just can’t help myself. This seemed like such an easy challenge, quick enough with out too much time needed each week. Also plan to use only what I have. I only found 20 tags in a drawer. I remember purchasing them years ago for some arty purpose but never got round to it. Will make the other 32. But then found three that I had tea stained and another that I had covered in teabag paper. Then some smaller ones that I may use. These might give the finished tags some interest. They will all be kept on this ring binder again that I found, one of those things you know you have and keep finding everywhere but never use.
Today I did an online quilt workshop with Joe Cunningham, called Quilt Freedom. He is know for his freeform piecing and this was a base then the bias tape forms the ‘sketch ‘ on top. So it was a still life in this free form style. He moves fast and you have to keep sewing as he is talking. I am amazed that I was cutting and piecing the background with no measuring. I haven’t really done any sewing on the machine for a long time so felt the background came together well.
Sometimes it seems I spend more time in auditioning than actually doing. As I spent time sorting and clearing in my studio it is amazing the number of small vignettes, scraps put together, textile pieces gathered. All planned but never got further than the auditioning stage, then put away becoming covered in other things in the mad rush of life. So when I slow down it is fascinating to uncover pieces like an archeologist digging for treasure. Well not that it’s treasure but good to find and discover again.
This image was made today auditioning flowers, stems and leaves to go onto a page in my journal. So instead of leaving it I am just going to do it, stick them down , don’t leave for another archeological dig in years to come.
My textile art group , Broadstrokes, is doing something a bit different this year as we are all exhausted from the Margaret Olley inspired work we made for exhibition in 2019. In 2020 several of our pieces flew to France to be in an exhibition there but unfortunately because of Covid this was canceled , so they all flew home again.
So now for next year, firstly we are making a postcard for each members birthday. The only stipulation is that the theme is travel, which we all enjoy but are of course restricted from for the near future.
Oops I have posted off this first postcard for 7 th January without taking a photo. I meant to add one here.
The second challenge involved each member ‘putting out there’ what they intend focusing on for the year. We will be held accountable at each meeting as we all know what the individuals chose. All the others who attended the last meeting of the year have had their challenge documented, but as I wasn’t there I have t done so yet.
So , what will it be. Working in 3D making vessels, finishing works in progress, exploring more art journal work, doing and participating in Jane Dunnewold ‘s Creative Strength Training Community for 2021, researching and reading to gain knowledge, stitching , working through and completing all the online workshops and classes I have enrolled in over the years but not completed.
Started that already with this piece from a Wendy Brightbill class, The Poetry of Stitches
A new page in my journal. Using dyed tea bag paper, tracing paper, acrylic paint, pastels, charcoal.
I am really enjoying using asemic writing to add an extra dimension to the layers
.I have been busy making a postcard for a member of the Broadstrokes Textile Art group so am unable to show it until she receives it in early January. We are doing a birthday swap of a postcard among the 9 members of the group. And as we have all missed out on some form of travel in 2020 , ‘Travel’ will be the only stipulation for the postcard.
It got me going on some other small collages. The Christmas tree I made for a friend and the little nativity collage was some play and doing just because.
