Trace Monotypes

 Just back from  the first of a 2 day course at City Lit on Monoprinting. While I've had a go at this technique before both on paper and fabric , these used water-based media. This was my first attempt with  oil-based inks and access to a proper printing press - what a difference it  makes. Though my nails are appalling despite gloves , my head spining from the solvents  and it took half an hour to clear up!

 The first technique was inking up a plastic sheet then placing a sheet of paper over it and drawing into it (being careful not to get fingerprints on)

 Magic results when you peel the paper off and then the subtle negative print when put throught the press.

The tutor commented on the stitch-like marks( well one of the aims of the course was to relate it ito our own practice) Perhaps it was because I was using the same source photo as this journal quilt!

Tout Quarry Sculpture Park

We spent a wonderful windy morning exploring Tout Quarry Sculpture Park on Portland. I wish I'd had my netbook with me so I could have found out a bit more about it beforehand (it's got over 70 sculptures spread through an old quarry). But stumbling across sculptures, some partly hewn,emerging from the stone, had it's own magic particularly as we had the site to ourselves. You never knew what might be around the next corner or if shapes were natural or intentional .

 The 'hand of the maker' was very evident, this one scratched like graffitti into a rock by the coastal path. It was bizarre coming out of this alternative world onto a well-used path ( a jogger passed us with her dog just as we emerged )

Changeable Chesil

 We certainly had variable weather in Weymouth! We arrived for the hottest weekend in October since records began (or similar) - having to rethink our packing from fleeces and thick socks  to short sleeved shirts and sunhats. On Sunday even at 10am the fishermen were out in force on Chesil beach.
By Wednesday however when we walked  on Portland we were glad of wind proofs and thermal tubes. Very difficult not to get camera shake while being buffeted by the winds at 'The Heights' viewpoint.

 The following day was even more bracing! My camera battery had given up so I was reliant on my mobile phone - not too bad for close-ups of pebbles but definately a bit ropey for distant shots although the graininess added the the dramatic seascapes.

 I got Ian to take some photos on my behalf of the dramatic changes in colour with cloud shadows - should have taken heed of the changing weather as a sudden downpour sent us racing for the bus. Thanks to great public transport  we were 'home' in no time.

Portland Skies



The changing skies and colours over Portland definately influenced the stitching on my holiday sewing project - a composition I put together from Jo Budd's class at CQ Summer school

 They also provided constant inspiration for sketches out of the bedroom window. Next time I'll take larger painting surfaces to do them justice.

Back from Weymouth

If you've been thinking it's been a bit quiet here lately it's because I've been away for a week in Weymouth and I didn't take my netbook. Instead took books to read, a stitching project and my paints, went for walks and had several fishy lunches including at the fabulous Cove House Inn as recommended by Liz.
Had a fabulous time (despite a cold) with weather varying from  29C  to bracing winds.
With views like this from the bedroom window , we'll be back!!

Light and Shadow- Indigo Hill Arches

Indigo Hill Arches

48 x 36 cm

Two black and white images  of  'Hill Arches' sculpture by Henry Moore combined in  Photoshop, printed on hand dyed indigo cotton and silk treated with 'BubbleJet Set'.  Machine quilted with variagated threads, hand stitched with 'House of Embroidery' Cotton perle thread .  

There's nothing like a deadline to concentrate the mind! When the theme of 'Light and Shadow was set in the 'International Quilt Challenge' I had lots of grandious ideas of continuing  the idea of the 'Taplow Vase' in looking at some pewter vases from multiple viewpoints and on  large scale. Then with reveal date looming and nothing started I remembered a  top I'd put together for a demonstration on inkjet printing using 'poster printing' function to split an image over 4 A4 sheets ( I subsequently used that technique to print 16 sheets of organza for my  'Rich as Honesty' quilt)  

After I'd machine quilted it, it was looking rather drab and uninteresting so I decided to stitch more into by hand. I haven't done much hand stitching in a while and I'd forgotten how addictive it is , sewing away watching BBC4.  My wrist is a bit sore despite using a 'Creative Comfort' Crafters Glove for support (although that could be the use of secateurs on Sunday on a serious hack of the garden)

The Henry Moore sculpture that so inspired me was part of an exhibition at Kew Gardens in 2007. I loved having access to these sculptures for so many months, able to view them in different lights and viewpoints and  I made several journal quilts exploring ways of  intepreting  a 3D piece in 2D textiles.
Next year there will be a major exhibition at Kew of work by David Nash.  Can't wait!!

It's been a while but I've had a session updating my website with  a gallery of new work - do stop by and say hello!

Inspired, Influenced, Informed Indigo Seas

 Perhaps because I've been stitching on indigo all weekend as part of International Quilt Challenge ( sore fingers but I'm fallen in love all over again with hand stitching with 'mystique' cotton perle thread) but I felt the need to raid my indigo stash and start to build a seascape. Hope to get it assembled before going to Weymouth so I can stitch it in situ!! Still a lot of work to do on the bottom half beneath what's above but for my eyes only at the moment.

 Partly inspired by the fabrics themselves ( especially the ones I  dyed at Summer School last year) , mainly by the patterns created when cutting curves into striped/shibori  as in these journal quilts.

 Influenced also by previous indigo seascapes such as 'Serifos Storm'and informed by recent paintings of the sea at Slapton in acrylics.