Starting Again

In my arts practice I am compelled towards the process of writing. Writing about my art, what I do and how I do it. Processes and outcomes. The journey and the destination. More than I can put onto Instagram. More than just a rambling of stream of consciousness which I do in writing Morning Pages as prescribed by Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way and others.

I have written articles on my recent travels to Japan , Egypt and Jordan for Queensland Quilter's quarterly magazine 'Material Facts'. The focus is on the textiles I find on these journeys. These are more factual that my thought process on fabric, textiles, creating, inspiration, influences, stitching and resolving pieces. 

Recently having finished my studies with OCA , online through a university in England I feel ready to expand my writing and arts practice. So I return to this wee blog I started in 2016 as a place to simply record my makings. 

I was fairly consistent until 2022 and now I look back to see that 2023 was perhaps my most successful year and nothing is recorded in great depth. There have always been posts on Instagram but mostly just the finished image photographed to the best I can do yet not much information on the concept, process , failings and working through issues that arise in the development. 

I will continue on from here and perhaps occasionally put in some of the special things that occurred in my making in the missing year. 

Year in Review

 I haven’t been here for most of the year. I could use the cliché and say that life got in the way but it really was a choice I made . Who is reading ? Who is watching ? Who is listening ? But does it matter . I use this as a record of what I’ve done . Now coming to write my year in review I had to look back on an activity I did earlier in the year. Sending five pieces of fabric out side in to the elements to see the marks the environment could make. Well I have nearly finished stitching on that piece and need to post it here. To finalise the circle of this creation. 

The white background was as I found it amongst my stash. Joined at the back with vintage lace

Books

 I have just listened to a random Live with Austin Kleon and Sam Anderson . It popped up on Instagram and so I listened in. Fascinating hearing two writers and artists chat. One thing Austin said was , it’s a creative act to buy a book. That puts a lot into perspective. I don’t need to feel guilty about buying books. He didn’t mention anything about reading them. 

Online workshops

 I seem to get carried away with online workshops or the abundance of wonderful artists and techniques. Some finished many not. The thought is that when I retire I will have plenty to keep me busy and learning. But they keep coming and it can’t resist. So I tell myself no more until I finish some or all. But when a free workshop with Ema Shin put on by a gallery in the Dandenongs I couldn’t miss it. I love Ema’s anatomical hearts, her embroidery and the surface design in her pieces. So tonight it was on and I grabbed the material ´s needed and really jumped in. No second guessing no procrastination no self doubt. And I am loving the piece I started on

Still going

 I can’t seem to focus on anything else but getting these scrap pieces made. Finding inspiration everywhere including books and Instagram. 

The last image here of a basket made by adding strips and small pieces to an upturned plastic cup. Then stitching in big visible stitching with 6 strands of embroidery thread. The thread was also not purchased new by me. From others destash or op shops.  This was inspired by Judith Scott a neuro diverse artist who wrapped items known and unknown with whatever threads she could source. She spent many years in an institution and her art may have been a response to that dreadful living environment. I relate to the wrapped and hidden . What lies within ? Is it being kept safe from others, protected so no one can get near , close ? I love hidden secret meanings and even though my basket is not hiding something it may be hiding perfection or removing the need for perfection, flaunting my need to be wonky , imperfect , and wabi sabiness of it. Removing the adherence to straight edges , neat edges. A sign of the hand of the maker.

Scraps

 At the last ATASDA meeting there were some piles of linen scraps for the taking. So I obliged to clear the piles. They are lovely soft linen fabric from a dress maker with a small business. She prefers no waste being involved in her production. So of course I took too many to use until I stopped and thought deeper into what was in the bag. I decided to do a small challenge to use up in small projects , as a daily practice. I have now done 5 days and I am really enjoying the process. By limiting myself to supplies I find I can be creative with just these scraps and some thread. 

I will continue with this process until either the scraps are used up or I get tired of the doing or can’t come up with something different . Not wanting to repeat. Not wanting to add to much other fabric

Weathered

 For a January challenge with @artfromyourheart the word weather and the letter W were to inspire creativity for the month in some way. I instantly thought of weathered as in eroded, sunfaded , wind blown. So I cut five pieces of cotton, wrapped them up with eucalyptus leaves and rusty nails around copper pipes. Then I placed each on carefully in my yard. In an old watering can, hanging in a tree to be exposed to wind, on the top grate of the water tank , in the wilds and amongst the weeds. 

I left them for about 4 weeks and when opened I was really surprised that they all look fairly similar. There is no way to really distinguish them. They were all sprayed with water to start with.