Still Stitching

A busy 10 days since my last post :training; calibrating  microscope camera; freezing bryophytes and most importantly updating my job description at work. Mainly though I'm still stitching my 'Weymouth Waves' - through  TVCT meeting last Saturday ( stopping to listen to excellent talk  by Alysyn Midegelow- Marsden); watching various programmes on BBC4 and  this morning revisiting Upstairs Downstairs  and The Waltons while waiting delivery of a new guest bed. Also just picked up a new pair of varifocal glasses which will take a while to get used to.

Indigo Waves - SAQA Quilt Auction Donation

I made good progress this weekend on my quilt which I hope to enter for SAQA 'Wide Horizons'.
This is the 12 x 12 " sample 'Indigo Waves' I made for trying out stitching and I've decided to donate it to the SAQA quilt auction. Form filled in and quilt packaged for postage today - hope it does well!

David Nash Wood Quarry

 I left work early on Friday to walk down to the 'Wood Quarry' of David Nash. Nobody working but evidence of some interesting works at different stages of development.

 There were some sketches on blackboards which showed how sections of the tree would be used for varied artworks. I particularly liked the ent-like  figures made of branches that looked like they'd walk off under their own  momentum. The column in situ references the pagoda not too far away and also brought to mind the 'totem' qualities in David Hockney's paintings - thinking how different artists could reference similar material ( dead trees) in  such diverse ways.

Walking to Victoria Gate there were some sculptures still under wraps and others unpacked although surrounded by construction fence. Exciting times ahead!

David Nash at Kew - Installation

 A couple of weeks ago the instillation  of the David Nash sculptures at Kew commenced, starting with the winching into position of 'Oculus Block 2010'  outside the Nash Conservatory . The components of 'Chinese Irons, 2010' look like they're queuing up to get in!

 I've been looking forward to this exhibition enormously - the talk by the artist to staff was very popular and he was a very informative and amusing speaker. Much  as I was inspired by  having the Chihuly and Henry Moore exhibitions here , this is of a different order, mainly because he's working on site producing new work.



It gives a whole new perspective - I'm even looking at the skips with a new eye! I haven't yet been down to the 'wood quarry' but will be doing so very soon.



Biro Drawings inspired by Boetti

On Saturday after lunch at the Level 7 Restaurant at Tate Modern went to see the Boetti exhibition. Amazing embroideries of maps but the  monumental  biro drawings (below)" bringing the World into the world"  like indigo ikat weavings were what drew me back to make notes. I had my own attempt ( above) on a much smaller scale and  apart from trying to work out the process , it  brought  further questions (again) about personal mark making.

Questions about the process  jotted down in my sketchbook :

Does direction matter (up and down or side to side?)

How far the lines overlap?

Taking the pen off the paper or scribbling?

where do you start and finish?

Brand/ size of pen ? size of pen 'nib'

How you hold the pen?

Pressure of the pen?

Speed of drawing?

How long you spend in one session?

Quality/texture  of the paper?

What's underneath the paper ?

Drawing guidelines - is there a plan?

Retracing steps, going over sections/

Practice?

This last one made me think of the 'unknown draughtspeople' who actually did the work . Theirs were the individual marks that  brought variation to the work but remain unacknowledged. What did these assistants  think of  what they were drawing?

Likewise the skilled women embroiderers whose work was organised  by male Afghan associates of Boetti , first in Afghanistan then Pakistan . Wonderful stitch mark-making particularly in the seas of the maps. 

Who is the artist- the designer or the person who executes it?



Tate Modern Birthday Treats

Staircase iii Do Ho Su

A day at Tate Modern for my birthday yesterday - mainly for the Boetti exhibition that Margaret highlighted but with other treats besides.
After a walk across the 'wobbly bridge' from St Pauls with views of the 'Shard' with its top among the clouds we had a quick look round  a display from the collections 'Energy and Process'. This included a whole room devoted to this installation of a staircase of polyester fabric and wire suspended from the ceiling. Wonderful attention to detail , even the banisters and light switches, it made me think of pojagi.

Then up to the 7th floor with it's amazing views  for lunch in the restaurant. Not cheap but good value for the quality and elegance - it was nice to pair different wines with each course. The 'stickie' of Muscat  that tasted of treacle toffee and coffee went wonderfully with my custard dessert  and Ian said the cheeseboard was the best he's ever had (and he's had a few!)

 Ian has obviously been around quilters too long. While looking around the 'Energy and Process' display in the section for 'Arte Povera' he asked me whether I'd seen the sculpture of a quilter so absorbed looking through  her stash she's forgotten to get dressed....

Venus of the Rags -Michealangelo Pistoletto 

Rejected!

Hardly the best birthday present - I've just heard my entry for CQ@10  'Indigo Mine' has been rejected. While stressing that mainly dictated by the wall space available  and not a reflection of the quality of the work,  I was not comfortable having to  work from someone elses image and that is probably reflected in  this piece. 

Maybe I was too honest in my artists statement about the struggle I had, maybe the sample (above) wasn't up to scratch. Maybe it was too blue!
I hope for better success with my other indigo pieces.

UPDATE - there were only 23 selected from 61 entries so I don't feel so bad now to be part of the majority not accepted. I  had just enough notice to fill in an entry form for Small Wall Hanging Category at Sandown  quilt show in June so at least it will be seen somewhere!