Leaving a Room of One’s Own

Althea  Church 

Reading the description of Jennifer Jasper’s workshop designed especially for our branch gave me pause when I saw the word “improvisation.”  I enjoy improv in the theater but doing it is not quite comfortable for my “inside the box” personality.  Should I attend the program, or stay away?!  I put on my brave face, went to the meeting, and I’m glad I did.

Although Zooms during the pandemic have been wonderful for virtual learning, entertainment, and keeping up with family and friends, it can still feel lonely when the zoom clock runs out. Now that the pandemic is winding down, how do we reacquaint with each other as we step away from our online lives, computers and tablets? It’s strange.

Jennifer Jasper helped us learn how to do it in a workshop in which we explored our dream room(s) through easy writing prompts, then shared our thoughts and wishes with each other in small groups. It was fun!

In my group we learned about each other’s dream ‘room of one’s own’, something that every woman needs and desires, in real life and/or in the life of the mind.  Norma already has an almost perfect room of her own with everything in it that she needs for work or relaxation. She just wants it to be bigger, so a stove can be added to make it complete. It sounds like a room that one could be happy in for long periods of time!

Suzanne’s room was very interesting visually, I could picture it while she was describing it. A medium sized room with large windows to let in the pale sunshine. (I saw the sun in my mind, thin clouds like a sheer curtain lightly covering a pale-yellow disk.)  The room is calmly lit, not bright sunshine as on a summer’s day.  A comfortable chair is in the room, for relaxing.  Other than the chair, the room is empty. Shouldn’t there be a little stack of books beside the chair? In this room Suzanne is floating. Not literally, but perhaps in thought, or quiet recollection.

Seeing into the dream spaces of other AAUW members was a good way of getting to know them.

My dream room is a large open space, such as a small, abandoned country church. Which I really used to think I would like to own and use as a studio.  Perfect lighting from all those tall windows.  Only one window would still have its stained glass, and the others would be clear, pouring in all that wonderful sunshine!  My open studio would have ten large tables, each in front of a bright window and dedicated to a specific craft project – beadwork, paper arts, sewing, etc.  One table would hold my art books and catalogs, they are simply too heavy to hold on the lap comfortably.  Of course, a comfortable chair is a necessity too, for relaxing and, let’s admit it, daytime napping!

Would I be more organized about craft projects if I had this dream studio? Probably not, I have always jammed my craft projects into a room that seemed the best option for a particular house we called home.  But I’m afraid my studio has a way of creeping throughout our house, making its pushy way into the living room, bedroom etc.  Still, I can dream about my perfect place for creativity!

Julie Haupt

I really enjoyed the workshop with Jennifer.  It was interesting to contemplate my current “hangout” space and then to create my personal “Dream Room”.  At first it was difficult for me to branch out from just adding a few basic embellishments to the space I already inhabit.  Next, we were asked to choose an object to hold and share.  I chose a favorite pottery bowl I made in 2018.  Since the start of the Pandemic the studio where I studied pottery has not been offering classes. (Ray Bub at Oak Bluffs Pottery in Pownal)  I really miss this creative outlet.

Then it hit me! My dream room should include a pottery wheel with an instructor available as needed.  Now my vision was complete.

Dawn Rodrigues 

The room where I spend my time has a fireplace with a wood burning stove that my husband keeps feeds logs to all day.  I like to listen to it crackle and watch the dancing flames through the glass door. While sitting on my comfy green sofa, iPad in hand, I read a book on Kindle, work on the newsletter, or look up to see a blue jay, a cardinal, or often, just a silly squirrel, munching on birdseed—often tossing the small seeds aside while seeking a tastier sunflower seed.

I do a lot more in this room, including taking part in Zoom meetings, talking on the phone, writing emails, and, I must admit, often eating meals while watching television with my husband. If I could (though not bloody likely), I’d add a narrow, 15 ft. indoor swim spa to an adjacent porch room—a multi-temperature model that has either warm or cold swirling water and is long enough for walking back and forth, floating, or even doing the backstroke.  This addition would invite me to break away from my couch potato pose and  exercise pleasurably. Now that I think about it,  I’d have room for an exercise bicycle and a treadmill equipped with videos of mountain paths and sandy beaches. As I pedal or walk through these terrains, I could gaze out the window and welcome the snow. In the summer, I would open the screens and let the warm breezes flow!

Nancy Shoerke

Once upon a time, before the 21st century pandemic, I had a room of my own which housed my Bernina sewing machine, essential sewing supplies and a fabric stash I accumulated over many decades.

It was a spacious room with two large windows that let in the natural light. Between them hung a quilt I made in citrus color Asian batik fabric against an apple green painted wall. The remaining walls were white. Light maple engineered flooring replaced a dark carpet and made the room feel  welcoming.

I enjoyed spending time in this room by myself. There, in my comfy swivel chair, I pondered ways I could sew beautiful things with beautiful fabric. The organic designs of  William Morris were a favorite as well as the brilliant colorful and playful designs by Kaffe Fassett. I leafed through the pages of my collection of books by these designers to awaken my sleepy imagination.

Gudrun Hutchins

The secret to any room that I enjoy is lots of windows! We have owned our home for 60 years and have renovated parts of it and added an addition over the years. I crave a lot of natural light – possibly because I can see only with one eye since childhood. Our home came with two large picture windows in the living room. They were nice, but the wooden frames were wide and there were too many wood pieces on the two side windows that could be opened to let in fresh air. When the glass turned a bit milky and needed to be replaced, we had a single pane of glass installed with no wood framing at all. (We also had an I-beam installed over each window so that the walls with large windows could carry the weight of the hip roof. This was a wall saver during an invasion of carpenter ants below one of the picture windows in our living room.)

When we had an addition to the house built, we installed a large picture window in two bedrooms. Our house is surrounded by 25 acres of woods and we enjoy watching deer, bears including females with cubs, foxes, flocks of turkeys and a lot of other animals. Our latest window additions are large windows over the kitchen sink and the washing machine and clothes dryer. They are 6 feet wide but only 3 feet high because of their location.

During the summer I can see my oriental lilies through windows in our computer/dining room and the kitchen.

They grow in a sheltered southeast corner next to the front door. The exhaust vent from the strategically located clothes dryer keeps the ground a little warmer during the winter in that location. My Scheherazade lilies are now 35 years old and reach the gutters of the house during some summers. Why would I want to change any of these rooms and sit there by myself? My husband and I appreciate that we could keep each other company during Covid.

What I did need during Covid was a new and challenging activity and I shared that during the beginning of the program. Even though I have stitched needle point projects for much of my adult life, my threads have changed over the years as I could afford the more durable ones and wanted to try something new. First I used knitting wool, which tended to fade and change color in the sun. Then I used Permian wool which is used in oriental carpets and is harvested from sheep similar to those raised in ancient Persia. It is available in hundreds of colors and is very durable. Now I am using silk threads and it has been a joy. Like silk cloth, the silk threads are shiny and come in beautiful colors. Mine come from China, via England, to an American distributor to a Needlepoint store in Connecticut. My mail order may take a while to be filled but it is worth the wait. The silk threads are very smooth and can be pulled through the canvas much more easily than wool, which tends to be a little fuzzy.