Textile groups update

Traverse
As you know I belong to a mixed media and textile art group called Traverse.  We got together last weekend for our first meeting since we finished our Destinations theme.

Yesterday we revealed our new theme:

Revealed

There are two ways to go with a theme - a technique-based route or a concept-based route.  I really want to go with the concept- based route but unfortunately it's much easier to think of techniques that fit with Revealed or its opposite Concealed.   However I have looked at all that comes to mind with the topic as well as looking for synonyms and antonyms.

I tried firstly to make lists of words.

Then I decided to try my usual method of mind mapping (or whatever it's called these days!).  The problem with any of this is that I've probably got enough ideas here for the rest of my life!  I only need a minimum of 3 pieces of work by March 2019.  Plus I have at least another 4 of these mind maps on other themes.

 

The ideas may be hidden now, but no doubt the right ones will reveal themselves.

I know!! You're allowed to groan.

So on to the next group!

Near & Far
I have joined an online group called Near & Far.  This is a Facebook-based group run by Chris Gray.  She hopes that we will have a gallery exhibition at some point.   The theme for this group is Maps & Journeys.  And guess what I'm doing!

That's right! Venice!

We each have to make a minimum of 3 pieces - one wearable, one useful and one decorative.  I am going to make a Venice-inspired dress, a sketchbook with a Venice-inspired cover and a scroll book as the decorative piece that will be some sort of imagined journey along the Grand Canal.   I have bought several books about secret Venice so watch this space!

And lastly

Art Textile Group
I am also signed up to join a new venture that Liske is setting up at Littleheath Barn Studio.

Liske's description: In the art textiles class we will use the seasons as our inspiration and the plan will be to work on a series of 4 collage style pieces using fabrics created on the course, and adding work from home to suit your skills! Input from the group will help the course evolve and we will have the chance to exhibit at Avoncroft at the end of the final term!

So of course I have to share this:

I think I'm going to be a bit busy for the next few months!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

April in my EveryDay Journal

There was a lot going on in April and as a consequence my Journal is not complete for the month but I thought I would show it you anyway.   I have taken these photos twice and I'm still not happy with them.  😥  However I have just found that Blogger has Emojis.  😀😀

I'm afraid I didn't finish the page for the month.

The theme for April in the EveryDay Journal  & Living Your Word of the Year group was verse mapping.  Here's my very first attempt.

And my second go at it.

I chose two more verses and wrote them in my journal but haven't done anything with them yet.

Then Elaine came to stay.

And then I went off to do a workshop with Debbie Lyddon.

Currently May isn't looking too busy so hopefully I might catch up - with myself as well as with the journal!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Exploring Place with Debbie Lyddon

Last week I spent 4 days in the Hampshire countryside near Winchester at The Granary Studio run by Susan Chapman.   The workshop was called Exploring Place and was led by Debbie Lyddon.

The first three days each had a walk with a purpose - to either look, listen or touch.  Day 4 was a consolidation day - hopefully finishing things.

Day one concentrated on looking. We looked carefully at things in the distance, in the middle distance and close by.  We were encouraged to pick things up from the environment and take them back to the studio.

Debbie also asked us to make small drawings and to write words.

Marks made back in the studio

Back in the studio, Debbie showed us how to make gesso using the lumps of chalk various people had picked up.  I sewed some fabric to make a cylinder and put it onto a piece of pipe and covered the fabric with the gesso.  I also painted gesso onto two squares of fabric.

We used some of the things we had picked up to do some printing.

Day 2 was about listening.  We went outside again and each chose a place to stand or sit.  I lent up against a wall in the churchyard.  Again we were encouraged to write words about what we could hear and to make marks to represent the sounds.

We could choose to make a long 'timeline' book or a one sheet 'environment' book.  I made both.  This sheet of paper was folded and cut for the 'environment' book

 And part of the folded 'timeline' book can be seen in this photo.

Day 3 concentrated on touch.  We went out for a walk again and picked up things from the environment.  Again we wrote words and make small drawings.  However we had to feel the object with our eyes closed and draw.  Not at all easy!

One of the things I picked up was a broken piece of bathroom tile.  One side was shiny blue and the other side was rough.  Using one of the gessoed squares I sewed a pocket with the gesso side inside, to reesent the rough back of the tile.  I cut another piece of fabric and coloured it blue.  I used beeswax on this to make it shiny and smooth.  Then sewed it together to make a pocket.  The piece of tile sits inside gessoed pocket, which in turn sits inside the blue pocket.

I had written some of the words from day one on tissue paper.  I glued those to the cylinder and to the second square of gessoed fabric.  I also glued some strips of the printed fabric round the cylinder and waxed it.  I stitched on the fabric square.

On the last day Debbie showed us how to make paper pockets on the sewing machine.  I made a large one to hold a piece of roof tile I had found.

I made a small one using one of the leaf prints I had done to hold a piece of peeling bark.

I used some of the left over prints and other bits to make a small book.  I had also coloured a piece of fabric and handstitched a leaf print onto it.  I made this into another pocket to hold the book.

As I had so many projects on the go during the 4 days, it was a lovely surprise at the end of the workshop to put everything together and find how much I had done.

Thanks so much for joining me today.
Bernice