One of my favourite items in this world is yarn. The mere sight of yarn bundled in their skeins sends my brain into a complete frenzy. Yarn looks and feels so delicious, that it almost seems as if it should be eaten. Being in a yarn store for me is like being in a time capsule. What feels like 30 minutes ends up in reality being 6 hours. It's a complicated process choosing yarn and the right pattern. To protect my creative process (and the sanity of others), I usually prefer to go alone. There can't be a time crunch or anyone present trying to correct my indecisive nature (which does need to be corrected at times). This is just one of those times and places where I need to be free to let ideas ruminate and simmer. Sometimes my brain is so overstimulated by the colours and textures that I ended up dumping back all my selections and leaving the store with nothing. Some might think this is a giant waste of 6 hours, but I leave feeling strangely peaceful and energized at the same time. You can't force the creative process or be driven by productivity. Who knows how or when some of those ruminating thoughts will materialize into a brilliant idea!
The above two photos belong in a much bigger series of photographs taken in Colombia, SA during a two week trip last February. More details to come about this project!
Photography: Ana Maria Cardenas