another page for Sketchbook 2012, Tea celebration



yes I think this is a tad busy too but it is just became a bit of Tea Party celebration for having achieved my BA (Hons) Textiles Degree,  I graduate in a couple of weeks and I'm so happy!

Sketchbook 2012

Sketchbook 2012, surface pattern and how I get there, strange but true...

for this study on Englands North West Beaches and after looking through my 'stash', this time my old photos on card, I just collage things together trying to emulate how I feel when looking/touching something, memories, can be anything really and then I enjoy looking at the collage

I have to say my work area can get a tad messy, not always but somehow for any sort of collage work it just seems right. I like to get everything I may use in front of me and in this case it was household emulsion, (you can't beat those tester pots), ink, acrylic paint and an unusual stencil.

I decided that I wanted to create my own abstract interpretation of my collage and so concentrated on the sand, pebbles and sun elements. To represent pebbles I made a small piece of random crochet and then stencilled paint through it.

It looks a little lifeless at this point

After using ink and gold acrylic paint I have achieved the effect I want. I would see some of this design finding its way onto fabric and may even use it in the production of a silk scarf! After a bit of Photoshopping of course.

The British Button Society

I met some of the British Button Society's members a little while ago and was so impresssed with the vast array of vintage buttons still to be had. I am also impressed with the 'identify your buttons' section for members. I have purchased some lovely victorian buttons from them and am about to join the society myself.

so here's a link to the British Button Society and many other interested parties for other button minded people!

http://www.britishbuttonsociety.org/Joining.htm

some nice people out there

someone left this on my Degree Show table, I think I know who it was, thank you xx

Uni's write up of my degree show

well this was nice, being one of three chosen from our Textiles course by the Uni's press office, new write up but same old picture oddly!
http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/brewing_up_a_winner.php

just wondering about Etsy

As many will know, although some may not, Etsy is an online marketplace for the Handmade or Vintage art, craft and supplies. Where you can both sell and buy.

I don't know enough about it to decide whether it is an exceptional opportunity or not, can anyone advise me?

http://www.etsy.com/

Sketchbook 2012 ~ what I see from my bed....

yep, its a bit of an eclectic view

mark making, a new page from my Sketchbook 2012

just love these colours at the moment, I find myself returning to them again and again.

I made 'mini' screens with my wonderful Thermofax machine.


It is a paradox that such an industrial machine can add so much to my creativity. there is a picture of the machine towards the bottom on the right......

an abstract medley of some of my honours project designs

good things that have happened since Friday......

• my BA (Hons) Textile degree show is up
• fab comments from visitors to the show, including 'this is more like fine art' and 'oh, look at that piece, it makes me want to cry'. (that comment almost made me cry! with happiness I may add)
• my fantastic leaflets (thanks to the wonderfully talented Sarah Crossland  http://www.sarahcrosslanddesign.com/) arrived in time both for my show and to answer an enquiry for me to give talks and workshops to Embroidery Guild members

my Sketchbook 2012 continues......



homage to a friend

another Sketchbook 2012 page...

This page is dedicated to my husband, Alan. (I've nicknamed him 'The Everpresent') I've had a small op recently and Alan has taken on the role of District Nurse in changing the dressing and he has been super efficient about it. Thank you Alan. x

another page

'blue burst'

acrylic on muslin with stitch

next two pages from my 'Sketchbook 2012'



'chatting politely' and 'the conversation inside' block and screeen printing with acrylic, emulsion, ink and  stitch

my 'Sketchbook 2012' is happening....

'This is a Sketchbook' front cover

I chose the theme, 'this is a sketchbook' . Don't know what was going on with the fish, I'm just letting this sketchbook do its own thing. If you want to join in the world tour here is the link http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

and the back cover...

bee and dog rose "skin embroidery"

In my dissertation around Embroidery I repeated a widely written quote that Marco Polo described tattoos as "skin embroidery".

As part of a family which includes an environmentalist, several archealogists and artists, some tattooed-some not, I have a heightend interest of how tattooing was often for shamanistc purposes, chosen for protection and  skill enhancement, whether it was skin or textile first is unknown but early textile embroidery was also used for the same purposes and again whether skin or textile I find all embroidery intriguing and am very interested in all of its mediums.

I had a smaller rose on my hip from many years ago and wanted it refreshed and extended and so provided images/drawings of dog roses and bees to Simon Clayton (of DNA, Newquay in Cornwall) who produced this for me, at the time a totally original design although I understand that others have now followed. Simon is amazing, he has degrees in Fine Art and Graphic Design, I would strongly recommend him to anyone considering a bit of skin embroidery! http://www.dnatattoo.co.uk/

tags

a little snippet of some of my work, linen, silk and cotton, plenty to keep me busy at the moment!