These two pieces, inspired by a workshop led by Nerissa Cargill Thompson, depict ocean life (my abstract imaginary take on it) and there's lot of texture in them.
I used paint to make marks on the base fabric, and a lot of recycled fabrics as appliqué and Suffolk puffs, as well as some old lace, ironed plastic netting, couched wool thread, some beads and a fair amount of stitching.
Both pieces will be mounted onto 1 canvas, next to one another. Perhaps part of a future exhibition?
This abstract piece is inspired by a picture of a common blue butterfly on a daisy, hence the name. I chose the materials and colours to match, giving it a cheerful, uplifting energy.
Working from photographs, a technique gleaned from a workshop by Hannah Lamb, is very freeing, pushing me to venture beyond the colours I habitually go for. more of this on the way, no doubt!
Because I found myself a bit lost in the "forest of workshops", I wanted to take more time to explore my own artistic voice. That's why, during the summer, I set myself a challenge, to create 9 small pieces (just for myself, so no room for perfectionism or judgment), using the materials and techniques I like most. Each piece had to contain design and colours I love and words that relate to my art. It required a bit of reflection and not a huge amount of work, so ideal for summer!
I hoped to get an insight into my own practice at this point in my life : giving myself room to think about my voice and to make choices allowed me to that.
the 9 pieces were subsequently collected into a single concertina book.
check out a short video I put on youtube here
Creativity gives us a mental boost. But sometimes I just don’t have the ideas, the confidence or even the energy. In those cases, I've found that just filling up my sketchbooks, just starting with some colour and a (small) blank page before me, without expectations, is so soothing and calming and re-energising. Besides, the practice, even if it doesn’t result in a nice sketch but rather an ugly experiment, is what stretches the creative muscles.
I also find that working with another medium, with a sketchbook and some colour, influences and inspires my textile work.
That’s why I’ll be sharing some of my sketches now and then with you, hope you don’t mind!
This collage got made while I was reading “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, what a wonderful book! I tried to capture the enchanting story, the magic of nature and of place, using fabric, paint, paper, transferred images and stitching. The atmosphere is calm due to the muted colours, but at the same time it’s buzzing with life, adventure, and possibilities.
The piece grew organically during the reading process, which I love. I think I will try this with other favourite books; it’s an intriguing way to make!
After Sketchbook Revival 2023, I stumbled upon a new challenge : Workshopweek 2023, another bundle of online lessons with an emphasis on drawing. I enjoyed this immensely again : the diversity of the lessons, the enthusiasm of the teachers and of course just doing the practice. So another huge thank you to the to the generous organisers and teachers!
Here are some of the sketches I made:
I had a lot of fun with this piece I made for a workshop by Mirjam Gielen. Blanket stitch is used to create organic structures. By manipulating the stitches and carefully choosing the colours, it can almost feel like these creatures are as natural as actual microscopic sea life. I added some beads and a piece of sea glass and used satin stitch and stem stitch to complete the piece.
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile", Paul Simon sings on "The only living boy in New York" : there's no idea more calming, I think.
I imagined this happy feeling in mixed media, using textile, paper, paint, yarn, thread, beads, crayons, lots of hand stitching, machine stitching and even real flower petals. The bold warm colours evoke a real zest for life.
Spring, bring it on!!
This is the work I made for the workshop by Jean Rill-Alberto.
The abstract design of geometric forms is first drawn, then stitched, onto paper. Some shapes I coloured in. It's fascinating to work with abstract shapes and to see what happens if you combine them, or highlight some of them. Also the stitching on paper is a real favourite of mine!
Something I have wanted to try for a long time is wet felting, a process of continually rubbing wool fibers together with soap and water to form a firmly felted object.
A workshop by Jeanette Appleton was the perfect opportunity : an exploration of contrasts in colour, texture and surface by using the felting technique on a sewed piece to which running stitch is added.
I loved this technique and the surprising results, for instance how different the silk fabric and synthetic fabric reacted to the felting process. It calls for more exploration! And using wool is always a big bonus!
I added some running stitch to silk and synthetic fabric, which then became the starting piece for the wet felting:
These are 2 more abstract textile pieces made using paint, crayons, pencil, a seashell, a pebble and stitching.
The atmosphere of the first one is calm, with muted colours and fainter lines.
The second is more vibrant, because of the contrasting colours and clearer lines.
This piece, which I made in response to a workshop with Shelley Rhodes is perhaps the one I love the most of all my projects.
Different pieces of fabric were sewn into one long strip that I painted with acrylic paint. I added pencil and stitching, and sewed pebbles and sea glass, gathered on a walk, to it.
The piece depicts a beach walk that means a lot to me and I think the combination of colours and materials turned out great.
This collage piece is a stitched story about the kitchen in my childhood home. It took rather longer to plan than usual, because I first made a mind map to set free my thoughts and associations.
The technique of mind mapping is something I learned from Ali Ferguson. I found it to be very useful and insightful.
Starting from this mind map, I selected meaningful materials, words and motifs.
For the materials, I chose a piece of an actual cushion cover from that time, some jeans fabric (we wore jeans all the time back then), fabric scraps from a pair of slippers I had, some pieces of kitchen textiles and random fabrics that remind me of the atmosphere of this eighties kitchen.
As the motif I picked a whisk, which my mum often used, among many other things for making mayonnaise. This was a job that required a lot of attention and we often chatted as I watched her.
By stitching together the words and this image I’ve tried to capture a cherished memory of peaceful, secure and happy times.
This fabric roll is the result of a workshop I did with Gwen Hedley. I started by making marks on the fabric with paint, using very simple tools. Then I cut up the fabric and pieced the patches together. The fabric strip becomes a sort of harmonious roll by blurring the joining lines with simple handstitch, extending the marks and colours from one patch to another with stitching.
I attached the fabric onto a wooden spool and on top op the spool I glued two pebbles.
I think the colour combination worked out fine, natural and a bit funky at the same time.
