Strelizia

Sally had been busy working from her Strelizia ,'Bird of Paradise '

combining collage and print to create small panels.She was not sure how it would all come together.We, as usual, gave lots of suggestions. 

It is such a fascinating plant ,it has given Sally lots of inspiration and looks like it will continue to do so.

Layers.

Patricia brought the very lovely enamels she had bought from a local artist.We had seen one before but weren't disappointed to see it again.They are mounted on acrylic sheet which seems a good idea as it concentrates the viewer on the piece.

She had also been working on her papers created in the workshop last Autumn.

They have been created into little books and she had embellished areas

with stitch.They are lovely little treasures.

Debby had been teaching her group at Stoke Lodge and produced these samples.They incorporate painted areas with free machine embroidery and some hand stitch.

Next time we see them they will be transformed.

Ways of working

Marilyn not only creates the most delicious woven pieces but she often dyes her own threads.This makes her pieces truly original.This is a mosaic weave,sorry I can't remember the technical term,in silk.They have a beautiful sheen and feel very luxurious .

Look at the variations in this sample of black threads she has dyed aren't they beautiful?

Viv brought along this Cas Holmes inspired piece based on hawthorn.Another pic at end of the post.She has drawn together commercial printed fabrics with her own prints,hand and free machine stitch and added a three dimensional element with those eye popping beads! It works beautifully.

Also interesting to see are the different ways we work out our ideas.This below is a page from Marilyn.She is trialling ways to create a piece to fit into an embroidery hoop,something which is not part of her usual equipment.We are fascinated to see how this will develop.

Viv made drawings from a decorated jug to create this design.We had lots of ideas as to how this might be developed,print blocks,stencils,having it printed commercially and then colouring it in !

Advance notice

Deryll will be exhibiting some work with this group as she did last year.There is a variety of work on offer with the advantage of light lunches and refreshments available.A nice trip out for April.

RECENT MEETING

Carol showed us a a very beautiful quilt she had just finished.

                                         

She had also been creative with a French knitting "dolly", and adding beads to the cord.

            Debby had been working with neutrals on her piece of Ikea cloth, and decided to use the ideas for her group project frame.

She had been making baby sheets to donate for newborns at Bristol Maternity Hospital. Some had children's hankies applied to them, and were beautifully finished off.

Sue had been making these samples with her embellishing machine.  We thought they were good enough to go in frames in their own right.

She also had this brilliant idea for isolating sections of an image!

Jane had used her computerised machine to create different versions of this Celtic design. The ones on the right incorporated thousands of small snippings of Marilyn's leftover weaving threads.  In the centre, her "neutral" embroidery frame.

She had also been trying out a special patchwork template, producing this interesting sample.

 Deryll had finally decided on the arrangement of her leaves and attached them to their background. Job done!

These were her unused ones - but is there the suggestion of another piece?

 Marilyn produced yet another exquisitely woven scarf, in pastel tones of silk thread which she  had dyed.  Below, she is demonstrating how she begins to prepare the warp threads.

                                      
She had been making these woven braids with some short lengths of thread.

 Liz had started putting together some vintage indigo fabrics for a new piece of work. She intends to do considered, "slow stitching", to enhance the work..

She had done some more eco-dyed silk, which no doubt in time will also become an interesting piece.

Jenn had been experimenting further using seedpods as her inspiration. We look forward to seeing  her complete collection!

Gum arabic transfer.

'

As you know Jenn did a collagraph course with Sue Brown in Cheltenham which she really enjoyed .One of the techniques that Sue uses in her work is Gum Arabic Transfer.The last session before Christmas Sue very generously shared her technique.

It is a brilliant way of transferring images to paper ,fabric ,sketchbooks.You use a photocopy or laser printed copy,gum arabic, oil based ink and a water spray.It has possibilities for transferring own drawings to work on.The top image shows a transfer onto a print and the bottom one onto some black organdie cotton fabric.The results are good as there is no faffing about rubbing paper off the surface you attach to and the hand of the fabric isn't altered.A technique to explore.

www.theyardartspace.com

www.suebrownprintmaker.blogspot.co.uk

If you have a look at the blog Sue has posted some pictures of a recent two day workshop using this technique.

Versatility and Kirsten.

Kirsten seems able to turn her hand to most creative techniques.This is something she produced from some wrappings today.

The fabric is stretched across the frame like a batik would be and she has hand drawn the design with a white  fine line pen.

It will be interesting to see how it develops.Will it be painted,stitched.....you'll have to check back to see.

She had been using her skills with needle -felt to fashion this Orang-tang.He's handsome.......just missing some wild fur .

These next felt pieces are some sampling done to find ways of making shapes within the felt pieces.

This brick like sample was really three dimensional ,though the photo doesn't show it well.

This is the same way as the top sample using marbles but the tops have been cut to reveal the multi layers inside.We wonder how these techniques will manifest themselves?