Friday 25 April 2014

Published at last!!

Today I received my copy of 'On A Wandering Wind' put together by India Flint, generously showcasing her students work. I am in it as are some of the women I had the good fortune to work with on one of India's workshops. So I am in print, admittedly only as India included all of her students who sent images to her.
I have only just started perusing it but can tell you already that it is a wonderful book full of amazing work.

Thursday 24 April 2014

At sixes and sevens

Do you get days when you just don't seem to settle down to anything, you start stuff and then stop, you have ideas but don't know how to convert them into work, or you simply don't feel like doing anything at all. I have been feeling like that for the last couple of days.
I think it mainly happens when I have been working very hard for a deadline and then everything just feels a bit flat. Trouble is I have another exhibition coming up in a couple of months time and not the faintest idea what I am going to do, not a single concrete idea in my head.
I guess the best thing to do is nothing, wait for inspiration to strike and hope it doesn't take to long.

In the meantime I have two new books on weaving to explore Lynn Gray Ross - Hand Weaving The Basics, which is just that but has some interesting design elements and Silvia Heyden - The Making of Modern Tapestry, which I had to pay a fortune for but is well worth every penny and may have me shooting off in new directions.

Also winging its way to me is India Flint's latest On A Wandering Wind, in which I am included.

Sunday 20 April 2014

iD Exhibition at Ashton Court

A few images of our exhibition it looks great and we had a good number of visitors. Its a lovely space to exhibit in, there are two rooms.



My work

My work

Overheard

Detail- paper weft and warp

The piece with the writing on is the one I had so much trouble with though I am pleased with the result.

Detail of 'The Crossing"

Detail of 'Under, Over

Under, Over

Sunday 13 April 2014

Playing with the moon








Boro exhibition, on raising humble to art.


Add caption
 Sorry about the colour reproduction my camera decided it didn't like blue.



If you live in the UK and you haven't seen this exhibition drop everything and go it is amazing. Its a study of unknowable family histories of grinding poverty and ingenuity. It asks more questions than it answers, you want to know about these peoples lives. Some of the pieces look as if the were cobbled together in spare moments but others appear to have had a lot of thought put into them and are beautifully stitched pieces.
It is unashamedly a selling exhibition, and doesn't pretend otherwise but by beautifully presenting these pieces as works of art it is raising the humble to new levels.
It seems a bit ridiculous to now produce my own new pieces, albeit made of old fabric, based on originals that were made out of rags to keep people warm but that is exactly what I intend to do and out of choice not necessity.

Friday 11 April 2014

Structures

 These extraordinary structures are the home of the buckthorn caterpillar which turn into Brimstone butterflies. We have masses of buckthorn on the sand dunes by the beach and they are covered in these structures.
I am hoping to use these images to make a similar structure in weave.
Not sure how as yet but it will be interesting to try.

Caterpillars hatching out.




Tuesday 8 April 2014

Exhibition

I am taking part in this exhibition, in fact it is a piece of work for this that has been causing me so many problems. I have taken some time off that piece and done another piece since. Will be going back to the original tomorrow and will be able to show you the results once the exhibition is hung.