Smallest Forest

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

This post is late and is really a memorial for an artist that I’ve been following for a few years, Nat at The Smallest Forest. I also want to honor her friends who took up her mantle.

I discovered her through an annoying news article – in my eyes, the “journalist” invaded her privacy by scouring her personal art blog to find juicy details for his/her story about Nat’s significant other (who was part of a sailing rescue). I was appalled by that rude act, sent her a note of commiseration, and found her art to be so beautiful that she immediately joined my other favorites in feedly. When she posted with excited trepidation about starting a Patreon page, I knew I wanted to support her. She is the only person I have supported in this way so it was a big deal for me, and I justified it by buying her subscription for Boy – her monthly letters were about exciting new places so I thought it would be fun for him to get a mini vacation in the mail since he can’t ever go anywhere himself.

Her first letter was delayed, and she apologized for it and shared her struggle with a personal issue. No worries or ill feels; life happens and I knew she needed to take care of herself. I think every supporter sent on kind words of encouragement. The letter, when it did arrive, was fascinating from the envelope to the story inside, and Boy really enjoyed it.

The second letter didn’t come as scheduled, but I wasn’t concerned. Art cannot be rushed and if she was still dealing with issues, those certainly outweighed any concern of mine about getting something in the mail. As the months passed, however, I popped back onto Patreon and discovered another supporter’s comment to the group. She also had been wondering about things and discovered the quite likely possibility that Nat had passed away. In shock, I googled what I could to prove or disprove this stranger’s comment. Sadly, she seemed to have been correct.

Therefore, I was quite surprised when one day a second letter showed up in the mailbox. Maybe we were wrong about her passing? I wish I could say so.

As we opened the letter and found an additional note to explain its delay, we both felt loss for someone whom we’ve never met. A group of her artist friends completed the last round of letters Nat had been working on and sent them on to us. There is so much love and honor in that, my heart wants to explode every time I think of it. 

 

See more posts related to:

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Looking for more cases of the Crafties?
Hexie Dreams 18

Hexie Dreams 18

My fussy-cut EPP Hexie Dreams quilt is coming along. All the flowers were stitched into rows and the rows are being stitched together now for the final push. I also share some of my dear sewing supplies!

read more
Stitch Club: Maue

Stitch Club: Maue

TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club with Joetta Maue prompted a stitched piece from a photograph and I’ve recreated an adored image of my late grandparents.

read more
Hexie Dreams 17

Hexie Dreams 17

A quick update on my fussy-cut EPP hexie dreams quilt. A whopping 131 flowers are now complete, yay!

read more
Stitch Club: Weighton 2.1

Stitch Club: Weighton 2.1

Haf Weighton lead another TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club workshop on architectural layering, and I was inspired to render New Albany’s Culbertson Mansion based on a photograph by Daniel Andis.

read more
Stitch Club: Sproule

Stitch Club: Sproule

April Sproule led a TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club using a spiral concept. I felt like this would be a nice project for a friend and asked her for a color palette, hence the unusual-for-me color theme.

read more
Collaged Slow Stitch

Collaged Slow Stitch

I made a quirky and weird slow-stitched collage to try to push through a creative slump. It was much more about doing than the outcome.

read more
Stitch Camp 2023

Stitch Camp 2023

I stitched this mixed media piece following Gwen Hedley’s instruction through TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Camp.

read more
Tea Cup study

Tea Cup study

I was inspired to stitch up a stack of tea cups which lead to starting a second project that I’m still thinking about.

read more
Stitch Club: Clover

Stitch Club: Clover

Jette Clover lead a TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club using scraps and a stamp. I used a country farm stamp with a big red barn as inspiration.

read more
Stitch Club: Tume

Stitch Club: Tume

Kate Time lead a TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club on narrative bead texture, and I was inspired to have a play!

read more
Open Press Project

Open Press Project

I ordered a small print press from the Open Press Project and have begun experimenting with pressing leaves.

read more
Stitch Club: Notman

Stitch Club: Notman

Emily Notman lead a TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club where we would learn to make a jar wrap, and I was inspired to create a scene along a lakefront at sunset with cattails blowing in the wind.

read more
Stitch Club: Bliss

Stitch Club: Bliss

Oliver Bliss lead a TextileArtist.org’s Stitch Club recently centered on color blocking, and I was inspired to stitch up a skull with flowers.

read more