Recollection . Betty Jane Lau: 2019

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

https://womanmade.org/artwork/betty-jane-lau-2/

Saturday, November 2, 2019

'Truth As a Contested Concept' at Women Made Gallery 11.1.2019

https://womanmade.org/truth-as-a-contested-concept/

#38. 'Hansel & Gretel in American Woods' 2018.1 49" x 49" American cloth, Aloha print, Costco Indonesian sarong. 800.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Sattadhatu Sutta, SN 14.11

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

#51. 'Mauna Kea / Powehi' 51" x 46" 2019.8 Tutuvi prints and Hawaiian cloth NFS

I wove this while TMT (a proposed new telescope on Mauna Kea) was being blocked by Hawaiians who declare the Mountain as sacred.

What would Queen Liliuokalani do? Her islands were stolen in 1893. This is very much a part of the protest.

Added 2020:

I left my home in Hawaii a long time ago. Because of the pandemic it is now a risk to travel back to visit family and friends. This new reality has me confronting the issue: is my “home” a specific geographical spot on earth? Do I identify with my past community if I am not currently living in that community? I was born and raised in Honolulu, do I still consider Hawaii my home?

I wove ‘Mauna Kea/Powehi’ during a time of political and spiritual turmoil. Some Hawaiians regard Mauna Kea as their original spiritual home. Some scientists want to build a telescope on the mount to find another 'Powehi', i.e. a black hole. The name ’Powehi’ comes from a Hawaiian origin chant meaning “an embellished dark source of unending creation”. Hawaiian protestors want to save their mountain they consider home. Scientist want to search for a black hole that all matter is pulled through; a portal perhaps leading to our ultimate home.

One definition of ‘home’ is where you go to replenish yourself. ‘Home' is not only a place but a state of mind.

'Axis Mundi'

Monday, August 19, 2019

Working on #51 Mauna Kea / Powehi while controversy swirls.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

#50. 'Powehi / Rainbow' 84" x 68" Made of hawaiian and western materials. Started 4/2019 - Finished 7/2019. Read links to find out more. 900.

'Kumulipo', a Hawaiian origin chant.

"The current of time when the earth turned hot around

The current of time when the firmament turned counter

The current of time when the sun stood beshadowed

To illuminate the moon

The time of the night of the Pleiades

The ocean-floor slime is what gave origin to earth

The origin of the dark was dark

The origin of the night was night

The deep darkness, the deep darkness

The darkness of the day, the darkness of the night

Night only indeed!..."

Copied from 'Chanting the Universe' by John Charlot, 1983.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/12/world/black-hole-name-powehi-scli-intl/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2019/07/18/why-some-native-hawaiians-are-protesting-construction-of-the-thirty-meter-telescope/#49c657b7112a

Monday, July 1, 2019

#25 'American Childhood/Silkie' was chosen for a buyer based on his educating children, and having ties to Madison, WI. where this was displayed in a competition. It was serendipitous that the colors in this quilt goes so well with the room.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

49. A commission for the wall space above a bed.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

48. 'Powehi' (hawaiian word which means: "embellished dark source of unending creation". Named after the first Black Hole first photographed this year, 2019. Two of the eight telescopes used to photograph the black hole are on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. 13.5 x 13.5 2019.4 Aloha print border, linen, synthetics, knits, Japanese brocade, Chinese silk. Given to UU sangha (Mindful Reflection Community) for their meditation candle.

47. 'American Dream / American Nightmare'. 2019.3 @ 64" x 69" American cloths. 900.00

The dream of an immigrant can easily turn into a nightmare. Dorothy arrives in a strange new land full of hope and plans: it can turn ghastly wrong. Fierce eagles remind me of the not friendly flying monkeys on the Wizard of Oz. Foreboding black bunting surround all. One side is full of color, the other side is ghostly pale.