I'm fine

When you are asked how you are, what do you answer?  Most people I think answer - I'm fine - whether they are or not.  We might be feeling all sorts of different things but cover it up with 'I'm fine'.

My latest textile hanging is based on this.  During lockdown a friend of mine drew a picture of me wearing a mask.  I don't usually put people in my work whether it's art journaling, textiles or photography, so it's been quite challenging to use this picture.

I had a Thermofax screen made of it and inspired by Andy Warhol, I printed the image 9 times through organza onto calico.

 This week I brushed dye over the images leaving the masks undyed.

 

 

I sorted out 9 words that people might be feeling not fine behind the 'I'm fine'. 

 

 

And now I am hand stitching each of the words, having hand written the words on the masks.  I'm thinking of putting a layer of organza over the mask in each image - see the top left of the above image.  Cut to the shape of the mask obviously!

Recently on Instagram I saw this:
'In Norway 'up & not crying' is a standard response to 'how are you' - and I think that's a very reasonable standard to hold oneself to these days.'

More than this though, I think we need to be more honest about ourselves.  And okay, don't pour out emtions on passing acquaintances, but it's important to have a few around us who we trust and we can be honest with.

In return, we need to be good listeners and readers of body language.  When we ask the question are we prepared for an answer that isn't I'm fine.

Why do we need to read body language?  Because we need to hear what isn't being said.   And we need to be willing to give the time to listen.

Thanks for being here today.  I hope you are more than just 'fine'.
Bernice

Two colours

Well, so much for me saying I'm back!  It was my plan to be back to at least one post a week if not two.  Sadly that didn't happen but at least the gap hasn't been too big this time.

In our photographic group we decided that this month's theme was two colours.  Here are my offerings!

Orange and Black (or it might be blue or grey)

Mustard & Red

Brown & Mustard

Black & White

Orange & White

This coming month's challenge is to fill the whole image with one colour.  The challenge will be to make that interesting!

Thanks for being here today
Bernice

 

A couple of finished pieces

While I’ve not been blogging I have been working on various different ideas.

I will be part of the Midlands Textile Forum’s ‘On the Threshold’ exhibition in September and I have finished this piece:

It’s called 1771. I chose the date as being somewhere around where historians think the Industrial Revolution may have started.  The piece is a whole cloth I printed using breakdown printing at Leah Higgin’s studio in 2019.  It’s taken until now to work out what to do with it.

I used running stitch around some of the shapes in the background.  I’ve also used running stitch to outline 10 cogs of differing sizes.  They are not too obvious until you get up close.

And just you know there are stitches, here is the rather ruckled back which now has another backing on it. 

In addition, I've been continuing with my Captivity, Freedom & Identity theme.  I looked to see what image is used to represent depression and found that one of the images is a teardrop.

 

I made three wire teardrops which I wound wadding around and a layer of fabric.  The first is called Tears of Oppression.  It doesn't photograph well because there's black on black. It is tightly bound and has chains and closed padlocks.

 

The second is Tears of Transition which is grey.  It has bits of knotted fabric and chains falling off and open padlocks.   And lastly there's Tears of Joy which is shades of gold with beads.

I've got lots of ideas that I'm mulling over.

 

Watch this space for new work.

 

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice