Stepping out

Thank you for being so supportive in my journey into new territory trying to develop my design skills. As many of you asked me to keep you informed of how I was doing, I thought I would share my first chapter.  Of course this could be just a new 'fad' too, but  hopefully I can keep coming back to the path even if I stray.  I have lots of vague ideas in my head for pieces of work, but I don't know how to 'realise' them, so I am hoping that a bit of formal skill acquisition will help me on my way.

Firstly I drew up a 'mind map' and wrote down all the things I could think of relating to design and specifically textiles. I did refer to a few internet sites and found Kim Thittichai's book 'Experimental textiles' useful. Clicking on the images should bring them up larger if you're interested.

Out of this exercise I decided the two main areas I need to develop are my ability to extrapolate a design out of my initial ideas and secondly, my ability to translate that design into something workable. For example I have lots of photographs that I think could become interesting textile pieces, but it is getting from the photograph to the textile that I need to develop. 

My workshop with Marian Murphy at Art Van Go has got me started. I have had two sessions so far and this has mainly been about techniques, but Marian does suggest design ideas as we go along.  Having been inspired by her books of designs I got myself an A3 and a A5 Pink Pig sketch book to keep my work in.  I especially like the cartridge paper that these books are made of as it will take a bit of punishment which my Art Journals give testimony to.

Here are my samples that I made during her class.

 Above, just playing with free stitching and tension with the use of a mirror tile to create a little symmetric motif ...

...and some much more exciting techniques we covered the second session, including reverse applique.

I also decided to go back to basics and in my A5 book did a few exercises with the colour wheel.  When I was doing water colours I purchased a set from Michael Wilcox who wrote a book entitled ' Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green' so it was fun to look at his theory again.  Of blue and yellow can make green, but he is talking about the fact that traditional water colour paints are not pure pigments and you get violet blues and orangey yellow and so on ... it was a good exercise to tune up my colour sensitivity.

Above is the free embroidery face I stitched after my first workshop. 

Marian told me how to stretch it over a piece of card so here it is with another page of a colour mixing exercise.

I am sure you are all familiar with the follow colour concepts...

...however triad harmonies, split complementaries and mutual complemetaries were new to me (Thanks to Kim Thittichai's book.

Below I have followed up one of Marian Murphy's techniques of stitching channel in a sheer fabric over a plain one and threading different coloured cords through the channels.

I am going to snip the channels and pull out loops of cord and embellish with some beads and stitching.

I think this could become a purse.

There are also lots of techniques to try out from 'Beginner's Guide to Machine Embroidery' by Pam Watts so I have probably got lots to keep me going for a week or two. I am hoping to go on a printing workshop run by my friend Sally, so I can use that opportunity to develop some designs rather than just going and having a ''play' ... it is all rather exciting.

I even managed a short walk with my new shoe orthotics today and heard a sky lark here, on Sharpenhoe Clappers (photographed here in December a few years ago)

Thank you all again for your lovely support, I really do appreciated your comments.

Time Marches on ...

I am a bit tardy getting my March calendar pages posted, but I have actually started it, I have just had an adversion to going through the process of scanning the pages etc.

 I am glad to say good-bye to February - it has been not only a dreary month, but one of restlessness, especially the last couple of weeks.  Every few months I feel as if I am turning another corner in my creative journey so hopefully March will be the beginning of the next phase.

I rather slopped this page together in my new journal - I love filling in the little squares, but my creative energy has been focussed elsewhere. 

Thanks to everyone who was so encouraging after my last blog, ` I quickly came to a decision after writing it.  I have decided not to registar on a college course, but to try to follow my own path taking part in as many workshops as I can, buy books, build up my  local contacts and set myself goals.  When I began this blog with the sub-heading "chronicles of a mature learner" so that is what I am going be doing.  Watch this space.

I took advantage of the sun this afternoon,  so join me and Marvin in the garden.

Have a great weekend,

Jill

Thinking time

It is Sunday again and I really wanted to compose another post, but it has been an odd week. I guess it is spring in the air, the ending of one season and the beginning of the next, although I am sure winter has not finished with us yet.  So why has it been a strange week?  Firstly it has been a time of finishing.  I have completed my Daffodil book. Although I know many of you have seen pictures of it before, here it is finished.

front

back

inside

details

I am also coming to the end of my third Art Journal.

