Cornwall inspired.

Debby loves to visit St Ives in Cornwall and often finds inspiration there .This piece above and close up below ,is a batik she worked on silk.She worked sporadically through lockdown but has picked it up and using iron-on wadding has started to quilt it .She then usually works with Intense pencils to add extra 

detail so in the course of time this will appear as a finished work.

She bought this ready printed panel in Bude and has added her own details .The back shows the amount of stitch she has so far added .As a commercially  printed panel she felt it would be pertinent to say that in any exhibition.As you can see she has really added her own identity with the robin, branches and berries and made the scene adding colour and depth.

Her Summer was frustrating with family issues meaning her stays away were interrupted . As a consolation  she  was treated to a watercolour workshop at the Folk House. Debby didn't want to turn out a piece like everyone else so she did two one as instructed and her take below that.

And some playing with her new watercolour colours.

She managed to spend a half day at St Ives school of painting with Marian Taylor working in the style of Ben Nicholson ,oils  with still life on a window. Just keeping it simple.

And then something very different at an art studio at Bedruthan Steps, a flower pounding workshop. It sounds brutal and the flowers don't stand a chance but they get to live on in some fabric art !

 

September 2023.

We didn't have an August meeting as members were away or had commitments . In this  September meeting members were quite thin on the ground too .......just five of us so this posting will be short .

Viv had been using up her stash of tapestry wools creating these delicious roundels .She used just the one stitch -Lazy Daisy but to such good effect, combining different colours and varying the size.She intended them to become box lids but changed her mind and has decided just to present them as is.

She had been out in her garden choosing plants to print .Using acrylic paint and extender she has made some lovely vignettes which she has mounted together to create two small panels.

    This final piece was in response to some wallpaper found beneath layers in their house when renovating  .Viv has been working away on it but wanted some ideas as to how best to present it .We suggested various solutions such as mount board, a small turned border at edge to pick up the duck egg colour but probably not behind glass.

Working larger and auditioning ideas.

Kirsten has really enjoyed her 10 week pottery course ,so much so she has enrolled for next term.She will explore texture and surface design .

She has been inspired from lots of previous work like her life drawing ,hence the figure

She has created both coiled and slabbed work 

and has gone on to make a much larger piece.It incorporates slab, coiling and applied clay with the possibility of inlaid .Fingers crossed it comes through the firing.

Sue H. had spent some time looking back at photos of Giverny ,Monet's garden in France .She brought along her inspirations, her embellisher sample book and had put together threads and fabrics .

We wonder what form this may take?

 

Innovate

Fumi has been creating some sea inspired amurigami magic . Above a box lid with coral and below her own pattern for a lobster.They are incredibly tiny and made with stranded cotton.

She also likes to use natural dyes and is keen to reuse fabrics .

These are all recycled shirts

and hand embroidered .The little label ,bought in Japan , spells her name and is just like the ones seen in gift shops here .We think it looks classier !

Fabrics below dyed using rosemary ,tea, avocado ,blackberry and cabbage.Patterns created by folding and dipping.

At the same workshop as Carol she made a blue tit .

 

Lots of inspirational and skilful pieces.

Carol has lots of skills and always plays down her contribution.At today's meeting she showed a very diverse set of pieces employing a range of skills .First was this ,almost finished ,Wren created at a Bristol Stitchers workshop run by our own felt expert ,Kirsten . He has such a lot of character and there's no mistaking him for any other little bird.

Next is Blackwork, as taught by Alexia of Bristol Stitchers ,such a fiendishly difficult technique to master .W e think Carol has done very well .

Last month Sue D . was clearing out her stash and Carol put some of her offcuts to use making a nappy and some leggings for her granddaughter's doll .

Last is this delightful mouse ,seen sitting alongside the doll above.This is a new mouse for Carol's new grandson ,his sister already has one she loves .We have the feeling he will too when he is old enough to play.An impressive set of work and skills her children and grandchildren will be glad she has !

 

Coursework.

Jenn had wanted something different to do so she enrolled on Tansy Hargan's 'Framing Nature' .It took place over ten days and each day there was  a video with tasks to do .It involved using a viewfinder drawing ,collage and painting ,with a variety of subjects .Not all of the tasks appealed but Jenn worked her way through in a small and a medium sized sketchbook. Some of the resulting thumbnails may well find themselves into textiles ,while others will just sit.

She had also returned to fabrics created on Lorna Crane's' Perfectly Imperfect ' course.

She decided to see if she could make more vessels.The fabrics were  chosen ,machine stitch embellished and backed with wadding .Next hand stitch was applied.She then turned to the bases weaving some strips of fabric and coiling others on the machine Now all that remains is the 3D construction.

 

July get together.

Debby confessed that she had not made anything, very unusual ,but true to herself she had been creative just not with a needle. She had been on a break in St Ives and took ' Soul Color ' by Emma Burleigh to work through. While out she spotted this butterfly which turned out to be a Silver Studded Blue.

She was also taking part in the free instagram"Fodder Challenge"over twelve days .The first day's challenge entailed using watercolour and mixed media to create tropical leaves.

Sue D had also been doing other than textiles.She belongs to a U3A art group and had been creating this evocative seascape .It is not in the right size frame but was there to show how a frame concentrates the eye.

Will Kemp was mentioned ,not sure if he inspired the piece below.