Creative Wellness Blog

The Tribe

Fiber art
The Tribe: My final fiber art project at UMass Dartmouth depicting me and the other four members of my graduate studio, who gave me so much!

“I am [s]he and you are [s]he and we are all together.” ─Adapted from “I Am the Walrus” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Cotton, silk, felted mulberry paper (Joomchi), silk yarn, bark, seed beads

I’ve recently finished a year in the Artisanry Department at UMass Dartmouth, culminating in a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Fiber Art. The experience has been all about exploration and discovery, being pushed beyond my comfort zone while being protected by my compatriots—my tribe—in the Graduate Studio. I am so grateful for the experience and the feeling of belonging in this creative circle.

The group of five fiber cylinders is my homage to this experience. Each cylinder depicts one of the five members of the Graduate Studio—Charlotte, my advisor and instructor (tall, cool green), Denise (pink), Kat (magenta-purple), Suzi (green and gray), and me (in the center).

Commenting is closed for this article.

Nancy Monson is a certified health and creativity coach who supports her clients to discover their healthier selves through personalized eating and exercise habits. She also speaks frequently on creativity, health, and diet topics. In addition, Nancy is a successful freelance writer. Her articles have been published in over 30 national magazines and newsletters, including Family Circle, Glamour, More, Reader’s Digest, Redbook, Shape, Vivmag.com, Weight Watchers Magazine, and Woman’s Day. Nancy is the author of three consumer books: Creative Wellness, an ebook published in 2012; Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Crafts; and The Smart Guide to Boosting Your Energy, published by John Wiley and Sons in 1999.