Translating marks.

Jenn enjoys playing around with her Gelli plate and printmaking ,but how to interpret the marks into stitch has been a quest.

She loves the work of Amanda Clayton and having taken a workshop several years ago decided to use some of the neutral threads and fabrics to explore.

She has created several samples using circles using simple running stitch and couching.

Most are hand stitch with some machine, where it goes next is the puzzle.It was suggested she painted colour across some ,we'll see.Another option could be to cut up and reassemble, layer like the prints.Much more playing and thinking first.

Failures and ideas.

 

Ira had added some stitch to this rusted blade sample.

She wasn't too pleased with her other rusted fabrics but we thought they had some lovely marks and colours which could be exploited with stitch .

She brought out this piece she is working on for Nature In Art next Easter.It is of a favourite rock face on a Welsh beach she and her family have been visiting over many years.This is the initial stage, drawing out and painting ,it will go through many more processes before it is finished.Ira loves to paint and draw and is very good at it.

She also unearthed these two pieces which receive her attention.She has so much work that gets started and put aside, until she picks them up and develops.

This was the next interesting item that we should all have on the go.It is a workbook where she stores themes and ideas that may have some mileage.

She tries out prints, collects together interesting photographs taken by her or her husband.

Ideas from Medieval tiles using transfer paints and 

trying out how to achieve textured surfaces.It really is a book to dip into especially on those occasions where the ideas may be sparse.Not sure Ira ever suffers from artist's block though !

Cyanotype and trees workshops.

Carol had spent one Saturday doing a Cyanotype workshop arranged by Bristol E.G.

They had worked with a Jacquard kit.A darkroom was required as the substrate first had to be painted with the solution and allowed to dry.

The items used to create the contrast and block the light varied from leaves and feathers to shells and lace Once the items had been placed on the fabric they were put into simple clip frames to hold them in place and create good contact.Luckily ,the day was bright and sunny so were placed outside.What will they become?

Sally enjoys workshops run by the R.W.A.This time it was over two days and entailed spending time on Brandon Hill studying trees.

They looked at the effects of light concentrating first with graphite on one branch.

Then moving on to looking for textures and colours within the trees ,graphitint pencils in three colours used above and chalk pastels below .

Finally looking at further detail in one favourite tree.

Once at home Sally took selected drawings into her tablet 

and began to play with different effects and filters to develop ideas that can be transferred to fabric.She uses the 'PAPER ARTIST APP '

This is not the last we'll see .

Colour and classes.

Sometimes things just don't go to plan.After expending hours of time planning and stitching and using precious materials what do you do .........? Well, you make the best of it.Instead of one large piece you cut it up ,abandon the part that caused the grief, and create two smaller but equally stunning pieces.Jane did just this with her colour piece inspired by Anni Albers and her weaving.It is difficult to believe but this piece uses just two colours of red thread on a yellow ground.It sings out and is so much better 'in the flesh' where the play of light on the surface makes it change depending on the direction it is viewed.

Debby currently has work on show in the Alchemy bar on the Gloucester Road.It is where she holds her drop-in classes on a Friday.You can see her work if you visit during the day on Friday, otherwise the bar is open in the evenings.

These pieces samples for her teaching projects.The one above uses recycled fabrics' screen printed bird  and paracetamol wrapping and is based on Japanese boro. It is a healing piece ,showing how stitch can help people heal and mend.

These two are examples of  the  bondaweb foiling technique and also make use of recycled materials ,the berries are Quality Street packaging!

The stitch around the leaves really enhances the foil and creates a lovely piece.Lots of scope here for seasonal stitch.

Deryll had spent some time making her thread flowers to turn into these lovely cards.Such a simple but effective idea.They are available in Long Ashton.

She spoke about the various problems she has been suffering with her eyes, and had recently visited her optician for an examination.Who would have thought it would give her 

inspiration for some work.Above and below are the scans of her eyes showing the macular which is difficult to see in the photos but there is a red dotted line through the yellow line.

We are excited to see how this might find its way into her textiles.They do look a lot like landscapes which Deryll likes to produce.

October and back from our Cornish hols.

Viv had had a lovely week in St Ives and while there had taken a workshop 'Draw St Ives' one morning.First exercise was to use a continuous line to draw the view over the bay near Ben Nicholson' house.Isn't it delightful?

Next was to create a horizon with minimal marks.This is just so stitchable, just add some colour for a seascape.

Now using a graphite pencil to capture  the scene.

Next one depict a palm tree and she has !

and finally look at and draw a wall.As simple as these exercises seem they offer a lot of scope to create some work .Well done Viv.

At the same time Liz was down enjoying a break in St Ives.She too, took advantage of the wealth of courses on offer to try her hand at creating an accordion book using observation of the beach using just a stick of charcoal ,a pastel and a water pen.She liked the way the book had covers that came apart and a piece for the spine that held it together.She was less  impressed that extra pages might be attached with masking tape! Not up tp Liz's exacting standards.

The cover was created in the studio, using up some left over paints before they went out to the beach.

She also attended a lino printing course creating a two blocks, one for the black 

and the other to add the colour for the sea and the beach.It works very well.

Peter Lanyon observed the local landscape and turned his observations into abstract paintings.

Liz joined a course 'A Sense of Place to' explore these ideas for herself.They used just one line to draw their journey to the beach .Once there  they were encouraged to look at the shapes they saw and were asked to find ways to depict them without just drawing a line.

Once back in the studio they set about creating paintings which were then chopped up to make small but perfectly formed  works.

Next was a drawing and mono printing course based on the work of Wilhelmina Barnes Graham.Another walk on the beach drawing with a stick gave rise to many pages of prints.

Her last course was about collecting pigment out on the beaches ,then back in the studio grinding them to a powder before mixing with egg yolk to make their own paints.

She certainly hd a very busy and creative time. Where will all this lead we wonder.