserve them, we deny their very purpose and subsequently lose the joys of change and growth’.

The more I read about Wabi Sabi the more I could see how it applies to my approach to textiles and art, nothing is better than a happy accident, and the use of an item over time gives it a story in its wear and tear that cannot be achieved intentionally. I am always drawn to the surprising patterns and contrasts of nature. One thing I have done many times is watch the sea from a ship and think to myself that however beautiful a wave is, it is there only for a moment and will never be exactly the same again. Much better to see that wave at that moment and feel pure joy than to take a perfect photograph that will never change.

I am going to try to keep the ideas i have about Wabi Sabi in mind while I review my archive textiles and the drawings I have made – to try to see the imperfections and simplicity, the asymmetry and irregularity, and how the pieces connect to things I love in my home and the world around me. I love the idea of creating something that continually changes and reinvents itself – never being finished.