Process Pledge

I have been travelling through blogs and Instagram and came across a pledge. This was from 2010 so I didn't link the icon into my sidebar. The focus was on planning to write more in a blog of the process of a piece of work , not just putting in the finish. To explain and share the thoughts behind the work and trials of fabric, colour , design, plans . I used to only like to show finished work as the 'ugly stage ' before resolution or the beginnings was often met with blank stares. ( very caught up in what others thought of my work and a negative word could often completely sideline the work)
 But now I find textile art and makings is a different matter. Sometimes every step along the way can have a sort of beauty in itself from the dying, printing or marking of fabric to stitching, mending, appliqué, merging, melding and expanding the space and putting together or be inspirational to others or even when shown new ideas for direction come up when shared with other like minded souls. Little scraps of samplings are gems of artist endeavour of seeing how it might be and of course leads to more exploration, play, sampling before a final piece is germinated. Sometimes I find little scraps resurface later into another piece or kick off an idea to work around. So it will be beneficial to my way of working to document the process.

Here is a picture with some of my samplings. Thinking always now of Margaret Olley impresssions from her home studio. The parrot was a thrift shop find. All single elements made as separate but trying together or pairings or still looking for a home. Here there is indigo and shibori dying , botanical dying, sketching with aquarelles , fabric weaving, discharge, appliqué, embroidery on wool, cotton and silk, lace,pom-poms and found stitchery.

Baskets

I did a workshop with a Robyn Vanholland on basket making yesterday. Much more complicated than I thought it would be,especially starting and then adding in new strips of fibre. The fibre used in this one is banana,from the trunk of the tree. Then some red stripy twine is added. The technique is to twine ,not weave which is hard to keep at until you get into a rhythm. At the end with this my second basket of the day I lost the plot a bit at the end so imperfection which I embrace and feel they only add to the wabi-sabi-ness of the 'nest' like little basket.

Lyrebird

Just  stitching ,sampling, going along without thought, hands slow holding together. I drew the lyrebird years ago and worked the page onto scrim and tissue paper but now coming together. The words to be echoed on the page 'crossing, jumping, springing with impatient activity ..glowing warmth early in the day. ' The story. A chill winter morning in the mountainous bush , foggy and wet leaves dripping. Sun coming through the dappled leaves ...settles on a lone lyrebird digging and scratching, focused on his morning meal. A call to welcome the sun, light of step , watching eyes , still except for the bird springing from one site of intense concentration to another.

Scherazade

I have just put this image on my Instagram page but felt the need to say more about her. Was made as a fresco for ATASDA exhibition, shown in NSW. This week I have eaten at a local iconic Indian restaurant called Scherazade. Then the book I have just started reading True Pleasures : A Memoir of Women in Paris by Lucinda Holdforth, talks of a taxi driver from Tunisia who shares a photo of his new baby girl named Scherazade, teller of stories. This triggered the memory of this little fresco I made several years ago . So here is the third piece in a trio of coincidences.

Two months down

This is my work on the Year of Stitches 2017 after February's stitching. She wore stars on the tips of her fingers ... and the clock wanted wings which spread and turned it into a wee sun. Some more daisies will always fill in the holes where nothing else grows...hardy, beautiful, humble and functional ....as in to look on their beauty is to lift the soul, so a very important job for the daisy.

Journal covering

I am doing a 10 month online class with Jane Dunnewold called Creative Strength Training. It started 1st March. One of the first tasks was to prepare a journal to keep the writing tasks, explorations, research, handouts etc. I am trying to only use what I already have. So far so good. This is an old ring binder and the fabric was a rust dyed experiment that I took to a printing class years ago ,so it has some rubbing printing done with Shiva stick. And now I have put in a bit of green stitching using the colour I am focusing on in my Margaret Olley inspired pieces.