Tuesday, 25 July 2023

Exhibition Days Away

We went away for a couple of days because I wanted to go to two exhibitions.  We could probably have done both in one day but it was nicer to go at a slower pace.

Firstly, we went to the Willow Gallery in Oswestry to see their current exhibition Stitch by Stitch.  It was lovely to see work made by people I know including Jo Smith, Liske Johnson, Karen Herrick and Cas Holmes amongst others.

Jo Smith: Garden Friends - Red Fox

Liske Johnson: Squinting at the Sea

Sorry ladies about the quality of the photos - I was snatching them with my phone.  It's a popular exhibition and between the people and the lighting it was quite difficult to get good photos. (well That's my excuse!)

Then we went to the British Ironwork Centre. This was part sculpture park, shop, cafe and craft studios. It was also advertising the Knife Angel but we didn't ever find it which is odd because it's very tall.  I'm pleased we saw it when it was in Worcester.



From Oswestry we made our way to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct where we had lunch and a short walk beside the canal.

A narrowboat crossing the aqueduct

The view from the aqueduct

The aqueduct

From there we drove through Llangollen and stopped at Horseshoe Falls.  I thought this was going to be a waterfall but turned out to be a cast iron weir. It enables water to be taken from the River Dee to feed the Llangollen Canal.

We continued our journing to Ruthin where I had booked us into a hotel.  The view from the bedroom window was fabulous.

I was going to write about both days but we did so much in each day that I will save day two for another post.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Saturday, 22 July 2023

Getting Ready

Next week I am going to Littleheath Barn Studio for the first two days of a four day Summer School.  The second two days are a week later.

The theme is Buildings.  I love buildings and architecture and few textile artists seem to use this topic so I was excited to sign up.

However!

Do I use the redbrick buildings I love along the canals in the West Midlands?  Or do I use the beautiful architecture found in Venice as inspiration? 

I decided I would get out all the things I have related to the two topics.

Canals

Books 

Sketchbooks

Photobooks


My poem as a Thermofax screen

Lots of collage material

Venice

Books

Sketchbooks

Stamps and Stencils

Thermofax screens

Another book, map, photos and postcards

A box of collage fodder and other inspiration

Well, it was good to find out what I had.  BUT!  I'm no further on in my choice.

Come back next month to find out what i did.

Thanks for stopping by
Bernice

Tuesday, 18 July 2023

A hanging book

This is the other book I had not shown completed.  I used the fabrics I had printed at last year's map inspired summer school at Littleheath Barn Studio.

I tore the fabric into 15x10cm rectangles.  I put a long piece of fabric to hold the pieces in place.

I put a layer of cream soft calico and another layer of printed fabric.

I handstitched through all the layers following the patterns made by the breakdown printing.

 It's possible because of the large D rings to hang the book either way up or either side showing.



Oryou can close it up.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

The Festival of Quilts at the NEC  is on from Thursday 3rd August to Sunday 6th August.  I will be showing my books in the Creative Textiles Studio on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.