Here is the next of the beautiful, inspiring, special contributions coming in to the #MandalasForMarinke remembrance project. I am grateful for each and every amazing contribution. You are invited to join; learn more here.
Beautiful Crochet Mandala
This vibrant crochet mandala is made using the crochet spoke mandala pattern by Wink, which we’re seeing is one of the most popular of her free crochet mandala patterns. Each row is worked in a different color for a fabulous treat for the eyes. I love the final edging that is worked in a multicolored sparkling crochet yarn.
Meet the Maker
Sabina’s package came with the card above. Learn more about QR code crochet here.
This crochet mandala contribution comes from Sabina, a mixed media artist born 11/26/65 in Winterthur, Switzerland. She has participated in various exhibitions, art performances and art projects over the years. She says that she chose to contribute to Mandalas for Marinke “because of my own history. It has touched me deeply and made me concerned. I want to help raise awareness of depression”. Sabina adds that crafting can help and has helped in her case.
Here’s a little bit more about her story:
“I suffer from various early childhood traumas and the resulting chain reaction of symptoms of depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia and sometimes serious, debilitating somatic effects, which are slow to heal. I’ve had fibromylagia since age 20 and endometriosis since age 39.
As a teenager, I had two suicide attempts. From time to time I come back to this feeling even today. I will turn fifty years old this coming November and I’ve been sick my whole life.
I have had to fight against the lack of understanding all of the time, everywhere. I don’t want to be a victim, not anymore, so I decided in my Master Degree (MFA) program of Art to raise awareness of depression and help myself and others through this work. Through my Major Art in Public Spheres Thesis in 2014 I realized the longterm art project Crochetpower.net.”
Sabina explains on that site.
“This website is a social and artistic long-term project, a help/self-help internet platform for people with burnout, for people suffering from exhaustion, for people suffering from depression, for people suffering from agoraphobia or from other panic attacks and, of course, for so called “normal” people.”
To elaborate a little, it’s an online platform for collaborative crochet art projects designed to help people use crafting to heal themselves and to connect with others. Contributors are wanted for her project. Definitely worth checking out!!
Last year Sabina began working with “a great psychiatrist, working in the methods of Peter A. Levine” and finds that it’s helped her immensely. She only became aware of Wink’s work after her death but has loved learning about her. She says:
“Wink was a creative, flowery, colorful, playful, imaginative, beautiful and sweet girl with very inspiring artwork.”
And she adds:
“Dear Wink, I hope you have now found your Peace and Light. Lots of love and sincere condolences to the family.”
Visit Sabina on Facebook and Instagram.
Words by Wink
On 11/5/12 in a post called Yarn and Happiness, Wink shared her little pin that reads “Keep Calm and Crochet On” and she said:
“I managed to catch sight of this gorgeous sunset a few days ago. We’ve been having some pretty beautiful skies here in Hoogeveen lately! Days like this come along not too often, and thankfully I’ve learned to embrace them as they’re happening! The sun is shining in my craft room, both literally and figuratively, and I could not be more happy! But, for those days when the sun is NOT shining, I have this little reminder of days like this.”
About Depression
One purpose of this project is to raise awareness about depression so each post will end with some facts, thoughts or quotes about depression, suicide and/or mental health. Sabina’s website has some great information about the use of crochet in healing so I want to share some stuff from her site here today.
“There are artistic actions or happenings in public space. An exchange with other artists and art projects will take place, not in the context of psychiatry but in the context of crocheting or networking.
Crocheting works off stress – that’s the main idea. It’s like crocheting off the messy thoughts in your head and therefore creating something beautiful.
“Crochet your mind monkey good-bye, say hello to cozy bear” – that’s my slogan I created with my stepsister from the United States about the anti-stress effect of crocheting. The aspect of working in a group eases the feeling of isolation and meaninglessness most patients have.
Crocheting used to be a handwork technique for discipline and conditioning concerning craftsmanship. Nowadays, in contemporary art, crocheting plays an enormous role as activist strategy.”
And since Sabina mentioned agoraphobia, which we haven’t talked about yet in the context of this project, I thought I’d share a little bit more about that. Medicine.net explains, “A phobia is generally defined as the severe, unrelenting fear of a situation, activity, or thing that causes one to want to avoid it. The definition of agoraphobia is a fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating.”
Rebecca Walton, who struggled with depression most of her life and was also diagnosed with agoraphobia, shares her story in this interview:
Agoraphobia frequently co-exists with panic disorder and other anxiety disorders. Although there is less literature about it, there also appears to be some correlation between agoraphobia and depression.
All contributions to Mandalas for Marinke are welcome and will help raise awareness about depression while honoring her work in the same way that this great contribution has done today. Details to join here.