I have been looking through the pages, seeing how far I have come on my creative journey.  My March calendar page is in my new journal - I will share that later.  

Staring a new journal has got me thinking about where will I go next on my creative journey. I am looking forward to my second Machine Embroidery Workshop on Tuesday and a am realising the potential of working with textiles. I am torn between continuing to flit between one new idea and the next and consolidating what I do.  I have been thinking about taking another OCA course, this time on textiles. But is is very expensive if you are not 100% sure the course is what you want .  I do want to be able to take my ideas to more depth.  To this ends I have ordered a couple of books and I have been trawling the internet so I might write myself a 'creative syllabus'. It is something I did  for my pupils when I was teaching. I just need to identify some goals for myself - easier said than done!  And of course I shall have to have the will power to see it through.  In a few weeks, the urge will probably have passed, which is where committing quite a few hundreds of pounds on a course acts as a real incentive! There is nothing offered at local colleges except the usual foundation courses, which would be lovely in different circumstances.  I need something I can keep control of.  If anyone has any ideas or can refer me to helpful books/websites I would be grateful. 

Meanwhile here is a page in my 'Honesty' book, which I have decided to fill myself.

I made a 'parchment sandwich' to look like a translucent honesty seed head which I stuck between a hole cut in a couple of pages.  It needs a bit more work on the page, but I think you get the idea.

This week I also went to see Matthew Bourne's ballet Cinderella at Milton Keynes with a friend. 

It was stunning, so if you have tickets, you are in for a treat.

Have a good week, and 'see' you soon!

Jill

Another week, another project!

This week I have been mainly machine stitching. On Tuesday I went to the first session of my Machine Embroidery for Beginners with Marian Murphy at Art Van Go. Although I have picked some basic ideas from books and video clips it was brilliant to have a whole day with an expert. We played around with different tensions and threads and just practised free machining.  We then went through a couple of design processes. Marian's design book was an inspiration in itself and made me want to be more disciplined in developing ideas.   But knowing what a butterfly brain I am,  I don't hold much hope!  However the practice gave me the confidence to infil the petals and background on my daffodil book with machine embroidery.

I want to embellish it a bit more with some more hand stitching and beads as I want it to be quite 'rich'. I also prepared the inner pages today, tearing them to shape and leaving them stewing in a lovely Brusho mix of yellows and green. Unwrapping the pages is a treat and a surprise - I will try to remember to photograph them, but as it is a messy process the camera is usually well out of the way.

At the workshop Marian flipped through my 'doodle/ideas' sketchbook I had taken with me and spotted this doodle and said it was the sort of thing that could be translated into stitching so I thought I woudl have a go.

I traced off the face onto tissue to transfer the outline and then just tried to use the needle like a pen.

I was pleased with the result and could see its potential. I just need to apply these ideas instead of going off on another tangent. Here are some details.

I chose a few favourite areas and created a collage

I was pleased with the colours - I just had to work with what I had got, but feel there is potential for development.  There is a couple of weeks between the workshop sessions, so plenty of time to work up a few ideas.

Meanwhile here are some waxed papers I was working on. I may have a go at a couple more boxes/pencil pots!

On the homefront I have managed to wear my new shoe inserts all day and walk to the corner shop for the paper. It just feels like a hard ball of cotton wool in my shoe instead of a pebble, so things are improving ( I have given my feet the day off today) and Marvin the cat continues to live with his diabetes with no immediate problems.  Mr T is cataloguing his entire CD collection (He has hundreds/thousands) which is keeping him quiet. A walk round the garden in the grey dampness this morning revealed a few buds on the verge of bursting, so a bit of sunshine this week would really be good.

  Whatever you are doing I hope the sun shines for you, have a good week.

Jill

A week in retirement

Dear friends, when I realised it was a week since I last wrote a post I wondered where all the time went so I thought I would share my week with you - well the highlights and the low lights at least.

Monday

I had my appointment at the orthopedic department to collect my new orthotics for my shoes.  I have a Mortons neuroma in my foot which is an enlarging of the nerve between the third and fourth toe.  As I have fallen arches it was thought orthotics would help take the pressure off the neuroma and prevent one forming in my other foot.  I am looking forward to being able to spend a day on my feet without pain.  However the new orthotics have a raised area which is agony ( as bad as the neuroma).  The doctor assured me that I will get used to them! But in the meantime this is what they feel like! 

