tolkien, needlefelting and the hubble telescope
One of my favourite ideas of all time belongs to JRR Tolkien. He explains it in his lovely essay ‘On Fairy-Stories’ as part of a defense of that genre of literature, suggesting that human beings are driven to create because we ourselves have been created – and not only created, but created in the image of a creator.
Some people read this as one of those attempted definitive arguments in favour of the existence of the Judeo-Christian God. But that might be an unduly reductive approach to take to his claim (whether you happen to agree with it or not). Rather, I think Tolkien is shining some light on possibilities for understanding the experience of watching something forming in and through your own hands. And it’s an experience that is worthy of a bit of reflection, I think.
Knitters, carpenters, felters, doll makers, writers, sculptors and other creators have all described experiences perhaps akin to the aerobic rush described by runners – a feeling, even if only momentary, of a kind of ascension through and past the ordinary, into a state of peaceful, wordless meditation. There is a certain sacredness to these kinds of experiences that I think could be appreciated by even the most secular reader of Tolkien’s essay. His idea puts me in mind of the women whose fathers, husbands and sons were at war and who gathered together knitting socks for them. I wonder if, in all sorts of times and places, people have gathered in shared anxiety and found some peace and release in creating things with their hands? If so, then an experience of a kind of sacred alignment, be it with God or just with some fundamental part of the human experience, strikes me as an excellent insight into the satisfaction with which we create.
Over the past week or so I have developed an absolute passion for needlefelting. I’m not very good at it yet but I embarked on a project of some needlefelted brooches for our stall at Ceres and I am now well and truly hooked! There’s something absolutely mesmerising about watching wisps of coloured wool matting and swirling together under my new felting needle. For the first couple of days I had to force myself to stop long enough to eat and sleep!
I sold a few at Ceres but kept this one to wear myself.
Then, on Saturday, A. took me to see the Hubble telescope film at the Imax. Let me make a public service announcement right here. If you have any chance whatsoever to see it, please do! It is among the most extraordinary things I have ever seen in my life. If I could, I would make it mandatory viewing for every person in the whole world…
Look at this:
Its the Ring Nebula M57 as seen through the Hubble telescope, approximately 2000 light years from earth.
I would love to think that part of the unexpected joy this needlefelting brooch project has given me is due to having stumbled upon some kind of perfect sacred alignment with the creator in whose image I was created.
I so appreciate you meditation of the macrocosmic connection to needle felting! It is a deeply free flowing handcraft!
MAY I PLEASE add, in Steiner education, a topic about which I will endlessly rant (as you well know by now!!), the very first topic when children start formal learning in Class 1, is Form Drawing.
This area of learning is unique to Steiner Education, and was in fact, one of the two subjects Hitler tried to ban in Steiner Schools!!
Anyway, Form Drawing is a in part a preparation for writing, where children practice simple forms across a page, like loops, and later, coils, knots, symmetrical shapes, all developing the eye for form, the skills of the hand and, as you have observed through needle felting, connecting on a deeper level, to the true forms of nature, and yes, the cosmos.
Thanks Anna!!
This is so fascinating Jo. I’m looking up Form Drawing right now – what an interesting and holistic approach to the discovery of form! And I’m so pleased that my sense of a connection between needlefelting and nature/the cosmos also rings true to a far more accomplished needlefelter. If you weren’t such a kind person, Jo, you would laugh at my sad endeavour to needlefelt a rabbit last night! If I’m feeling self-effacing I may blog about it with pictures tomorrow. For now I’m off to read more about Form Drawing – thanks for so much inspiration and food for thought! x
[...] clearly something of a natural at needle felting (to the point that I have felt quite at liberty to reflect on the metaphysical dimensions of this unique artform) I suppose I will do this properly and begin with something nice and easy. Like the rabbit. Which [...]
[...] to see the Hubble Telescope film again at the Imax and it blew my pea brain just as much as the first viewing did. This time I saw it with some kids I know and I must say that the whole 3D movie experience is [...]