by Sherri Gilmore, Morning Sun Designer

As a new "instagrammer" this past year, in addition to following friends and family, I also follow many other artists.  Exposure to beautiful imagery that I crave as a visual person and as an artist myself, has stirred in me a desire to explore other aspects of my artistic side.  I have started taking crochet lessons and will be soon starting guitar lessons (again).

I also appreciate learning about artistic terms or crafts of which I'm not familiar:  Wabi sabi is one such term that I learned about from an article I happened upon on wholeliving.com.  It is an aesthetic philosophy in Zen Buddhism that celebrates beauty in simplicity, imperfection, age and wear.  There is an appreciation for that which is handmade and authentic.  As described in Whole Living's article, "Wabi Sabi Your Life:  6 Strategies for Embracing Imperfection", wabi sabi is "asymmetrical heirloom vegetables and handmade pottery, crow's feet and the frayed sleeves of a favorite sweater, exposed brick and the first draft of a difficult letter.  It isn't about giving way to carelessness or seeing a junk pile through rose colored glasses.  It's about appreciating, showcasing, and sustaining the beauty of what's natural."

Here is an example of wabi sabi - my favorite wooden bowl at Morning Sun:

Abandoning perfection is the key to living a wabi sabi lifestyle.  The article describes how to bring aspects of wabi sabi into 6 different areas of our lives: relationships, food, home, beauty, closets, and work.  It is a quick recommended reading for those wishing to simplify their lives.  Check it out!

http://www.wholeliving.com/133628/wabi-sabi-your-life-6-strategies-embracing-imperfection