Collaborating

There is a group of three images that hangs on the wall in the hallway near the door, that is regularly admired by visitors old and new. It's not one of mine, but is by my friend Rob Curson, whom I met through The Well, a Norwich artists' group. Some time ago, we talked about collaborating, but we lost touch. We met up recently, however, and this is the tentative first stages of a result. One of Rob's drawings, in process, made on cotton, with added stitching from me. We intend to pass this piece back and forwards until we agree it's done, and start again...

I'm having fun with this, and I do hope Rob is, too. I think that part of what a collaboration does is to allow us to understand the other person's work better, and the other part, that we understand our own better, also. I've already found myself challenging my own way of working in order to participate in this, and I think that's a good thing. We'll keep you informed of progress; sadly, Rob isn't on the web at present, but if you're interested in his work, let me know and I'll put you in contact.

Recovering...

from whatever it was that laid me low (it wasn't anaemia, for once...). Yesterday, in deference to my somewhat wobbly legs, I spent the morning in front of the computer. Yes, I know, real hardship. Actually, I spend remarkably little time working with images; I take them, and then never work with them. But that was never going to be the case with the photographs I took in Lyon of the walls of the Sucriere. I have a genuine fascination with those marks, and took a lot of photographs of them. Yesterday, I worked with one image, adjusting colour and light balances to give me a range of images of the same thing (if you see what I mean), printing them out as references for the studio. And finally, I started to play with them, creating new images from the original. I like this one best, I think. I had forgotten what fun it is to work in this way, to see what there is within the range of marks and colours that make up an image, surprising myself with the juxtaposition of textures. I think there's a painting in there...or three. At least. But I find myself looking at the photograph itself as a piece of art. It would be interesting to make little books of these images...another way in to the subject matter I've seen in these marks. Hmm.

Going Away...

allows all kinds of things to happen. You meet all sorts of wonderful people. And for all that I said I didn't take any pictures of art, I did take one, this nude by French artist Sophie Furbeyre (shown with her kind permission). She kindly took me round her exhibit, talking to me about the development of her work, and listened while I did the same with mine. We speculated together about how to use Xpandaprint on lutradur without melting the lutradur. It's always a pleasure to talk art, especially with another artist with similar interests and concerns.

Of course, that's also possible on the blog. I find myself talking to people from all around the world. Sometimes, to my delight, they engage in conversation, though I often can't actually talk back, as the return address is often anonymous. Where I can, though, I will reply, more often than not. It's good to know that there is a network of people across the world engaged in similar work, with similar concerns, and that I'm a tiny part of it. And so are you, reading this...

ps just to complicate matters, the photo is by Sandy Marcoux Mine didn't turn out well enough to publish. Digital cameras are idiotproof, but only if you remember to check the settings before you click...sigh...

Underthought?

This little thing is only eight inches square. Having talked about how long we can take to think things over, I thought I'd post something that took less than an hour to make, start to finish. I can hear the sharp intakes of breath from here!! But it is possible to work fast, or quick and dirty, if you like, given that much of what I used in this piece came from the floor...a good way of tidying up if ever I had one.

The piece was made as part of the 'sheep' challenge on AlternativeQuiltList a couple of years ago. There had been a spirited conversation about a poet who got a grant of several thousand pounds in order to have a flock of sheep, each with a word pinned on it, so that she could make random poems from the way the flock positioned itself. If you see what I mean... That turned into a challenge for us to make a piece from four random words. To make it a bit more interesting, the piece had to be small, and, for the diehards among us, had to be finished in no more than an hour, including design.

The words that inspired this particular piece were, 'undiscovered', 'sheep', 'glorious', and 'silence'. It is so long ago that I no longer remember how those words produced this particular piece, other than I think I focussed on the last two. It's not great art. But I'm quite fond of it, and it works for me. At the end of the day, though, I'm not actually aiming to produce Great Art...I just want to express myself. And that is undeniably what I do.

Looking Back?

Possibly. The quilts just arrived home from Lyon; there had been some confusion over postcodes, so they took their time about it. Milliecat has slept on them, so they must be the right quilts...she's a great believer, like most of her species, in welcoming anything cloth into the house by lying on it, but only sleeps on my quilts. Looking at them spread out on the dining room table, I was reminded that I had meant to tell you the story of 'Swoop'.

I had promised Lyon ten quilts, and had prepared about a dozen for quilting. However, having made nine of the ten, the last one had to be a particular size, and Swoop (which at this point was known as 'that yellow thing') was the only one of that size remaining. I looked at it again, and felt distinctly uninspired. So I did what anyone would have done; I procrastinated. I put it up on the design wall and waited. Sat with it. Let it talk. Let it talk some more.

