More Journal Vessels/Fiber Bowls

My Bento Journey Vessel is made from Japanese fabric with a print that reminds me of Hiroshige's Wave, however, when I cut it into strips to make this coil bowl that imagery was lost. I wanted the bowl to remind the viewer of traditional lacquerware bento (lunch) boxes. I have put in it an assortment of those things that I've gathered from many trips...an abacus, chopsticks, a wind chime, several cards with prints by Kawase Hasui, one of my very favorite woodblock artists, some old coins and various bits and pieces gathered at shrines and in temples.

This second coiled bowl was created from two cotton fabrics from Australian Aboriginal designers. I decided not to put a top on my big, flat, open bowl. Those words, indeed, reminded me of some of the adjectives used to describe Australia. I've gathered into it some of the things I collected on my "bushwalks" in the Red Center. There are seed pods from acacia, eucalyptus, wattle, and kapok, Aboriginal clapsticks, seed necklace, some carvings, cards and a plastic lizard that I beaded to remind me of the several interesting ones we met on our hikes.

Now that I've made three of these journal vessels, I may not need to create anymore....until I've returned with more stuff that I can't bear to toss and feel the uncharacteristic urge to tidy. Thankfully, this most current urge has now been satisfied and I can get back to some pressing deadlines.