What's new

In terms of finished work-not much, but I've sure been busy.
The last two days have been filled with trying to clear up unfinished business from Module 2 of my Sketchbook workshop.  My stumbling block was in my lack of understanding regarding making a sketchbook collage, but finding a critical video helped me sort out what was expected of me. So having painted more pages yesterday, today I set out to make a collage.  It had been suggested that  we find some item within our household area that was both colourful and meaningful.  Well  my white kitchen and white dishes didn't work, but I found a small plate that was a souvenir from a visit to Cuba, and decided to use that.

First I wanted to use a wash of colour over the background, and while that was drying, I created a pattern for a fish using the plate for inspiration--much more than inspiration if the truth be known.
Here is the plate and the remnants of the paper pattern I created from it.

The pieces are ready to paste down, but that will be for tomorrow.  then I'll have to add the details, by hand. I'm wanting to add a couple of long skinny seaweeds as well, and have to figure that out before getting the glue out.

Here are a couple of other sketchbook pages. the first one was using a photo, and then integrating it into the book by adding colour.  It was also a experiment in exploring the effect when oil pastel is used  on paper before adding water colour, as is shown in the table top the mugs are sitting on.

One of the first exercises was sketching with a pencil and using the sketch as the basis for a simple water colour.  Probably to help the students become comfortable with the water colour paints that were provided as part of the workshop.

This third piece is again using a photo, and integrating it into the page.  I first used a water colour wash over the page.  Then I added the orange bits.  The black was my experiment with using a water colour crayon that I received in a mail order instead of the Acrylic paint pen I thought I had ordered.  Won't make that mistake again. I cut the photo in half and put half on each side, then again, tried to integrate the photo into the page by extending various parts of it into the background. Not a great result but better than I expected. 

 In the end, I think I've finished with Module 2 and look forward to starting module 3.  I've been holding off, telling myself that the experience will be my reward for conquering the darn collage.

Busy days, but not as productive as I would like.

The last few tasks, in Module 2 of the Sketch book workshop, proved difficult for me. Never-the-less, I purchased Module 3.  When I looked at it, I found that there were two pages of videos listed.  Since I stumbled upon this almost be accident, I wondered if there had been two pages of videos for Module 2, and that I might have missed a couple of videos.  Sure enough, there were a couple of videos on a second page.  Once I viewed those, I found the information I had been missing, and the difficulties I had had were all resolved.   What a relief!  Now I have a much better idea of what is expected, and a whole new energy--one that will be directed to a review, and more time spent on Module 2, before I start Module 3.

Busy two days

The internet course on Sketchbooks has suggested that I spend a bit of time, creating papers to use in creating collages in my sketch book.  There was also a video on the site that demonstrated how to use paint to create batik-like patterns of both paper and fabric.  So I decided to try both in hopes of having something to work on while the paint on the previous pieces dried.

I set up an extra table to set things to dry, and worked at the main table in the studio.  I ended up with drying pieces on both tables.  One technique suggested crumpling paper from brown paper bags, and then painting several layers, while adding some oil pastel at some point. With my first effort, I found that it makes a difference depending on the weight of the brown paper you use.  Light weight paper doesn't work.  So a couple of pieces didn't work out too well, yesterday, but a re-do today resulted in at least 4 pieces with good potential.  

For the batik section, I used four pieces of paper and four pieces of fabric.  I did one paper and one fabric with each colour scheme, so that, if the paper collage in the sketchbook shows potential, I'll have the fabric to work with when turning it into an actual fibre piece.  Here's a glimpse of my tables.  The front table has some paper-based batik work.

