Anne Currie – United Kingdom

Yin-Yang

Description

Equilibrium can mean balance, which in my mind is visually represented by Yin-Yang.

In the Chinese Yin-Yang model, Yin (the black) contains a seed of Yang (in the form of a white dot). There is Yin, but interestingly, Yin is also Yang because it contains some Yang. The truth is Yin can transform into Yang under certain conditions. It can do this because Yang is present in Yin. So there is balance, but the relationship goes beyond balance to one of harmony. When two things are balanced, they are equal but still separate. In a relationship of harmony, the two energies blend into one seamless whole, as perfectly embodied by the swirling Yin-Yang symbol.

This means there’s a dynamic flow happening that automatically and continuously balances and rebalances these energies. In the natural world this phenomenon is seen in the changing of the seasons: the cold of winter yields to the warmth of spring and summer heat, and then gradually turns cool in fall to become winter once again.

I decided to keep the style of the hat very simple to reflect the basic concept of yin and yang and have left a slight gap between the two in the trimmings to show that they can be separate, but also have the ability to create a seamless whole.

Materials

• Sinamay (black & white)
• Bias edging (black)
• 25mm Petersham ribbon (black)
• 1.2mm millinery wire (black)
• Glass bugle beads (black & silver)
• 3 small pompoms (black)
• Headband (black)

Techniques

• hand blocked base
• freeform sinamay trimmings
• hand-sewn ribbon / wiring
• hand-sewn beads