When I asked if it was possible to order another set so I didn't have to keep changing them from shoe to shoe, I was told they cost £200-£300 a pair, so I had better persevere. I am wearing them an hour extra a day - just round the house to begin with!

Tuesday

A hairdressers appointment at 1.00 meant the morning was spent on domestic bits and pieces, but whilst I was in town I went to the local camera shop where a very helpful gentleman printed up a couple of my photographs on the A3 printer.  My friend got me some frames from IKEA so I spent a while deciding how and what I was going to frame up for the forthcoming exhibition at the Luton Hoo Walled Garden. 

Wednesday

A good chunk of the day was spent at Nutty Knitters, my chat and knit group, although not everyone knits.  Several of the ladies belong to the Artists Network Bedfordshire and the group includes spinners, felters, milliners and jewellery makers, so we always have plenty to talk about in Maxine's lovely farmhouse kitchen - and someone has usually baked cake of some sort - something I never do.

Meanwhile at home we were having our downstairs cloakroom - well as there is no room for cloaks, loo - refurbished.  I do hope the old one does not have to stay out behind the bins for too long!

Thursday

Thursday can easily represented by this photograph of my desk! But some creative inspiration was creeping into my day and I started playing around with some daffodil ideas.  In the garden I saw a bumblebee so spring is definitely in the air.

Friday

We usually hit the supermarket on a Friday. I came home with a bunch of daffs and put them by my desk.

 

which really started the ideas flowing for ....

... another stitched book.

Saturday

So here is what I did on Saturday.

 Please click on the pictures for some details.

Sunday

What did I do on Sunday? Well, I took all these photographs and wrote this post.  Not a bad life, even if my feet are killing me!

I hope you have a great week, and see you soon,

Jill





Did you know...

...that tulips keep on growing taller after they are picked?

Which is why it is best to put them up to their necks in a vase...

so as they grow taller, they won't droop.

I found that out from a friend who trained as a florist, but of course you may know that already ...

...in which case I hope you just enjoy this group of photos from my archives.

I seem to be very busy so I'll keep this brief,   hope you have a good week,

Jill

Just 'do' ...

I have tried to be more active this month - not a New Year resolution as such, but when you reach a certain age you realize how important your physical well-being is and I have never been a lover of exercise.  I have some physio exercises for my back and I am getting custom made orthotics for my fallen arches, so I wonder where February will see me!  Marvin, the cat, is doing well after my panic on his diagnosis of diabetes.  He drinks a couple of pints of water a day, but he has a good appetite and doesn't appear to have lost any more weight. 

Thank you to all who ask after him.

My February pages are rather simple at the moment.  Wax resist plus washes of red and yellow for the background and green squares with a bit of white gesso stencilled on.  I was influenced by a bit of 50's fabric for the colour scheme.  I am sure the pages will  liven up by the end of the month. I do hope that those of you who have joined in are enjoying the challenge.  Kate has organized a link on her blog - I have yet to suss that one out.

For all of you who kindly comment on my journal pages, here is another one.  I have been having a paisley moment or two, I find this sort of thing quite mindless and when I am not feeling inspired to be creative I can just start with a glorified doodle.  I may add to it over several days. The internet is a wonderful font of fact, and as I have a mind like a sieve, writing down what I find out is a must.  I just sarted by writing in some paisley shapes and the patterns grew.  You may also notice from the top of the  page that I have joined the Artist Network Bedfordshire. My friend has invited me to join her in the open studio event in June so we have had to do some planning - but more about that much nearer the time.

Here is a page from my little watercolour moleskine.  I did think I would try and draw something from my garden in it every month, but I started it about 18 months ago and it has some big gaps. Perhaps I will do better this year.  Here I drew winter flowering heather, which is a bit tardy this year as it often starts to open before the new year and Christmas box which has the most heavenly sweet scent, if somewhat insignificant flowers.  I have managed to cut this back hard every summer and keep it small enough to stay by my back door. If you long some winter perfume I hightly recommend it.

Well that is January wrapped up, spring is really waiting in the wings. The sun has shone today, the birds singing and it is five o'clock and the sky is still pink! That's progress