Finally, it told me that though I could see a distinct 'e' shape at the bottom of the quilt, that e shape was not the point. Add some more marks, it said. So I did, those feathery shapes you see falling through the quilt. When I did that, it said 'Swoop'. So that was its name, and was added to the top left of the quilt, just in case anyone was in any doubt (like me, for instance). The quilting was left minimal, just enough to support the movement through the quilt. And to show the 'person like' figure to the bottom left, and the 'eye' at the top right...all of which feature in most of my work...well, ok, much of my work. And that was it. It hung reasonably well in Lyon, I thought. More importantly, I feel happy with it. Sometimes you have to hang on...and on...and on...until something says what it really is. In this case, though, I didn't have the luxury of time; there was a deadline, and it was close. Those elements combined produced the finished quilt. Sometimes, I think, we give ourselves too much time to think. It can be a good idea to short circuit that process, whether or not we have a deadline, just to focus the mind. It certainly worked for me...

Layering

I spent a lot of time in Lyon demonstrating how to colour lutradur. For some of the time, I worked small, but this is a section of a larger piece that was added to over two days. I like working with lutradur this way, it can take a surprising number of different layers of colour. Now, though, I have to make some decisions. Do I put this onto something else, or do I use it as it is? Is it strong enough to work on its own, or does it need something else added? Decisions, decisions. Watch this space...

Onwards...

if not upwards. Robin rang a minute ago to say he would be leaving work shortly; I couldn't believe that most of the day had already gone (albeit it's only half past four). I've been painting all day, with a break for lunch and a couple of telephone calls, one from an artist friend who hasn't been in touch for a while, so I was delighted to talk to him. Especially as he reminded me of a joint project we'd been talking about ages ago, and was keen to go with it. More as that progresses, I promise.

The new work is mixed media, I'm using my own handmade paper on a board support, and painting on top. I've always resisted collage like the plague, but find myself having a happy time with it, mainly, I think, because I'm only using the technique, the paper equivalent of applique, rather than trying to compose images with it. The image on today's blog is a small mixed media piece I made some time ago. The odd green dot is, I hope, on the scanner, not on the work (note to self, must clean scanner!). It's a tiny thing, really, about 7" by 5". When I get myself an Etsy shop, or selling blog, or whatever I decide to do (I used to be indecisive, now I can't make up my mind, to quote one of my friends, the redoubtable Sally), it's small pieces like that in paint and textile that I think I would offer. I'm rather fond of this small piece, Red Rains, and might well make some more on that theme.

Now to go get the paint off my hands; it is acrylic, and so isn't a problem. However, as it is warm today, it has been drying even quicker than usual, and I forget to put retarder in it, so find myself adding layer upon layer to Get It Right. I have, however, moved from the conservatory to the upstairs studio; I realised that splashing paint around near my large silk screens was Not The Most Sensible Thing To Be Doing... Yes, I did, no, it's really quite small, yes, it's in the middle. Sigh. What a twit.

Getting On With Things.

Painting today, quiet work that isn't ready to be seen, tentative, exploratory. And reminiscent of some of the early things I made when I began to paint, some seven or so years ago (how time flies...). The difference, though, is that I know what the work is about. I can remember starting out with paints, not knowing anything much, not what I wanted to say, nor yet how to say it. I at least know now what it is I want to say, and my understanding of what paint will and will not do is much improved. We will see...

Another bark drawing...Christiane was right when she said she thought the original piece of bark came from a plane tree. There is an avenue of plane trees on the way in to Norwich, or one of them, anyway, and it always catches my eye, particularly in winter, when there are no leaves to distract the eye, and it can dwell on the subtleties of the bark, the curves and shadows. It is those subtleties of line and colour that I want to capture in paint, somehow.

Back To Work?

Not quite. But tidying up a workspace, in this case, the conservatory (which isn't really supposed to be a workspace, but that's another story...), can bring one to a certain creativity...in this case, a new totem doll. I haven't made one of these in a while, but now that I've started again, I can see that I'll have to take some of the designer scraps I bought in Lyon to make some very soignee dolls indeed...

Higher on the agenda, though, is to work through the ideas that I had in Lyon, which are in part a continuation of my interest in mark making and how we interpret it. I'm fascinated by old walls with marks on them, that tell a story of some kind or another, of an alteration, a removal, a change... La Sucriere, the venue for Expo Magic Quilt, is a former sugar factory, serving well as a performance and art space, but if you look, here and there are marks that show tell stories of its former life. I want to work with those marks, and see what they become in paint and cloth. And, of course, in my imagination...

Hurrah!

Managed to persuade the puter to talk to me...

Doesn't everyone look busy? These are pictures from one of the workshops I taught, I didn't think to take pictures of the other one, sadly. We spent a while making marks on both Pelmet Vilene and Lutradur, sandwiched them together to make a postcard, and embellished with all sorts of bits and pieces that just happened to be in my suitcase! My apologies for the quality of the pictures, in some cases they're slightly lacking in focus; I suspect that that is because I spent rather a lot of time laughing (as did everyone else, I hasten to add...). I hope they show that A Good Time Was Had By All Concerned!

There I Was...

waiting for a plane at St Exupery airport (which is a beautiful building, incidentally, Sandy has photos...), minding my own business, browsing the bookshelves...and I found THIS...a special issue of (art absolument) (absolute art), marking an exhibit by Anselm Kiefer at the Grand Palais. I couldn't possibly resist such a beautiful thing, one of my favourite artists...the magazine is full of incredible photographs of the work, an interview with the artist, and analysis of the exhibit itself. If you have to wait for a plane, there are much worse things to read than this...

I find Kiefer to be a personal inspiration, because he works in so many different media, successfully, managing to bring together all kinds of ways and means of working in a seamless whole. It is something I aspire to, but am far from achieving. Perhaps the clarity of thought I achieved in Lyon about my subject matter and how to approach it will help with this...or perhaps not. Perhaps it's a question of discipline, more than anything. I don't know. As the Russians say, we shall live on, and we shall see.

Grrrrrrrrr

I had a plan. I have all these lovely photos to share with you. I was going to do that this week. Instead, I've been struggling with a recalcitrant computer, trying to persuade it to switch on at all, so that I could work with the images. On Monday, I call a repair man. It Will Be Fixed. I Will Show You Those Images. So there!

Meanwhile, this is what I was playing with on the last day in Lyon, which we spent basking in a small park near the station. A piece of bark fell off a tree and landed in front of me, so I picked it up. I have a photo of it, surprise surprise, but for the moment, you don't get to see that... this is one of the drawings I made from it, instead. I love to draw. I can sit for hours making marks on paper, exploring what is hidden on that white surface, creating ideas and meaning for myself.

Sadly, the hair dyeing/cloth dyeing experiment will have to wait til the next time I have my hair coloured; just as soon as I took myself and my hair to the hairdresser, it all settled down. I'm pleased, I think... just a somewhat missed opportunity. Sigh. Maybe I'll try getting a life, instead...

Part Of The Attraction....

of participating in a big show, of course, is the shopping. We met some charming people, and amongst them, a company that makes designer fabric, and comes to the French shows to sell the offcuts, beautifully packaged and carefully selected. I have plans for this lot, and the others, just as soon as I get things back to normal.

Normal? I hear you wonder... well, okay, bad choice of word. But I am having a general clear out and clear up, clearing the decks, if you will, before starting on some new work. I also have to get a quilt ready to go out to the US, my contribution to the 'From The Heart' exhibition that will show at several of the Mancuso venues this year. And then down to some serious writing, to finish the lutradur book, and also to begin a new one, which I think will turn out to be the book I wished I could find when I was starting out as an art quilter...

And I want to paint, too. I had a series of ideas, breakthroughs, if you like, in France, about the direction I'd like my painting to move in. Now I get to clear the studio, and go buy some materials, ready to start. It's exciting, like a new start always is. I'm looking forward to a few weeks of focussed activity.

Vive La France!!!

Yes, that does mean that I had a Really Good Time in Lyon; many thanks to everyone who sent their good wishes. To be honest, it's difficult to have a bad time in France...good weather (apart from one storm which left us looking like drowned rats), wonderful food, friendly people who said nice things about my French, an interview with the local newspaper, a small part of which was published with photo...what more could a girl wish for? The classes went well, and photos will follow. I think they may even invite me back next year!

The photos are a couple of the booth; I put up a lot of small pieces to let people see and touch the lutradur in the piece. There was certainly a lot of interest; it got to the point where it was easier to explain in French rather than in English (how sad is that...). I met some really interesting people, drank some good wine, had great fun, and thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit itself. The work shown was of really good quality, and an interesting mix of styles and approaches. A fairly high percentage of it was art quilting, whilst the traditional work that was shown was high quality, interesting work.

The only downside was my hair...lovely as it looks, I left a trail of devastation in my wake, towels, pillow cases, clothing, all turned an interesting pinkish red...I need to have words with my (otherwise lovely) hairdresser...sigh. But I might well dry my hair with some cotton, next time I wash it, it made some interesting marks... you have to use what comes into your path, don't you?

It's good to be home...cities are interesting, lovely places, but I missed the countryside, the quiet, the cats and of course, my lovely husband, who interrupted his fiftieth birthday to pick us up from the airport. Awww...

Well, My Bags Are Packed...

but I'm far from ready to go. And bags in the plural is a bit of an exaggeration. So far, I've got the cloth, the lutradur, the small pieces and the dyes etc in the case. Robin thinks there'll not be room for clothes...but he's wrong. Though I may have to go buy a cutting mat that will fit into my case... unless Sandy's is smaller than mine, of course, in which case it'll be her problem... I've still got the worksheets to laminate, the clothes to pack (I am taking some...) and various bits and bobs to sort out tomorrow, like collecting my happy pills from the pharmacy, and getting some Euros from the Post Office. It's always a good idea to be able to pay the bus or the taxi, after all...

I thought I'd give myself something to look forward to when I get home, and this piece of cloth is it. I love reds and oranges, and this piece of cloth wants to be a tiny wholecloth all by itself. I think. Maybe it'll change its mind before I get home. Who knows? Meanwhile, it's back to ticking things off the list, and an attempt to find the half cup of coffee I abandoned Somewhere In The House...sigh... at least I know where the laminator is...and the ironing board...

Keeping On...and On...and On...

I've been working away again today, finishing small pieces, like 'Celtish II', another version of Celtic inspired imagery and symbolism. I'm getting to like this . I just looked at Jill's blog, Meandering Muse, a new one to me, and found myself really excited by the work she's doing....it's great work, and it looks like FUN... I think I'll head off there any time I need a burst of enthusiasm...

Yesterday evening, I watched television as I ironed innumerable metres of handdye to take to Lyon with me. I'm really excited now, only a couple of days to go until we leave. The To-Do List is getting shorter and shorter, partly because I'm doing lots, but also because I'm scoring things off undone. I decided that there is no point in getting overtired; I want to have fun in Lyon, and for the students in my workshops to have fun too, so I need to conserve lots of energy to make that happen.

Oh, and by the way, I've added a new blog to my repertoire, too... Where Life Meets Art is a sort of continuation of this blog, but with the emphasis on the life, rather than the art. Yes, strange as it might seem, I do have a life outside of making art... there's the family, the cats and all the other odd things and people that make up my life. Besides, it's just the kind of diversion you need when you're up to your eyes in work...another blog....aaaaargh!!!!!!!!!

In Case Anyone Was Wondering...

this is what I look like with my new hair colour, photo courtesy of my lovely next door neighbour and professsional photographer, Mike (thanks Mike. Robin always makes me look like Quasimodo...or worse...).

This is as close as I get to preening and primping in preparation for Lyon. In the last couple of days, I've been to dentist, therapist and hairdresser. I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Well, physically, at least. There's still cloth to iron, suitcase to pack, lutradur to cut and small pieces to finish. And other small things to be done, like find enough needles for hand work... Believe it or not, in all this mayhem, I'm actually having fun!

Okay, Barbara...

I got over it. Thanks to everyone for the kind words, and to Barbara for the kind kick (only kidding, honest...). It was clearly a blip; I got over it today. I've been a busy bee, finishing off small pieces and even managing to assemble a couple, like this piece here, Celtish, which refers to some of the marks made by the Celts on stones and the like, despite not being in a palette that would immediately suggest it! It is made from dyed lutradur over cotton, and is slightly bigger than A4 size. I'm being domestic today, too, though it was pretty pointless hanging out the washing just before a very heavy shower... well, it was warm and pleasant outside, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The next couple of days aren't going to be quite as much fun. Dentist tomorrow, therapist on Thursday and the hairdresser, too. I may not be recognisable in France! So, if I'm quiet for the next couple of days, I either hate my tooth, hate myself or hate my hair. And all three are pretty unlikely, really. But wish me luck, anyway!

Now Is Not The Time...

to have a crisis of confidence, with only a week to go before my trip to France, but it would appear I'm having one anyway. Maybe it's just the overcast weather. Maybe it's the backache. Maybe it's the phase of the moon. Who knows? I just woke this morning thinking that it's all rubbish. So I did what anyone would. I got on with the work anyway. I want to take a selection of postcards and small works to decorate the booth I'm demonstrating in...so I've been finishing off the bits and pieces that have been lying around. This particular piece was made by embellishing wool and other yarns onto a piece of curtain fabric, and a piece of lutradur added on top. Unusually for me, No Stitch Is Involved, unless you count the satin stitch round the edges (which I don't!).

Thank you to everyone who commented on dyeing to sell. Today, the handdyes look as bad as everything else does, but perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow, my mood will improve and all I'll have to worry about is how to get all the stuff I need to take with me to Lyon. The lutradur is being posted; I just have to worry about the rest of it. And it's always astonishing to me just how much 'stuff' you need in order to run a workshop, even if it is only for a couple of hours. Still, hopefully the participants will enjoy it, have fun and make wonderful things to take home...and it'll have been worth it.

To Sell...

or not to sell...that is the question. Well, it isn't really. How to sell is the real question of the day. I've been following Helen Suzanne's posts about selling her hand dyed fabric (which is very nice, I have to say) on ebay, and her comment on my blog. I had thought about selling hand dyed cloth on ebay, and have kept an eye on activity in the cloth section, but decided not to do it, probably for the same reasons as Helen.

My experience of selling handdyes is that it is hard work. And here, I'm talking about the UK, though dyers in the US may think the same! I seem to spend a lot of time explaining things to people. Now I don't mind that, except when it comes to justifying Why Hand Dyed Cloth Is So Expensive. The answer to that, of course, is that whilst dyeing is a joy and a pleasure, it's also time consuming, the dyes (in the UK) are expensive and there's a lot of washing and ironing (and therefore cost) involved. In its way, dyeing is as creative as the other branches of textile art. However, where traditional quilters are faced up with cheap imports from China as a reason for dropping their prices, dyers are faced up with screen printed handdyes (a contradiction in terms if ever there was one!). Neither the imports nor the screenprinted cloth has the originality of a well made quilt or piece of fabric...but it's the price that seems to count. Which is why I have rarely ever offered complex cloth for sale; it's interesting, a joy to make and work with, but extremely expensive, and nobody wants it. Or do they?

This is beginning to sound like a whine, and it's not intended as such. But opportunities for selling handdyes aren't all that common. If you do talks and workshops, there's a side opportunity to sell cloth, too. I'll be taking both lutradur and handdyed cotton to sell at Lyon, and shows like it are ideal opportunities for selling. If you have a website, like Helen, you can sell from there. Or there's Etsy. And there's mail order, too, I guess...and that seems to be about it. Am I missing something? Don't think so... So I find myself wondering about Etsy, which I thought was a US focussed business, but which seems to be attracting increasing numbers of UK traders. A straw poll seemed to produce a number of UK artists doing well.

So, what do you think about Etsy? Is it worthwhile taking on, or should we stick to the tried and tested? And Ebay, too. In the US, it seems possible to sell art through Ebay; why is it so much more difficult in the UK? Or is that just my perception? Let's talk, folks...what's your view? And those of you who aren't making to sell, but who want to buy....what do you really think about hand dyed cloth?

Splish, Splash, Splosh...

and a pair of handdyed hands... oh well, I get carried away... I have a very small washing line, only room for half the cloth on there, so there are two shots of the cloth I made yesterday. The cloth, a cotton poplin, is turning out to be a good dye cloth. Which is just as well, given that I have over a hundred metres of the stuff... Bessie the Boiler is proving her worth, providing me with the water to do the dyeing, I'm eternally grateful to the people who gave her to me. Freecycle is a wonderful thing.

I took a couple of closeups of cloth I'm particularly pleased with, both in reds. I love working with dye, I haven't had an intensive dye day for a long time, and I'd forgotten just how good it is!

Today's batch of cloth has just had the soda ash added, and is working away happily in the sun. Tomorrow's has yet to be cut off the roll and run through the washing machine. I need to make up a fresh set of dyes (used them all up today...), and all will be ready for tomorrow. I might do some resist dyeing; one of my neighbours is coming to 'watch and learn'...that's what she thinks... shall get her involved by hook or by crook!

Meanwhile, lunch beckons, and a project for the lutradur book...no rest for the wicked!

Dyeing Today...

but not publishing, apparently. I've just wasted half an hour trying to persuade Blogger that it does want to publish today's post. So if you're reading another post headed Dyeing Today...or have already read it, then Blogger has relented and published the original. Actually, I'm dyeing, printing and writing all this week, though not all at the same time; my concentration isn't as good as all that these days! The cloth will come with me to Lyon, so if you're coming, you can get up close and personal with it; I actively encourage people to touch the fabric, stroke it, get to know it a bit. There's a nice mix of strong, vibrant colour and more restrained pastels appearing in this batch, I'm pleased. Who knows what we'll end up with by the end of the week!





I used to run around like a headless chicken when I dyed, but these days I'm calm. What's more, I get just as much done, if not more, and with much less angst. So, while waiting for the dyes to set, I'm writing this, playing with some images and thinking about the lutradur book. The image is one from Barcelona, a grafittoed (grafittied? grafittised?) tree. Amazing what a couple of filters can do to an image, as you can see in this case. I defy anyone not to be inspired in some way by these pictures; in fact, let's make it a challenge... Download one, or both, of the pictures, see what it inspires you to do, write about it in your blog with a link to this post, and lets see how many different ideas we can generate!

And now to see if Blogger will publish this time...sigh...

Dyeing Today....

and for most of the rest of the week. Writing, too, and printing on some of the cloth, but probably not all at the same time. My concentration definitely doesn't stretch to that any more. My camera/computer interface is sulking, so I can't show you the lovely brights and muted pastels that I'm making, but if you can go to Lyon, you'll be able to meet 'em up close and personal. Not to mention that the computer can't sulk forever...and hopefully, I'll have more cloth to show you later on in the week.

I'm trawling through the Barcelona photographs, playing with one I took of a tree, the bark is beautiful and it has been grafittied (grafittoed? grafittised?) to boot, though I didn't notice that til after I'd taken the shot. We sometimes think that inspiration will never come to us; but look at the shapes in this photograph, and the colours, and the difference between the two shots as a result of the filters I've applied in PSP (Paint Shop Pro, to the uninitiated...can't afford Photoshop...). Who could fail to be inspired by that?

In fact, call it a challenge if you like. Borrow one of the photos, or both, if you like, and use it as the basis for an idea. Pop it up on your blog, link it to this post and let me know when you've done so. Lets see how many different concepts come out of these two images....or rather, one image.

Have fun!!

Hand Work...

isn't something I'm associated with, much, but ever since I made a hand quilted piece from a piece of rust dyed silk, I've wanted to do a bit more. Today, as well as preparing the lutradur for the workshop in Lyon, I made a postcard, one of the first of several samples I'll take with me. It is made from lutradur and pelmet vilene, with an edging of knobbly yarn attached using hand stitching, and some random seed stitches at the bottom, and measures 8" by 6". It was fun! I'm now working on a smaller version with a similar theme, but using blanket stitch to edge it. Arguably, you don't need to edge the postcards at all; neither vilene nor lutradur fray. But it adds a little something to it, I think.

Gone...

at hideous expense, the Lyon quilts. I feel...relieved. Lets hope they get there safely. I spent most of the day hunting for a book that I needed to send to Sarah, and which I'd put away safely. Yes, we all know what that means. But I did find it eventually, and it is on its way to Edinburgh.

Other than that, there's not much going on. I did domestic stuff, like washing (sigh) and the like...and am about to Iron. I dislike ironing until I get going, and then I remember that it's actually quite mindless, and therefore therapeutic.

Have a bit of eye candy on me...like Margaret Cooter, I was fascinated by Barcelona's eclectic collections of grafitti. This one was spotted behind the market. I'd love to work at that size...sigh...

Gearing Up...

for Lyon. Here's the proof; some of the quilts, rolled up and ready to go. All ten are now ready, all I need to do is add the labels, pack them up and send them, which I'll do tomorrow. All ten are made using lutradur; I hope they demonstrate the versatility of my favourite fabric. Or is that Evolon...sigh... I never expected to be seduced by a polyester cloth, much less two of them!

There's always a lot to do before a show; much of it has nothing much to do with the actual pieces you're exhibiting. I'm trying to get things sorted out in my head; what has to be done, when, and where. The packs for the workshops have to be assembled; I may dye and print some cloth to take, too, and some lutradur. I may also translate the lutradur worksheet into French, laminate it and take some to sell. (Yes, I know it's a free worksheet, but laminating etc all costs money. I won't make a profit, but I'd like to spread the word a bit, make it easier for people to use this new and wonderful material. Do I sound like a commercial? Probably. Sorry, just enthusiastic.

Very!

The other picture is of postcards and other small works, waiting to be trimmed and finished, so that they too can travel to Lyon. Some are embellished, some lutradur, some quite heavily stitched. Unlikely as it sounds, I do do more than just use lutradur...sometimes...

It's Amazing...

what you can do when you have to. I've just about finished Swoop, the last of the quilts for Lyon.
So what, I hear you holler? Well, I'm completely and utterly stoned. For all the best of reasons. It would appear that antidepressants plus painkillers plus antibiotics and a wee bit of iron combine to leave me, at best, lightheaded. I was intending to write at length about Swoop, and how it came to be how it is, but it'll have to wait until I have a clear head. As will the other stuff I have to worry about, like the sleeves for nine quilts, and the location of 'Blue Tree Dreaming' (it's upstairs somewhere, it must be...). Sigh.

Meanwhile, a snippet of a spread from an altered book. I now know what I'm going to use it for.
But more of that when I'm compos mentis...

Ouch!

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Ouch, ouch, ouch. Yes, said the dentist, I think root canal work is in order here... my poor front tooth (okay, one of them...). So I'm doped up to the eyeballs, penicillin and painkillers, looking forward to being able to bite into something soon without wincing, weeping or whingeing. And the dentist visit today did let me sew on the first of the sleeves for the Lyon quilts. I hate sleeves almost as much as I hate binding...sigh...

I thought I'd say that the Lutradur worksheet I cowrote with Dijanne Cevaal is still available; however, for me to send it to you, I do have to have your email address. If you reply with your Blogger identity, often there isn't a return email address, so if you're waiting for a copy, please contact me, in case that is the problem (lutradur@tiscali.co.uk).

Isn't she wonderful? Spotted reclining in the garden at Oxburgh. Sadly, she was the wrong side of the moat, so I couldn't get up close and personal with her, but even at that distance, she's lovely.

My Favourite Tool...

for drawing, at least, is a Pentel Brush Pen. They're not cheap, exactly, but they behave like a brush, and the variety of marks obtainable by using them is amazing. This drawing was made this morning in my sketchbook; as usual, I was early for the therapist and spent the time taking a couple of photos and drawing. Then, of course, there are calligraphy pens, coloured pens and all sorts of other excitements.

What struck me about this drawing, or doodle, really, was that it demonstrates what I've been learning recently about mark making, design, repetition and scale. The more I do, the more I learn, and, interestingly, the less I read. What it seems to need now is a colour wash...and perhaps a few more lines...

The thing about birthdays is that you get to buy yourself wonderful things; in this case, The Surface Designer's Handbook by Holly Brackman. I've purged my dyeing books long since, but this one gave me three ideas in the space of as many minutes, so it seemed a good way to spend the voucher Andrew and Sarah gave me. I also bought the last in the series of books on Boudica by Manda Scott. Boudica would have been very familiar with the landscapes I live in now. She was, as the Scots say, a bonnie fechter (a good fighter; though the Scots means something more than that, that I find untranslatable).

Real Life...

is now back in force...therapy today, more tomorrow, must be real life!! In many ways, it's a privilege to have regular opportunities to talk about your life and your feelings with someone who listens, comments and asks good questions. It helps. Drawing also helps. And lots of other things. No work done today, just a bit of reading, a Su Doku puzzle and a lot of thinking. Tonight's tea is cooking on the hob, the cats have been fed and I'm going to Norwich tomorrow to spend the Borders token that I was given for my birthday. With a bit of luck, Robin will take me to lunch, too... and all will be well with the world.

The photograph is of a wall at Oxburgh; I was struck by the patterning of the plant on the brickwork, and by the obviously filled in part that differs quite dramatically from its surrounding bricks. Wonder what the story there is... I'm also struck by the patterning left on next door's garage, now that Mike has cleared back the shrubbery and cut away the ivy. Must take a picture of that, too; it's definitely food for thought...

Back...

to England from Edinburgh. Back to work from...I would have said relaxing, but it was a busy few days, and I think I need a holiday from my holiday, now! As Sandy had never been to Scotland before, we did some touristy things, but the trip to Dirleton Castle was as much business as pleasure; Andrew and Sarah will be married there next year, so we wanted to go and look at the venue, and the hotel they've chosen for afterwards. As you can see from the photo, the colours in the walls of the castle are amazing, and the area in which the ceremony will take place is very impressive. I think there's a painting in there, somewhere, or a quilt...but for now, I'm focussing on the last of the quilts for the show in Lyon next month. It'll just have to wait in the queue...and there's always a queue...

Of course, we had to eat while there...and we went to a Mongolian restaurant. It was by way of celebrating four non-birthdays; Andrew was 25 last month, Robin's mother had a birthday the week before, I have a birthday this week and Robin has a landmark birthday next month. Our friends Alison and Michael came to celebrate with us, and much fun was had. No cake, though. Sigh. I'll have to make one for myself, I think... We did have balloons, though, large ones with 50 prominent on them...oh, did I tell? Oops!

More sightseeing, and a long drive back home on Sunday. It was wonderful to see everyone, but it's great to be home and back to work. 'Swirl', the last quilt for Lyon, is half quilted, the sleeves are to be made and added, labels too. Not to mention the packs for the workshop. It will be fun, though...and I hope to squeeze in some dyeing, too.

Inspiration...

comes in all shapes and sizes; in this case, the natural world provides shape, colour and texture to make me wonder and imagine...and, of course, draw. Short breaks are wonderful, but they don't allow you time to sit and stare, or sit and draw. Or just sit...though my feet required regular breaks. The rest of me was happy to walk and walk.

We get accustomed to the plants that surround us daily in our own habitat. I found the palm trees fascinating, their shapes, sizes and textures...not to mention the flashes of flying green parrot that could be spotted in and around the branches (or are they bracts? I'm not a gardener...). Palm trees seem vital, somehow, reaching strong and tall to the sun. I find myself pondering personal totems, and somehow feel that the palm could well be one such.

Home Again, Home Again...

a

but only for a few days; I'm going up to visit friends and relations in Edinburgh on Wednesday, so am likely to have another quiet week blogwise, if not in real life... though we might well take the laptop... there's a thought...

Barcelona was.... how do you describe it? I could do a string of superlatives, but at the end of the day, the best I can say is that it is magnificent, and I will go back, sooner rather than later. I loved it. Colour, light, food, sea, friends, laughter, Gaudi; what more could a girl want? Photographs will doubtless follow in the days to come; the first of them come from the market, a huge indoor market that was fascinating to visit (and revisit). How unlike me to concentrate on food, first...but look at the wonderful colours. They glow. If I wanted inspiration, I need not have gone any further than here. We did, of course. We walked and walked (I have the blister to prove it!). Every corner turned produced something else to marvel at. And marvel, I did. I have 130 photographs to prove it!

In the meantime, I've got sleeves to make for the quilts that have to travel to France, and three of them still to quilt. Don't think I'll get all of that done today, somehow, but perhaps much of it will be done before Wednesday. Today, though, a nap and a little light thinking...

Checking Out...

for a little holiday with Dijanne and Sandy. A few days in Barcelona, soaking up the beauty (guaranteed), the sun (likely) and doubtless a bottle or three (or four) of wine... Last time we three went anywhere together, we came back with Big Plans, which got overrun by Life In General. Who knows what'll happen this time...and we're also planning to go to Carrefour in September, so we've got time to Get Things Done. And of course, mainland Europe has time to recover from the shock of the three of us in one place, together...

It's clearly the season for holidays; my friend Terry is white water rafting in the Grand Canyon. I'm not sure what possessed her to go do that, and I'm not that sure she knows, either. And there was a queue for bureau de change services in the post office. But I'm all ready, I know where my passport is, and I'll pack me bags tonight. Sadly, the quilting will have to wait, though I've got all the remaining quilts tacked up and ready to quilt when I get home. Then, of course, I disappear again, to Edinburgh, to visit our son, Robin's mother and sundry friends... I'll be glad of a rest by the time that's all done... just in time for France and the show in Lyon.

The picture today is of a printed piece that I overdyed, just out of interest. I'd not overdyed printers ink before, it held up well, certainly better than acrylic paint does. Here speaketh the voice of experience... Now, I want to add some lutradur, dyed in a particular way, and then, possibly burned back to expose the pink at the centre of the print. All these ideas, so little time... better get started. I want to finish the sixth quilt before I vanish off to play with Dijanne and Sandy!

Few Things...

are more annoying to a dyer than discovering that the cloth she bought in good faith as cotton poplin, is in fact a poly blend. It looked like poplin. It felt like poplin. It was marked as poplin. It wasn't. Grrrrrrrrr. Note the pastels ahanging on the line. Still, I had intended using it for backings, so I dare say it'll not kill me to have pretty pastels on the back of my work. And I did use another cloth, which did produce that lovely blue. And, fortunately, this is not the cloth I bought a bolt of. Come to think of it, I didn't use that yesterday, and I should have. Must Test...but later, when I'm not dressed in Good Clothes. Between painting and dyeing, I don't have that many Good Clothes left...sigh.

Bessie the Boiler was pressed into service yesterday, and she performed magnificently; hot water on tap in the tiny area I dye in...dyeing on a sixpence, you could say. She holds more than enough water for a day's dyeing, though if I was production dyeing, she would need to be filled twice, I think. But a nice day's personal use stuff was fine. Yippee!!


Now to iron the cloth, and see what goes with what...hopefully the sixth of the ten quilts for Lyon will be finished today. All I have to do now is Wait For Batting... and, of course, pop over to Barcelona at the weekend with Sandy and Dijanne, and then to Edinburgh later in the month... My, ain't I busy...but it should all be fun, and I can always take the quilts and sleeves with me to edinburgh to finish off...I hate sleeves...grr...

A Whole Bolt...

of cotton poplin arrived yesterday, all 116 metres of it. Overkill? Well, yes, now that you mention it. I'm not really selling cloth any more, so that's enough to keep me going for quite a while... a year or two, perhaps?

The truth of it is, I miss dyeing. I enjoy taking pieces of cloth and changing them completely, from white to multicoloured, from multicoloured to patterned, from patterned to 'complex'. It's an adventure all by itself. Some of the cloth I make, I can't work out what to do with. One piece lay around for about eight years before I used it in Urban Grafitti II, which is bound for the 'From The Heart' exhibit in the US this year. I need some backing cloth for quilts for France this year, so that will be my primary objective this week, I think, but any piece of cloth, the more boring the better, can be used as a springboard for surface design work.

The picture today is the newly bound 'Three Red Suns'. I don't usually do binding, but it seemed appropriate on some of the lutradur pieces. I think it improves the piece.