Let me introduce this bag by saying something pretty specific:
This precious piece is for a wild woman at heart.
The soft portion of the bag is elk hide, dyed a rather warm and incredible shade of light mustard. It has the normal things elk hides have: gorgeous scars and marks (all photographed here)
and a supple softness that no cow leather can touch. It is thicker, too, and born of the wild.
I've lined the piece in a wonderful forest green suede to drive home the point that the outside makes quite explicitly: wild death is the beginning of something beautiful.
A bird perishes in the forest and from the matter left over the soil is fertilized for plants to grow. Up sprouts something for other living creatures to eat in the summer and perhaps something that eventually will have a large trunk in which other forest dwellers will dwell through the winter, storehouses of nourishment in reach.
In the human world we see death as something to be feared: a great unknown whose borders we know little of.
I truly believe with all my heart that death is actually a great doorway back to a place we once called home.
Some may call it heaven....
others nirvana
and on and on
in every religion
and faith.
In the day to day world the little deaths we experience make us bigger, better people if we let them:
failures
mistakes
closed doors
receiving hatred...
Everything is an opportunity to bloom if we are able to see it as such through the eyes of some kind of surrender.
This bag is a symbol of rebirth and the great mystery of death in all its many guises.
There are nearly 250 rivets
in this lovely piece, each one hand set with a simple press.
It measures 13 inches wide by ten inches all by 4 inches deep, but it can be stuffed to be deeper.
The strap measures 33 inches brass ring to brass ring.
Every inch of its creation was done by hand, from the carving to the tooling to the dyeing to the stitching....
this is a true labor of love.
I cannot wait to see who she belongs to - she'll be in the Leather Shop in just a jiff!
xoxoxoxo,
Allison
12 comments:
Allison, this is so fabulous and completely inspiring! I love, love, love the colors and the little bean sprout progression rounds. Congratulations on such a wonderful piece-it made my afternoon!
xo, em
Allison, you have taken your artistry to an entirely new level here....now theres no going back!
amazing....
Such a to die for bag...your hands truelly create amazing pieces!!!
Utterly magnificent in both concept and execution.
Amazing, so lovely and well though out.
Oh my goodness ~ gorgeousness all around. I have SUCH a thing for elk leather.......
So exquisite, Allison. Wow. It's amazing.
As always Allison you are so inspiring. That bag is absolute ART. It really evokes your spirit - truly a work of beauty.
♥
J
allison,
my heart skipped a beat when i saw the photos of this bag.
if only i had the funds to make it mine!
so beautiful!
"In the day to day world the little deaths we experience make us bigger, better people if we let them:
failures
mistakes
closed doors
receiving hatred...
"Everything is an opportunity to bloom if we are able to see it as such through the eyes of some kind of surrender."
A M E N.
Beautiful bag, even lovelier sentiment.
You never cease to amaze me, Allison. What a privilege and a joy to know you!
X O,
m.
A-
oh my, you have outdone yourself. you are such a beautiful artist...and this bag is breath-taking!
xo
it's amazing piece of work:) I really admire ( from far Europe :)
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