FUSION

For the past few months I have been dabbling with Gum Arabic transfer onto fabric together with the 

odd collagraph print and have been surprised at the quality

of the results I am achieving.

But what to do with these snippets?

As I am not a textile person... although I adore what can be achieved, I have been fumbling about

and learning new skills here and there.

Thanks to the effervescent Julia Jowett, I have popped a few hand sewn bouillon roses onto the piece to get a bit of texture in there.  

And there is always an excuse for the odd french knot.

I wanted to add a touch of shabby chic with these cloth shirt buttons.

But the biggest revelation has been the free machine embroidery introduced to me by Catherine Kingzett. She ran an inspiring workshop at the yard:ARTspace earlier this term.

Thank you Catherine for introducing me to dissolvable fabric, I am totally obsessed.

All this experimentation has turned into a cushion, yes a bit scratchy.

Now all you textile embroiderers and makers of gorgeous things in fabric and thread, would you like to know how to print onto velvet and muslin? I am running a Gum Arabic transfer workshop in May, check out www.theyardartspace.com for details.

I STILL LOVE MY JOB!

Christmas has arrived at the yard:ARTspace this weekend with the first Create for Christmas workshop.

The tree is up, as are the fairy light, the crocheted snowflakes are out of the brown box, yes I found them easily this year!!

And to add an extra Christmas vibe, there are angels everywhere.

The workshop was fueled with special edition Christmas fingers. Like the tin?

With examples everywhere in 

sketch books, on fabric and feathers, this lovely group set 

to with Gum Arabic transfer, ink, 

wax, acrylic paint and bleach.

very individual work was created.

The Christmas twist was using glitter in the form of embossing powder to embellish finished pages.

What a glorious sight.

After 2 days of learning new processes and

being reminded of processes already in the back of our heads,

these beautiful books were made.

Some with very strong narratives.

Risks were taken with substrates.

And glitter was used in context.

The next mixed media workshop at www.theyardartspace.com will be a creative kick start for the new year on January 14-15, 2017, places are booking. The ideal Christmas present for the person who has everything...(tucked away in the art materials draw!!)

FROM DRAWING TO PRINT

People rarely see me make a plate and never see me print one, so here it is, the struggle to make new work, I find it fascinating to see how artists put their work together, here is an insight into the technical issues I have been having over the past couple of weeks. 

I spent the summer playing with some different images.

Not just birds...I had an idea that I would like birds perched on statues, so spent

days drawing, drawing.

I plumped on an image I liked the idea of, in my head I knew I would change it as I went along, what I didn't know was that it would be so difficult to get right.  This collagraph plate is made from grey board, wood glue, skim and repair plaster and carborundum. On this plate the neck was all wrong.

But I quite liked the way the tones on the face printed.

So I made another plate, thinking that I would alter the drawing and make the composition tighter.

But too much glue and the shape of the face was all wrong. Now I am beginning to sound like something out of Goldilocks and the Three Bears because

the third plate was just right!

I proofed this collagraph yesterday and bingo...not perfect but certainly better.

I made some chine collee by printing gold ink onto tissue.

I inked the rook in Hawthorn dense black and the statue in brown black, the paper is Snowdon buff.

giving me an image I feel happier with. 

Rather than try to make this perfect I am moving on to another collagraph and will put into practice everything I have learnt from this one.

3 days drawing, 2 weeks plate making, 3 days printmaking...certainly not instant art.

HALLOWEEN HALF TERM

October, my favourite month, I love the way the world becomes full of colour.

I have the added bonus of my lovely daughter working at the Henry Moore Institute, so 

what could be better than a visit to see her and this fantastic work

nestled in Autumn colours.

A great start to my half term week off.

Friday saw me installing The Swarm at the Museum in the Park, Stroud,

with the fantastic help of my chum Caroline

The Swarm played it's part in the night at the museum event, illuminating the collectors room where it will be for a while longer.

I like to get into the swing of things for Halloween,

so spent Sunday afternoon whittling away a couple of pumpkins and even made some toffee apples for unsuspecting trick or treaters tonight.

Halloween would not be the same without my works appearance in the window of Moss Prints,

say hello to Gary who is making a rare guest visit inside.

I know it is an American import, but I quite like the creative outlet it gives, so Happy Halloween everyone.

A DISTRACTION FROM PRINTMAKING...

But a lovely one as I welcome the talented, skillful and patient Catherine Kingzett to the yard:ARTspace to teach, Drawing with your Sewing Machine.

With dramatic autumn skies outside the yard we were all snug and ready to be inspired.

Catherine bought along mouth watering examples and

delicious bits for us to use.

We had a masterclass in threads a world completely new to me.

Our first task was to get to grips with our own machines of which a couple

were rather classic, cool examples.

We all tentatively set off doodling and experimenting with what 

our sewing machines could cope with.

But under the sympathetic eye of Catherine we were all having fun and loosing our fears.

Being given permission to play is what a workshop is all about and

everyone made these lovely sample pieces.

Even moving onto a more considered project.

I am so looking forward to having Catherine back next year at the yard:ARTspace with her Stitch a Month class starting on the 16 January.