able

my friend b makes some of the loveliest short films i have ever seen. and i would say that even if i didn't know what a great person she is.

she manages to collect the things we discard as useless, things we take for granted, things we never even knew were there and make art out of them. obsolete maps, buttons, bits of string, pictures of your mother, clothes that are only good for rags anymore, frost on the window. she takes these things and delicately stitches them together with steam and birdsong and spider webs. things that were once loved that had long gone missing are given a chance to be loved again.

this is one of my favorites, my lot (2009):

i'm also pretty fond of this one, cycles (2007):

and here's a new piece, the well (2010):

if you'd like to keep up with her, i highly recommend following her blog, operation bumblebee. you'll find some lovely photography there as well.

i can think of no better endorsement than to tell you that what she does makes me feel peaceful, if only for one to six minutes at a time. if you know me, you know that's rich and rare.