The wire decorated rock now at the bottom of my weaving is from Northeastern Ontario. This rock was gifted to me by a friend of Polish/Welsh heritage. It was given as a reminder of my late Father and Mother’s trips to the eastern shores of Lake Superior where they’d sometimes gather a few ‘Water Polished Rocks’ from the shoreline to bring home. Growing up, I recall Dad often gathered interesting rocks from the wilderness. They’d come to live with us in the house for a while then went to live outside again. Mom often collected rocks too. The jewellery kind. Rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings of stones, metals and other materials made in Canada and other countries. The Dragonfly earrings on the weaving were hers. She’d buy, wear and give her jewellery away. Like Mom, I knew we’d all worn rocks and metals as jewellery in many lives and many cultures. Reincarnation puts a whole new slant on the subject of. ‘cultural appropriation’.

(July 30, 2020- Shelley Wilson)