Hidden treasures.

Ira had resolved, rather well we thought, what to do with her clock piece based on the rather handsome one at Newark Park.It's a shame that it won't be seen there ,probably for this year.We hadn't been informed that the exhibition would not go ahead at this stage.She had also used two other pieces to create some smaller framed works.

She had been doing some dressmaking for her youngest daughter and while looking out a pattern had come across a hidden box.

It contained these treasures of shells and limpets all stitched by Ira.

Along with these jewelled box forms 

and this based on razor shells .Allowed to hang and twist in the air

decorated with hand made beads .

For her next pieces Ira wants to pursue an historical theme.

Her recent workbox article detailed her love of arches ,doors and windows.and if you recall she brought some pieces along a few meetings back.

These pieces are the basis for her ideas and will be worked into to create pieces with a rich historical bias.

Chances to see

Ira will be exhibiting on the Severn Vale art trail . She says this will be her last year, but she said that before!

Liz will be at Bristol Guild from 18th April to 19TH May and also at 

Harbour House Centre 

Kings bridge 

Devon TQ71JD 

www.harbourhouse.org

April 27th-May 3rd

Debby will be exhibiting at Bristol Botanic Garden with the BS9Arts Trail

9-10th June.

NEWARK UPDATE.

We have now been told that our exhibition at Newark Park will not take place.in May -June.

The house is still drying out and it is not possible to estimate what repairs are needed and how long they will take.It is disappointing but completely out of our control.We expect to be given an alternative date somewhere in the future when the house is restored to normal.Meanwhile we look forward to The South West Quilt and Textile show 30th August -1stSeptember 2018.

Marks.

Jenn brought along the results of the mark making workshop 

taken by Jilly Morris for the Embroiderers Guild.

It had been very enjoyable just trying out different tools and ink in different 

washes, even creating marks to music.

There is material here but it needs more exploration and taking into fabric and stitch.

Nursery project.

Carol and her husband had been to Barley Wood garden ,near Wringtonto take a taster course in enamelling.The two at the top are destined to become covers for  light switches, there won't be many like them around, a very individual touch.

Carol has finally decided on a project for Newark,should it go ahead.

She really liked the textile piece kept in a drawer in the house and has started her own based on it, sample above and cartoon below.

While out on a mooch around with a friend she spotted two nursing chairs in a charity/junk shop.

She was very taken with them and has decided she will cover them and present these as her finished pieces.We think it is a very interesting project.

Family history.

Viv had decided that one piece based on the carpet at Newark wasn't sufficient .She had used the remnants of her fabric to create this lovely square ,once again using cut appliqué to create some depth.

She,like many of us, is contributing postcard piece to the auction at Nature In Art to help with funds.She had chosen her signature flowers ,above, a welcome reminder that better weather should be on its way.

Lastly,she had been to Heather Henderson's talk to the Bristol Embroiderers Guild.She was taken with the technique and felt it was ideal to use for a piece based on a photograph of her father and siblings as children.

She had traced the picture took it into Photoshop and using  transfer paper transferred it to calico .She has then spent some time cutting out and appliquéing the clothing etc before finally adding detail with stitch.It makes for a very personal and lasting memento of a time past.

Walking the dog.

Kirsten said she had been gaining inspiration while out with the dog.Often she has picked up random objects , like feathers .

She has then used these to fuel ideas for her felt pieces .She has cut out shapes in silk then worked them in to the surface as she felts the wool.They are so very meticulous and intricate.

She felt that these pieces needed more but wasn't sure how she would proceed to give the surface more depth.She has used stitch in the past but felt she wanted to try something different, no doubt we will soon see what she decides.

Surface design.

Jane has followed up her mark making with enrolling on an online course.

'Make It In Design-Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design'

The first module involved short daily assignments,and using Photoshop and Illustrator.

She had to find inspiration,choosing shapes 

,using lots of photos .She was inspired to use her doodles of flowers .

They are outlined in black and filled with colour then scanned into computer ready to be played with.Jane also used her Celtic shapes to playas you can see in the images above.Next come repeating designs in Photoshop and Illustrator ready to be scanned into her digital machine.

She also explored apps that help to pick colours to create mood boards ,finding some unusual combinations that she would not have chosen for herself.

She also found a set of Pantone postcards for £9.99 on Wordery that she thought would be useful to have.

The course allows her six months to complete the five weeks so we look forward to what she creates from her studies.

Landscape and UFOs !

Deryll had been progressing her landscape pieces she had added a plain dyed piece of green fabric at the bottom as she felt this looked less fussy.

By doing this she was able to add in some textured pieces stitched on water-soluble fabric.We liked the change though thought there should be more added as they would look more natural.She was going to take them away and work on the accompanying two.

Sue,meanwhile had been sorting through a selection of pieces she had started but not got around to finishing.They included this lovely ,delicate screen print, above,and this transfer printed background with embroidered grasses below.

Also in the pile was this resist created by laying grasses on the fabric surface.Some lovely delicate work that would give her three pieces to exhibit.

And finally this .....

a bold ,colourful piece more like we are used to seeing from Sue.

She admitted she was 'an expert starter but a hopeless finisher'.

Now she has aired these pieces we'll have to keep chivvying her along.