Ho Hum

Picture so far ........

Lots of faffing about this afternoon placing fabrics and papers on the piece; and taking them off again ..... on and off ....... on and off ........

This is where I have got to now. Layers of fabrics and papers for the "sea" at the bottom.
Layers or sheers, organza's and some tissue paper at the top.

There is supposed to be a boat sailing away in the middle - but when I cut out a paper template and placed it in position - I didn't like it. The sea and sky overpowered it.

So I am having to have a re-think about the design. Meanwhile I still have the original design in my head.

I think in preparing this background - I strayed away from my original design - which was quite ethereal - and have done a more literal sea scape - sort of on automatic pilot - and now I don't know where to take it!

Anyway - no studio time tomorrow - and I must tend the veg garden on Sunday - so that will give me lots of thinking time to resolve the design and process.

Oh ..... my piece "Sacred Mysteries" has been accepted for hanging at the open art competition, so I am pleased about that.

Piece Delivered .....

"Sacred Mysteries" has gone - I delivered it to the gallery today - and the selection panel meets next Tuesday. They let artists know if their work has been selected by post, so I will know one way or the other by the end of next week.

When I got home after delivering the work I felt a bit lost - this is how I usually feel when I part with a big piece - especially so soon after it has been finished.

Usually on completion of a big piece, or series of pieces I take a day to clean my studio - returning everything to its place ready for the next batch of work - but this time before I start on the studio, I will have to tidy the house for visitors that arrive on Wednesday.

I am not tidy by nature - and my home bears testament to this. However, the cleaning of the studio after a batch of work is therapy. It is a meditation on the pieces that have been finished - and those that are to come. It is a time to pause and take stock - before the next flurry of activity. As I write this I am reminded of those snow globes - which you shake and the glitter and snow flies everywhere, fast at first - then slowing down before gently sinking to the bottom - ready to be shaken up again.

When I tidy the studio - this is sometimes when wonderful "What if" moments occur - which will be triggered by the juxtaposition of carelessly discarded elements from the just completed pieces;- Bondaweb on top of foil. String under foil etc.

Above is a small glimpse of an old piece of work - layers of hand made paper and copper - just a little eye candy!

What's in a Name?

The naming of a piece of work is always something I find thought provoking and interesting.

Sometimes the name comes first - I will hear or read a phrase and immediately it invokes the idea of a piece of art. Other times - as in this case - I was working to a brief "In a country churchyard" and the name of the piece is still undecided.

While working on the big piece - in my mind I was calling it "Fabric of Life" - however I like this title so much that I really want to do a series of work with this title - or use it as the theme for an exhibition.

I have been toying with variations on journeys and songs - as the piece has a "journey line" in it - which is a theme I enjoy but nothing I thought about was really right.

Friends came around this evening to have a look at the art before I submit it for selection tomorrow. We were all playing with thoughts and ideas - what the piece was saying to us as individuals. Trying to find the appropriate name.

One of the group said "Sacred Mysteries" and I knew that was right - Again for me it is an internal click - I suppose like putting in the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle; Click the jigsaw is finished; Click the piece is named "Sacred Mysteries". The title says everything I want the piece to express, and I am happy.

The Gift for a Friend
This piece is now finished, and it is called "The Gift" (Size 20cm x 20cm)
below is the finished piece, and some details.

THE GIFT

The embroidery has been mounted onto a board which has been covered with a copy of the service sheet. I have aged this by washing it over with a wet tea bag. Then when this was dry I washed it over with a mix of Gesso and Parchment coloured acrylic paint.

Detail showing ExtravOrganza scroll

The scroll was made by printing a quotation onto ExtravOrganza with an inkjet printer.

Detail showing the service sheet background
(in Welsh)