more on where does the time go?

Creative time has been consumed in the organisation of an exhibition - and it has become clear to me the amount of creative energy required just to get such things off the ground.  Anyway we are nearly there and the works will be hung on Tuesday 4.10.11 and the opening on 6.10.11.  Then it will al be over save for bump out and moving to next venue and a small amount of promotion for same - I hope.

In the interim I have been doodling to get some inspiration of same hand work:

And procrastinating about commencing some small machined panels which I have drafted but put off doing.

I have also spent some time framing memorabilia and photo collages.  Again taking time away from embroidery and depleting creative energy.   Will keep doodling, drawing and taking photos and try and fill the well!   The fighting fish in the tank near my computer is a collection of wonderful reds, blues and purples or reads black depending on angle and sunlight.  No doubt the colours and fin shapes will inspire something soon!

texture - sea and shore

Every where I look I see something that I would like to capture in cloth; in this instance - a coral reef, its marking light and the trunk of a fallen coconut tree .

POSTCARDS

After a week or two of very little sewing I have finally put a needle and thread into action and created this little fabric collage - 'reflecting on a rock pool'.

I used had dyed perle, cottons and silk ribbon plus a little bit of silk facric on vilene. It is backed with el cheapo commercial felt. I had painted the vilene in a playday earlier in the year.

The rings were made using an enormous version of tool similar to that used by lacemakers and buttonholed washers.

late autralia day post

spent the day having messy fun with dye and a bit of paint on cotton, gauze, paper and canvas - plus a few threads. I now have a nice stock of blues to build on patterns from the sea

sea shells

Been playing with the shell theme again. Have been lusting after a paint stick or two and finally bought myself a set of fabric crayons which are a good way to start playing. I rubbed a sea shell using the crayons and fabric and got started playing with the marks. In the course of my working I almost obliterated the crayon rubbing and what is visible has sort of crept into the background adding added texture and letting the embroidery prevail. I added beads and a shell to the embroidery. This is my first piece - a postcard. I learn a few colour lessons in the course of doing this and will try a more expanded rubbing/stencil/appliqued thingo. Its on the back burner: I will post when I get to that stage.


I will also post this on the 6 X 4 Lives site.

Sea urchins and sea shells -more drawings

I have been continuing to work on my drawings - the first is yet another sketch of a sea urchin (in charcoal), the second is pen drawings of a few shells. I am still playing with how I can express the shell form in stitch without creating a replica.

The shells are mostly white with a few markings so I find them difficult to draw.

I have just finished reading an interesting, small autobiography by a painter, textile designer and manufacturer Bernat Klein called Eye for Colour (Scotland and Collins, London 1965). I was particularly interested in looking at the paintings and how Bernat Klein interpreted the colours in his woven fabric.

In his book Klein attributed the following quote to Klee:

The object of a painting is not to reflect the visible but to make the invisible visable.

sea urchins

I have been working on a sea shell theme - patterns from the sea. Got plenty of source material from all those walks on the beach - and pleanty of shells to incorporate if I feel the need.

Buoyed with encouragement from Jean Draper (a wonderful woman with many positive things to say) I have managed to get myself actually drawing/recording ideas and sampling!!! Hard for me as I always want to jump right in with the idea and then wonder why I am not happy with what I have done.

Jean is a UK embroiderer who (in my mind) acts a mentor rather than a teacher. I first met Jean in 2007 when I did a class at the Embroiderers' Guild NSW and she came out to Australia again this year.

I have posted a few photos to show you what I have done so far.