Biography or Statement

This week I have been struggling with writing an Artist's CV and an Artists Biography.  I've yet to tackle the 'summarise your art practice' part of a project application I want to make.  More about the project in months to come.

I have also been looking back through some of my textile pieces so thought I would share this one with you.

Florida Freedom

I borrowed the format for the CV from Susan Purney-Mark so I have managed to complete that.

But the artist's biography - oh my!

It's so hard to blow one's own trumpet or even talk about ourselves.  Or is that just a British thing!?!  Do people in other countries stuggle like we do?

I have written the biography but it still needs polishing before I unleash it on the world!

In the mantime I suggested to the writers group I facilitate that they might like to write a Writers Biography.  Not sure how popular I'll be with that suggestion!

But that led me to thinking about this blog.  Why do I write it and who for?

Which is probably describing my practice rather than my writer's biography!

Actually I write it for me.  I don't have a reader in mind - the equivalent of a 'client avatar'.  I also don't do it to build up numbers of readers. In fact lately I've had a few people unsubscribe - maybe they are reading this via a different route.

I write it as a sort of journal.  I can look back at my memories of travel and holidays.  I can look back at my textile and mixed media progress.  I can look at the various workshops I've done.

And I get to take a few of you along with me - which is great.

I love sharing my creative practice with whoever reads my blog - whether you have an email subscription orfollow me on Facebook.  

I believe everyone - ALL - are creative but not necessarily artists.  Creativity takes many forms - just feel encouraged to do what you do.

And if you get any inspiration here then that's great.

See you next time.  Thanks for being here today.
Bernice

There's still time

There's still time to visit the Making Connections exibition by members of Midlands Textile Forum at Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch.  It's on until 4pm on Sunday June 2nd.

Here's a glimpse of some of the pieces you can see there.

I have 4 pieces on display.  Venice related.  Of course!

Stones of Venice

Three of the pieces are in display cabinets and really difficult to photograph so here they are at home!

O Sole  Mio

Not a book

Vennice Sketchbook

Do let me know if you go to see the exhibition.

I will be there on June 2nd from 1pm as one of the artists at a Meet the Artist session.  Hope to see you there.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

More creative writing

This week was Theme Poetry with Sara-Jane Arbury.  She always starts with a warm up exercise.

This week's idea was Litter-ature.  Sara-Jane suggested some ways we could approach this topic.  I was very taken with her comment that litter is something else before it becomes litter.  It's only litter once it leaves our hands and hits the floor and is left there.

Michael Walter on Unsplash

The Question

Why did it go wrong?
I was held upright
without thorns, bud ready.
Pinkish-red, tall, proud.
A token of love.
He held me, sniffed
my heady perfume
ready to fall to his knees
and ask his question. 

Where did it go wrong?
I was thrown to the ground.
She trod on me
twisting her foot.
No longer tall and proud
but torn apart
petals strewn across the path
As tears fell down his face. 

The theme for this online session was Sand and Peat.  Sara-Jane gave us a presentation about these and introduced us to three poems.  Then it was our turn.

Shoreline

Shape shifting
reality not CGI.
Shape shifters.
Dunes wind-blown
to angles of repose.
Miniscule crystals slide
unwillingly
transposed from height
to shore
meeting the encroaching tide.
Dragged back and forth
the grains grinding
against each other.
Eventually deposited
by the highest tide.
Dried out and wind-blown
reach the summit
to settle again in that
angle of repose.
Waiting
for the next
unwilling glide

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Creative Writing

At my church I facilitate a group for those who enjoy creative writing.  I set up the group at the beginning of Lockdown 1 on Zoom.   We have remained meeting on zoom most months.

Recently we had our second in-person get-together.  I set us the task of writing on either the theme of River or Lost and/or Found.

In my recent posts on travelling around Wiltshire you might remember I mentioned the problems I had with the satnav.  This inspired my 15 minute piece of writing.

LOST/FOUND 

The satnav screen showed an arrow ploughing through farmers’ fields. Running parallel to the A road the car was actually travelling on. Sometimes there was just a grid. Totally lost. Not knowing where I was. No signs. Just following the ribbon of tarmac in the fond hope I was travelling north and would eventually arrive at my destination. 

‘Turn left onto Friday Street.
Do a U-turn and continue on Friday Street.
Go South East on Friday Street.
Turn right and continue on Friday Street.’ 

The satnav’s voice seemed to get more anxious as it blurted out a stream of nonsensical instructions. At any moment I thought it was going to self-destruct. 

And just as it seemed on the verge of giving up, the voice calmly said:
‘At the roundabout take the second exit and stay on the A342.’ 

At last, the satnav had found its way. 

 

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

The first of a series

You may remember the Nonet I wrote called Dancing in Fetters.  I also wrote recently about the zoom workshop I did with Julia Triston.

One of the exercises was to write words on a piece of paper and cut it up and reassemble it.

Instead of the textile I was going to make, I started a new piece by writing the whole of the Nonet on a piece of calico.  I used a thermofax screen I had made some years ago of chains that I had drawn.

I cut this fabric into squares and reassembled it using the sewing machine.  The letters show up more as letters than marks as in the original paper collage.

I printed out various sizes of a treble clef, stave and music notes to see whether this was what I wanted on my hanging.

I settled on a size and drew it out on Stitch 'n' Tear.

I straight stitched the stave on the machine and tore off the tissue.  I hand stitched the treble clef.  I then satin stitched on the machine over the top of the straight stitch.

I drew the music notes on bondaweb befor ironing it onto fabric.  I cut out the notes and ironed them onto the hanging.

I used calico to make the binding.

I had some fabric in my stash that was a perfect match for this piece as it looks like bass clefs.

So, Dancing in Fetters 1 is finished.   Now on to Dancing in Fetters 2.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice