How Art Heals-WEB

45 19. Patricia Hardie WWW.PATHARDIE.COM MERRICKVILLE, CANADA “The inspiration for Watching and Waiting came from a line in a Kid Rock song: “Wednesday’s like watching dead f lowers grow.” It reminded me of a photo I took back in the ’80s of an old man watching Christmas festivities from his window on a street in Germany, perhaps too old to participate himself. “Revisiting that memory made me realize I was approaching the same stage in my own life. I found myself pondering my journey over the years and could feel myself sliding into yet another depression. “I deliberately set myself a more difficult-than-usual task, that of creating a three-dimensional piece where window shutters or blinds could be opened or closed. During the process of creating, my emotions turned for the better.” Each day I was eager to work on this quilt. Upon completion, however, there was only a f lat feeling of “ it’s done,” no big sense of relief or happiness. As the months slowly passed by, I did begin to think of what I might create next, always a good sign. Years later, I can still relate to this old man as he watches the world pass him by, but I don’t feel so tied to that emotional place.