The Creative Fairy has not been around most of 2016 but she is beginning to voice her opinions again.
She is not happy anyone would think she looks like these fun angels. A little Christmas fun for two grandchildren.
Christmas tree is up and decorated.
Have decided not to have a large real tree this year. It is time to change some family traditions.
The little courtyard was my favourite place to have breakfast and lunch in the Summer, now it needed brightening up on these cold grey days.
This quote from the book I mentioned last week.
" perpetual motion of their engines and wheels gives employment and bread to thousands of our townsfolk. Are the machines not objects of interest more intense than silent woods or sunny dells "
Perpetual motion. I am using this phrase when thinking about the book I am making for Verdant Works exhibition.
I would much prefer the silent woods and sunny dells, to working in a mill, but if I lived in these times I would probably be in the mill.
I started the book by playing around with paper and paint.
Made a full size model in paper. Roughly sketching where words and images would be placed.
Coloured fabric and began fiddling with different placements ( creative fairy reminds me this is designing.)
Perpetual motion. It looks a bit messy. I am planning to add a layer of fabric on top. Watch this space.
Added my first sign of jute and a touch of green.
More cogs added and another hint of jute.
Jar of machine oil kindly supplied by the husband of a friend. Where will I use it?
Bits and bobs I am printing with.
This is the paper after wax has been buffed up. It doesn't show up in the photo but it does have a slight sheen now.
This piece has been set aside for now . Book has been demanding to be made first. I do love it when work starts pushing and shouting for attention. Time for a cuppa and a mince pie as I feel a little madness creeping in.
Please look in next week to view progress on the book or perhaps the first piece makes a comeback.
Definitely cuppa time.
Enjoying this book
BYE BYE
I am trying to find the correct size of cog, to use as a front and a back, for a book.
The plan is to make a book 3 1/2 inches wide and 6 ft. in length. I am working out sizes to enable it to roll up and have cogs made from cardboard at each end.
The bobbins hanging from the womens` waists immediately said book to me.
Background information about numbers employed etc. from this book. So little written about the women or their stories.
I have finished the white bobbins and measured the placement.
I have over printed the background with green. Some machines were green and I think the piece was a little sombre.
Acrylic wax is drying and I will buff it up tomorrow then stitch down white circles.
Next sizing exercise will be getting the paper dolls the right size. That's next weeks task.
My signature glass jars. These are a little larger. Jute Roving, Finished Jute. I need to source some Whale Oil. Any ideas?
Lot to do, as always know I am going to run out of time.
Plan for next week
1 Concentrate on the book.
2 Decide and make cogs for book.
3 Add information to the book.
4 Work out how it will roll.
I am beginning to panic reading my to do list. Look in next week to see if I achieve any of the above.
BYE BYE
Have been printing onto coloured tissue paper. Plan to use this as a background for a piece of work.
Will wax this to give it some strength and a slight sheen. Circles to represent bobbins. Still trying out ideas but think I will use the embellisher and hand stitching.
The broken lines represent the change of roles in the Jute Mills. The industry employed mainly women and the stay at home unemployed husbands were called " kettle boilers"
I am planning to use 3 acrylic tubes with strips of writing inside, on top of a line of cut out women. That's the plan so far but it might all change next time I go to The Studio.
I like the idea of the cut out dolls. The few photos of women workers show them arm in arm or with arms round each others waists. Does anyone else remember making cut out dolls and colouring them in? Simple pastimes.
I don`t have a TV, through choice, so if I am not listening to the radio, or music, I listen to audio books. I have always liked having stories read to me. These little circles were stitched as I listened to Coming Home by Sue Gee and read by Jenny Funnell.
She is pretty good at getting all the voices right.
This is the paper mockup for a long book based on the string bobbins the women wear round their waists and cogs.
Early days yet. I am planning on having 3 long pieces. 1 will be open to the ground and the other 2 will be partially opened. Again this is the plan so far.
The Seagull is back in his special place and he is not moving again.
Not going to the Christmas Exhibition. He was rejected. Piece was difficult to categorize !!!!! Neither a painting or a textile. This is the art world The piece is an installation, mixed media.
The summer book has been accepted. They managed to categorize it.
This was a treat. I now have a lovely concert hall within easy reach. What joy to see a ballet.
Please look in next week to see how plan for work is progressing or if I have completely changed my plan.
BYE BYE
Sorry about missing a blog post. Frantic week.
This week a very productive day with 4 art friends. They came bringing chocolate biscuits, cake and their art work. We are working towards the same exhibition 2017. Cup of tea then down to chat about where we are in our thinking, we are trying to resolve vague ideas into 2 pieces of work each. A2.Listening to each others take on the subject ( A jute museum ) was really interesting and helpful. All very supportive and sharing. A very good day. The creative energy is now swirling around the studio. It is no longer a sterile space with stuff in it.
Cogs, weaving and spools of threads. Playing and hoping it is going to come together. Thinking how I include the story of the women workers. Lots more work to do.
Postcards, discovered when I unpacked into The Studio.
These were fun to stitch. At the time I was using up buttons and beads and little scraps of fabric.
I managed to photograph the supermoon, only just
It was very overcast and I was not hopeful. 6.30 and the clouds parted.
6.35 completely overcast again.
At last a bird other than sparrows ( nothing against sparrows ) but no other species have appeared in this garden.
Please look in next week to view if I can move on the vague ideas.
BYE BYE
Spent a few hours in The Studio.
These cogs were a present from a friend, who was unaware, I am working ( just beginning ) towards an exhibition in January. It is site specific. The Verdant Works, a jute mill museum, so lots of machinery. Not at all sure how I will use them, for now I am printing and taking rubbings.
Heard a talk by Bridgit Collins, describing her ideas and work practise. Really interesting. Cure for a creative block. Tidy your studio, rearrange things, read a poem, go a walk and just do something. We all know this but good to be reminded.
Seagull has been given another outing. Submitted him into the Meffan Gallery Christmas Exhibition. This exhibition attracts entries from across Scotland so fingers and toes crossed he gets in. Always a bit nervous when my work is being juried, never gets any easier. Fear of failure deep rooted.
Play with a purpose, thinking about layers. Machinery, Fabric, Womens Lives, Times Past.
Tracing paper on top of printed cartridge.
No idea where this is going but its a start.
No sign of the owners on my walk today. A jolt of colour among the bronze, red and yellow leaves.
Please look in next week, I may have thought of more ideas to use the cogs.
BYE BYE
