Text, Texture, Textiles

Last week saw the start of new year and a new theme with the Art Textile Group at Littleheath Barn.  The theme for the year is Text, Texture, Textiles.  We started with working on text in our sketchbooks.  I started by using the words walk, path, steps - with 2 crayons taped together.

Using different colours and directions.

Using an italic dip pen and inks

Weaving strips from a magazine page with a paper with writing Simon Sonsino style.

Using a wax candle and watercolour

I drew boxes to experiment with text.

This page is ready for play. It has two rectangles cut out so you can see the page behind.

I played with words cut from the National Trust magazine. As I had two copies of the same magazine, I cut the same words from each. On this page I put the words the right way up and in line.

On the next page I used the same words much more randomly.

These words were taken mostly from the Ramblers magazine.

I scanned the last two pages and printed them out.  I cut the prints into strips and wove them together.

I scanned the weaving into my computer and played with the scale. I printed these out and played again.

I found this page in the National Trust magazine.

I stuck the picture upside down in my sketchbook and stuck squares of the weaving print onto it, having first cut letters out.

I still have all these prints to play with!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

The Three Rs

Reading, Writing and Receiving.  I know!  It's supposed to be Arithmetic, but I try to avoid numbers especially those on bank statements!  Listening doesn't start with an R so I looked for a synonym and found receiving.

So what am I receiving?  What am I listening to?

On Sundays I listen to the preacher from my church.  During the week I listen to podcasts from Matt Tommey.  On Tuesdays he interviews artists of all kinds and on Fridays he does something called Five Minute Mentoring.

What am I reading?  Or re-reading?

I've just finished re-reading 'Stay the Path' by Bobbie Houston and 'The Gifts of Imperfection' by Brene Brown.   I like to read books very quickly so have to keep re-reading them to be sure I've taken in everything.

I'm also re-reading the D.I. Nikki Galena series on Kindle Unlimited, having just finished re-reading the D.I. Munro series by Pete Brassett.  Next on my list to re-read are Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti books and another great series, set in Venice, by Philip Gwynne Jones.

What am I writing?

Well, this blog obviously.  I'm also writing two blog posts on creativity for the church blog.  In addition I have set up a zoom & WhatsApp group of writers and poets from church where we encourage one another in our writing.  Here's a poem I wrote earlier!

What am I watching?

I've just finished watching three weeks of the Tour de France.  Despite not having a bike myself I love watching cycle racing.  Strange or what!  Last week Sky Arts moved to Freeview so now I'm watching lots of programmes from there.  There was a great documentary on Madness over the weekend.  The group not a condition!!!!  And tomorrow Bake Off starts - hooray!

I realise that's four questons I've asked myself.  And watching doesn't begin with an R.  Reviewing was the nearest R word I could find.

I've loved thinking about R words, rather than the R rate.  How about you?

What are you receiving, reading, writing, or reviewing?

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

A Surprise Day Out

It was my birthday in August and after a FaceTime call from the Hopper Juniors and minis, Roger took me out on a mystery trip.  All I was told was that I needed to take my walking shoes with me.

Roger drove us to a small place called Shardlow in Derbyshire.

We walked along the Trent and Mersey Canal towards the river Trent.

A bit autumnal for the middle of August!

The bridge over the river Trent

Along the river

Roger walking in true Hopper style.  Naomi tells me Andy does the same!

Trent Lock and a pub lunch

And then we walked back. Roger said it was a 5 mile walk.  Strava said it was over 8 miles.

I relaxed for the rest of the week!  It took 5 days before I could walk without pain!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post either here or on Facebook.  I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice