Stroud

Liz and I spent the day in Stroud visiting the textile festival .A highlight was Alice Fox's "Tidelines" at the Lansdown Hall.She had used objects collected on beaches to rust,weave,print and emboss on paper and fabric.The results were beautiful,quiet and gentle.We were there in time to hear her speak and were impressed with her generosity in sharing what she did .Here are a few glimpses........

We also visited the Museum in the Park to see "Shadow and Line.

An enamelled bowl by Elizabeth Turrell.

A piece by Hilary Bower,difficult to see and photograph because of the reflections on the glass.

A hanging by Joy Merron

A piece by Jilly Morris incorporating hundreds of pierced holes!

Another enamelled piece by Elizabeth Turrell.

Most of the work was in a variety of media,not much textile but interesting nonetheless less.

We visited some of the shops displaying student work from Hereford,but felt the way it was displayed did not do the work justice.We saw paper work by Sticky Fingers,and went along to Matthew Harris and Liz Brooke Ward.we completed our tour with artists exhibiting at Frogmarsh Mill.Below is a photo I took as the flowers used and the coordinated way the artists had displayed their work struck us as exceptionally good .A pleasing end to a very enjoyable day!

Some more pics from the Kaffe Fassett exhibition

Our grand day out.

Liz organised a day at The American Museum at Claverton, near Bath to visit the Kaffe Fassett exhibition.Even before we entered the exhibition we were greeted by the eye-popping decorations in the trees,on banners and posts.

Exuberant flowers in mosaic jardinieres .

Inside was a riot of colour,on walls and floor.

Several specially printed Lino coverings of Kaffe's work.

This met us as we emerged from the mirrored corridor.

A taster of what it's like to inhabit Kaffe's colorful world.

Lots of fabric bales,samples ,design boards

 a basket of coloured wools and printed ribbons.

Then we were treated to a feast of delights,a glimpse into his creative imagination.

This tiny asparagus ceramic set

Exquisite embroidery 

and fabric designs.

There were colour rooms with needlepoint cushions

Quilts from Kaffe's Indian stripes,

Apt quotes 

More stripes.

Knitted beanie hats covered with buttons and beads of all kinds.

More needlepoint in shoes

and large hangings.

Another quote 

Painted birds and knitted jumpers.

More stripes

A jacquard coat,painted screen and a glimpse of another quilt.

There was more to see in the main museum ,quilts hung from the main staircase,and some beautiful line drawings done by Kaffe in the 1960s.

If you get a chance go along it's on until November.Even if you don't knit ,quilt or embroider it is a visual treat.We had a great day and the sun even came out so we could enjoy a cuppa in the sun before wending our way home.

BORO exhibition, London from Viv

Last Wednesday I went up to London to  the Courtauld Galleries see the BORO exhibition of Japanese poor farmers' and fishermen's futons and coats - recycling done in extreme circumstances, but with results which today look like contemporary abstract works of art.  They are truly remarkable . Here are a few photos:

These items are now so rare and collectable they fetch thousands of pounds each.  You can see a red spot underneath the first one - and there were several others. I thought about my big bag of old jeans remnants and am determined to produce my own "boro" (which means rags and tatters) before too long!

  

Selected at Newark Park

A friend and I spent a wonderful day this week visiting Selected, an exhibition which is part of Stroud International Textiles Select  at Newark Park, a beautiful National Trust property near Wootton under Edge. There is work by 30 artists some of whom have made work in response to Newark Park; including Caroline Bartlett, Caren Garfen, Susan Early, Matthew Harris, Mary Butcher, Zoe Hillyard and Jennifer Collier to name just  a few - exhibited throughout the house and gardens.

The pieces are sited well in the rooms & garden, and you do need to look carefully to spot some of them, as they look as if they are part of the house's collection.

It's well worth a visit, we spent most of the day there, exploring the house and grounds. Here are some highlights, sorry if some of the images are not very good quality, but the light levels were low.

Zoe Hillyard's  ceramic patchwork.

Jennifer Collier's paper sculpture.

Caroline Bartlett

Susan Early's woven willow.

Play and development.

Viv had been playing with papers .If you remember she brought along her ideas book last month.

She had been toying with ideas to do with irises.This is moving her idea along and thinking how it could develop.This could be a mixed media piece on it's own.It will be interesting to watch how this progresses.