Not a disaster but …

While I was in Brazil I learned about altered books.  Not particularly new to me; seeming a bit of a destruction rather than creation.  However, I soon understood it was a clever way to use a book destined for landfill; soon  it proved to be a little of a life saver.

The book I selected to be altered is by E.V. Cunningham and called Cynthia.  As I understand very little of written Portuguese, so I can tell nothing about its content.  The front cover is a picture of a young woman, Cynthia, perhaps wearing a hat.  At first glance there is nothing significant in that; except that I wear hats and have a small wardrobe of different shapes and colours. They have proved useful over the years as I suffer from Alopecia, spending much time considering ways to cover up and disguise this frustrating condition.. I say frustrating because, it isn’t life threatening and it is often in flux going or coming back; just  a  miserable side effect of depression.

Sometimes it felt like the cause!

Sadly, the condition has worsened while the management of my depression has improved.  

I lost my hair completely 2 years ago; when I was attempting to cope with a couple of traumatic events in my life.  Then, in time there was some growth and my life took an upward turn when I began planning a new career at 67; finding new opportunities in the creative world.  

Then, out of the blue a couple more disasters;  that rocked my boat and overnight my hair was gone; as we speak a couple of tufts are hanging in there, eye lashes and brows have gone.   

Like I said; no great shakes, my brother had a leg amputated, hair loss is chicken feed!

So where is this going? My brother is healing; my plans are going on, my studio and press is coming together . I don’t look so pretty but my little altered book, also not so glamorous; the result of meditation, automatic writing and painting is celebration of hats, hair and goneness.