One technique blew me away.  Using tissue paper, I spread the paper on a piece of glass.  I carefully shook a powder form of water colour paint, onto the tissue paper, using four colours.  Then I spritzed the piece generously with water. I did this over two days with two different colour ways.  Once dry, the tissue paper peeled away from the glass easily, and felt almost stronger than the plain tissue paper.  The orange was still wet when the picture was taken, and the purple colour way was pretty well dry.  I absolutely love them both, and really look forward to using them/

Unfortunately, neither the batik pieces nor the painted brown paper pieces were dry enough to finish today.  I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow.  I sure hope that everything is finished, and dry, tomorrow so I can move onto the next step.

Do something, doesn't matter what but do something!

Creativity has left the building.  Actually it left quite awhile ago, but I refused to notice.  But I know that if I don't do something, even if it is just fondling fabric, creativity will never come back.  So, my back up plan is to make charity quilts from my scraps.

The first one made is not great.  It might not even be good enough for a charity quilt.  I'll have to think about that.  But the second one was put together today, and put up on the design wall, while I considered backing and binding.  But looking at it, I wondered if maybe it was a basic start to an exhibition piece.  As it sits it is 33" by 43 ".

I know that the borders out weigh the center, and I would have to do some trimming to make the piece feasible, but I wonder what else I might have to do.  I'm also thinking about how to quilt the piece.  Actually, I'm getting excited about it.  Now--where do I go next?

On second thought---

Now that I've seen some of the other pieces, and read the comments associated with them, I realize that the underlying intent of the challenge was to create a Folk Art influenced piece of work.  Mine certainly can't be considered as meeting that challenge.  Will have to re-think this.

What a difference a day makes

A couple of good night's sleep, and my brain appears to be working better. My self confidence took a bit of a beating today, watching all of the wonderful work that appeared during a Zoom meeting with the TFAM group.  An amazing group in terms of both creativity and productivity. I've been working with fibre for almost 60 years now, but these ladies have left me in their dust, in terms of that creativity and confidence.  Much of this can be a function of advancing years, but right now I'm just content to be a part of the group, and to have access to the wonderful things that are going on there.

Another group that I've been involved with lately is TextileArt.org.  This group has been running a series of 6 textile challenges through Facebook.  I have participated in two of these, and have collected the instructions for the others, with every intent of exploring those as well.

Here is the basic fused picture that is my  start to challenge #6.
I have followed the instructions to this point.  We were given little instruction in terms of supplies, but more what to do with the supplies each of us has chosen.  

Here is  my result.    It is about 9" by 12", only slightly larger than suggested.  I could only find two fabric in my stash that had any flowers that could be cut out individually, and have used both. We were told to choose a fabric with large flowers that we could cut out and applique. I spent several hours, last evening, cutting out the flowers with tiny embroidery scissors--the best for the job.  (Had to wear my wrist brace while sleeping last night).  In the end I had  many more of the maple leaf pieces than I needed, and selected the smallest for using here.  The stem is rick-rack, as directed in the instructions.

The best part of this, was that the unused maple leaves, gave me the inspiration of another piece.  It is still in my head, but is basically a vertical compression design.  Here are the fabrics I've chosen from my stash.  I'm very excited about this, and can't wait to actually get started.

Not very creative times.

For me anyway.  But I did recall the project I had had remembered and then forgotten again, and it involves EPP with irregular shapes, and might possibly result in an exhibition piece--maybe.

Shortly after we were confined to our homes, I lost a friend, who had, at one time, been a very close friend.  This distance was the result of declining health and fortunes on both our parts, and we still enjoyed an active phone conversation, on the few occasions it was possible.  Her death had nothing to do with the virus, but was the end result of some serious health problems. Her mother had, at one time, been a mentor to me in my fibre art life, as well.  My friend had given me two simple pieces of her mother's work, and I felt the need to incorporate those pieces into a piece of my work, in memory of both ladies ( although, in truth, my friend was a "good old gal" and didn't always deserve the title of "lady").

This is the piece, and it is now basted together, ready to be stitched. The work is not my best, but with this piece the need was within me to create something, and that need has been met.  Having said that, my concern is that my skill may never be as good as it once was.  Time will tell, and I'm prepared for whatever may happen.