We just got home from visiting Argus, and he presented me with the finished pipe. It's magnificent. Argus said that this pipe was unique among all the many he has made because it took a lot of energy from him--he felt strangely drained during the process, and had to take days off to recover before going back to work. This had only happened to him on one other pipe (the one he made before this one). Argus said that he thinks it's because mine and the previous one were the only two "healing pipes" he's ever made, and he was sensitive to the burden of the work it would be used for. He told me that learning how it would be used made this mean a lot to him. I think he's carried some of this work in his heart while he worked on this with me.
Argus also told me that after finishing this pipe, he'd prefer to not make another pipe. He feels finished after years and dozens. But he also hedged a bit on that; he said he'd decline to ever make a pipe for anyone else after this, unless it was a healing pipe from now on. He said that this pipe meant so much to him, and the energy of it was so strong, that he feels he can't return to making any other kind again. I think it touched him to be entrusted with something that is devoted to healing trauma wounds.
He asked me to explain the significance of my quillwork design, so I did. He was very intrigued (and impressed) and said that he felt very, very good about turning this pipe over to me. He asked me whether any "government agency" would ever have control over my work with Survivors, and I said no...I told him the story of my bitter parting of ways with the demagogues of my former profession, and that never again would any government authority have that opportunity. I said that the pipe would be treated like a living thing, a servant to wounded people, and nothing else would ever be allowed to impede that. He said, "That's very cool" and grinned.
He also said that he tends to worry about making pipes for people, because sometimes people want them designed to be fancy, attention-getting, and sensational, "but after our talk, and knowing what this will be used for, I don't worry about that at all." I gave him a copy of "Letters To Survivors" so that he could see for himself the kind of work I do (besides art). I also said that this work has stopped being a vocation and become more personal...some days, I get frustrated and upset and I swear I'm just going to quit and leave it all behind and go have a "normal" life. And then the next day I get right back to it.
Argus also told me that after finishing this pipe, he'd prefer to not make another pipe. He feels finished after years and dozens. But he also hedged a bit on that; he said he'd decline to ever make a pipe for anyone else after this, unless it was a healing pipe from now on. He said that this pipe meant so much to him, and the energy of it was so strong, that he feels he can't return to making any other kind again. I think it touched him to be entrusted with something that is devoted to healing trauma wounds.
He asked me to explain the significance of my quillwork design, so I did. He was very intrigued (and impressed) and said that he felt very, very good about turning this pipe over to me. He asked me whether any "government agency" would ever have control over my work with Survivors, and I said no...I told him the story of my bitter parting of ways with the demagogues of my former profession, and that never again would any government authority have that opportunity. I said that the pipe would be treated like a living thing, a servant to wounded people, and nothing else would ever be allowed to impede that. He said, "That's very cool" and grinned.
He also said that he tends to worry about making pipes for people, because sometimes people want them designed to be fancy, attention-getting, and sensational, "but after our talk, and knowing what this will be used for, I don't worry about that at all." I gave him a copy of "Letters To Survivors" so that he could see for himself the kind of work I do (besides art). I also said that this work has stopped being a vocation and become more personal...some days, I get frustrated and upset and I swear I'm just going to quit and leave it all behind and go have a "normal" life. And then the next day I get right back to it.
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