Contemporary Textile Art from the Sea

Not really understanding why, nor needing to I suppose, I feel very drawn to lobster pots and if I'm ever lucky enough to be near any I feel compelled to photograph them. Perhaps its the 'controlled chaos' theme again which I've come to realise is a reoccurring presence in my work. I find the intricate structure of the pot is made much more exciting once other loose elements such as fibres are tangled within it.

Wanting to explore this attraction, and working from photos I'd taken during a visit to Whitby in Yorkshire, I snipped a few twigs from my Silver Birch Tree, (sorry tree) and then  experimented with threads and wire until I came up with my own, inland version of one. This measures about 24cm x 12.5cm and consists of crocheted white coated wire, waxed cotton orange thread within a frame of silver birch twigs.

 

 I photographed these lobster pots whilst visiting Yorkshire's Whitby Harbour.

I had to remember that they weren't mine, fighting the urge to search amongst them for any unwanted, accidental treasure from the sea.

Tiny pieces of the colour orange caught my eye.

To me, the rust and barnacles on the iron weight were the sea's own beautiful artwork.

I took this photo of some more modern pots whilst at Barmouth in Wales, somehow although the gridwork had a slightly hypnotic effect on me (or maybe it was the lunchtime cider), I just don't have the same excitment as when I find a stack of the old style pots.

recyling an old safari/army jacket for my daughter...

Now I'm finished with the Sketchbook Project I needed a new plaything and so have decided to start to recycle/upcycle an old jacket I found in a junk shop. My beautiful daughter Rebecca will be finishing her degree this month & I felt she needed a suitable jacket for the environmental scientist~hippy chick she is, so this is for her, a 'Becky Attenborough Jacket' .

I'm doing this without preplanning as I want it to be as off the wall as possible. I'm picking up/putting together anything thats reminds me of her or of times we have spent together and I wanted it to be free and quick. In a way it will become a walking sketchbook. Watch this space for the coming additions to it!

This is an old piece of fabric from scraps bin at uni, I do not know the original manufacturer but like the wildlife reference so had to include it.  I'm going bonkers with the stitiching, I think my ethos is 'what happens is what happens'.

 I'm going for randomness with the stitching, hand and machine, more of one of my favourite things 'controlled chaos'.

two more pages from my Sketchbook 2012 Limited Edition

I have to say that these are not my favourite pages from this sketchbook but felt it would be wrong to leave them out. For this I was just thinking about the jewels that were at the function descibed in the newspaper cutting on the first two pages of my sketchbook, playing around with randomly crocheted wire and beads, using contrasting colours to see again how the change of colour could so affect an object or item.

acrylic paint, beads and copper wire

a bit of contained chaos

the reverse side in white with much more 'crazed' wire stitch

I quite like the messiness of this

the Victorian Arts & Crafts Shop in Poulton-le-Fylde

We shopped in Poulton-le-Fylde this week and as I needed some bits & pieces popped into this great little shop in the Market Hall.  I'm always mesmerised by controlled chaos and couldn't resist embarassing myself by asking to photograph the button & thread displays. The staff were very kind, probably feeling sorry for 'the Everpresent' who was patiently smiling, watching my antics. I also noticed how busy the shop was and of how friendly the interactions between staff and customers were. I'm old enough to remember when this was how most shops were, of how at home you were made to feel and of how great the service and advice was.  Of course I also have my favourite internet shops for supplies and goods but oh it was nice to touch things and look through all the stock. The variety of wool was staggering. So thank you Victorian Arts and Crafts, we really could do with more like you.

Controlled Chaos...a section of my work room a.k.a. my toy room

This is where I spend so much of my time in a sort of controlled chaos. Chaos because there just isn't enough room to fit everything in, in fact the only thing I can now squeeze in is dust it seems! It has so imprinted me that some of the work I'm doing at the moment is 'Controlled Chaos' I see pictures of wonderfully tidy art studios and gaze at them in wonder. Perhaps (Christmas Hols?) when Alan the Everpresent builds my cupboards along another wall to the one pictured here, I may be able to again take full control of it all, until then should I go missing send the search parties in, I will be buried here somewhere, still I will survive, as long as there is music and/or Radio 4!

one section of my toyroom where many treasures are captured

so much stuff!

cat memories, including my own precious human pusscat daughter Becca

st

my gnomes (less than 4cm tall), yes I know a bit strange

even stranger, a tiny doll (less than 5cm tall) my sister Zoe found in her garden and generously gave me. She is sat on rocks loved ones have given me, I'm a cheap date when offered a gift from someone on their travels I ask for a small rock.