Simon Callery Flat Paintings at Fold Gallery

Yesterday,  after a bit of a search I found the Fold Gallery (  nearly going base over apex  missing the 'mind the step' notice).  I'd been intrigued by a posting by Selvedge on Facebook  about textile workof Simon Callery,  the exhibition finishes  tomorrow (14th) so didn't have much time to  catch it. 

From the blurb: "These large -scale flat paintings on show originate  in the landscape  where Callery has worked for the last 2 seasons alongside excavations led by the University of Oxford in Moel y Gaer, Bodfari, North Wales.  
The impact of this landscape and excavation site on the painting results in a group of works that expose all evidence of the making process as significant features in the completed works . They reveal to the viewer multi-layered external and internal surfaces and voids. The canvases have been soaked with highly saturated pigments and have been cut and stitched .They are ragged, torn and perforated."
There's a video here   where he explains about the processes involved.

 I spent about half an hour with these 4 pieces, peering at them from different angles, making sketches and taking notes of my impressions.
What I paid particular attention to was  comparing the top 2 pieces -  the top  one painted with ferrous distemper had been washed which gave a completely different  quality to the holes which were ragged and frayed rather then the  more precise cut holes in the 2nd piece painted with caput mortuum pigment.  In sideways view this gave completely different landscapes of flaps and ragged edges sticking out into the gap, almost touching.
I loved the variation in  subtle tones in the 3rd cadmium red piece  but as there were fewer holes ( and none in the back piece of fabric) , looking between the  layers  was more of  void. Having a 6 inch or so gap  between the layers of canvas gave  such life  to the pieces , it got me thinking how to incorporate that kind of effect in my own work  
I was less struck by the ' Wallspine (Leaf),  although the 3d variation of line  as a result of the folds was interesting. Perhaps it was the colour  which did not have the subtleties  and  variations of the other pieces

 When I got home I fished some of my indigo dyed old quilts out of my packed sealed boxes ( naughty!), looking with fresh eyes at this old log cabin with the torn back, wondering how I can  have both sides on view and how to work into them. Thinking about the qualities of holes.

Bank Holiday Blues - Playing With Indigo

 Ignore the jungle  behind ( the plants are meeting together in the middle )  and admire the outcome of my first indigo vat at home! Rather than tackling the garden , I made the most of the good weather forecast for Sunday  (it's currently pouring with rain) Ever since doing CQ Winter school with Janice Gunner and a day last year at Art Van Go  I've been plotting  doing some  dyeing with indigo in our garden . Earlier in the year  I acquired a surplus  chemical drum from work; bought some large trugs for rinsing ( already have a convenient outside tap next to a drain); the relevant chemicals from Kemtex;  a  balcony airer. All set to go just waiting for when time and weather co-incided!

  I had a good system  going  with fabrics at different stages : soaking in warm water; in the vat; oxidising on a tray ; unpacked/unpicked and oxidising on the balcony airer. Ian was fascinated by the process having only seen the results before so  happy to take lots of photos of the alchemy when fabric turns from yellow to green to blue in front of your eyes.

 I was keen to experiment with  dyeing large  sections of the antique cutter quilts I've accumulated - they've produced some lovely 'boro' effects.

The most interesting marks were produced on a piece of  off white quilt wrapped around a piece of vacuum hose (thanks Sue!)  and tied with string . Quite an unwieldy  snake to wrap because of the weight of fabric but that's where quilt husbands come in handy!

All rinsed and washed  just waiting for everything to dry now. Then I'll be sharing some of my favourites! Learnt a lot in the process - it's a very different experience from doing it  in a class. While the  chemical drum worked well,  I would probably just use a bucket another time unless I was sharing with friends. I would definitely dip more than once - the paler blue resulting from just one dip suits the old quilts but was a bit disappointing on some of the other fabrics.  Used colour catchers were amazing , definitely more of that and perhaps some experiments on paper. More preparation in advance (including stitching ) - although I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do (organzas, old quilts and 'mudflat' fabrics,) I was a bit rushed on Saturday afternoon and too involved in the dyeing process on Sunday  to make changes. Doing it earlier in the season and keeping the vat going are definitely on the agenda for next year!  

Hidden Treasure

I've been using  over-loved antique quilts as the basis of my own work for many years, giving them a new lease of life.  It started with  a rather tatty grey white Durham quilt that  I used to use as a door curtain and then became my canvas for  painting with acrylics : 'Bexhill Breakwaters' and 'Rich as Honesty' were 2 of these. Then having run out of large size pieces , I started buying 'cutter' quilts from ebay : a red and white strippy coverlet formed the basis of 4 quilts.
Planning on dying some of my finds in an indigo vat later this summer, I've been buying quite a few more recently.   I obtained this blue wavy medallion for a very reasonable price as the red areas of the quilts are  disintegrating. The quilting is fairly crude and the backing is perfect tight weave for painting on so as is my practice, I put it in the washing machine on a gentle wash.
When it came out of the machine the areas of disintegration were more marked and  several seams were giving way. Which is when I found that instead of wadding, old fabrics had been used,  a few fairly coarse cottons  but  principally  what looks  like a very fine wool paisley striped shawl  in pale greens and browns.  I will do a bit more careful unpicking but what a  find, my own  'Boro'!