Florence's Box from Ninelives Exhibition

Florence's Box, with Mehittabelle her talking cat.....the story to be published in a little book soon.
 

I hadn't made small artefacts before, preferring to work on wall pieces or art garments, so it was an interesting challenge, having a list to work through, and it was amazing to see the diversity of the work produced by nine different artists in the group.
One of the artefacts has inspired me to develop a whole new body of work, but I haven't been able to make a start on it just yet....but it will be exciting, and for sale eventually.
I have been looking for a "signature" collection of a certain item to work on, as my main artwork, for exhibitions travel around, and are not always suitable for smaller homes, and I think now I have it....I can never just make something for the sake of it...it has to come from inside me, from the heart and emotions, and I cannot make something "just to sell", but think I may at last be able to reconcile the two practices without compromising either......plus getting on with producing the two books.....it's not always easy to get going with something that one knows is a real challenge, even though its simmering in your head, and sometimes I am not sure what to start first so end up putting it off and doing a bit in the garden or sorting out a cupboard or something....anything really to put it off....in other words procrastination...and yet I so want to get going!

Two Small Works

I don't very often make small sample pieces, unless they are for my sketchbooks, but had requests and consequent sales for two recently, so I decided to make two more to go with the Cirencester exhibition work.
These are made with Victorian lace and lawn with additions of antique mother of pearl artefacts....a song bird, and a sweetheart brooch on the other of two little birds with a nest and are mounted on hand written pages from an early 1900's Tailors Ledger.
I only make one of a kinds, so each small work is different and completely hand stitched with a lovely ivory vintage thread which has now almost been used up, sadly, so I will be looking out for some more soon.

.

Getting busy again....at last

Busy again after my holiday. It was a time of clearing my mind and refocusing on my vision for the future...a time of adjusting prioroties and looking at what is really important to me.
At the moment I am working on a collection of completely handmade cards and small textile works to compliment the "Hope Chest", and large framed works which were exhibited in the EAST show in Braintree: Making a Point.
This exhibition is opening in May at Cirencester, and I had requests from some folk to provide cards, which I didn't have time to do before...so I am being really dilligent and have made some, and also two more small framed pieces after the one being sold and generating a commission.
I have also decided to open an etsy shop shortly, as I am developing ideas for a very special textile collection at the moment....something I have intended to do for quite a while, but couldn't quite birth untill now.

A small selection of the cards, all made from Victorian lace motifs and fabrics mounted on original hand written pages from an old tailors ledger circa. 1905-1918. All are stitched by hand and have faux pearls and beads for details.

Florence's Box...Nine Lives Exhibition

Florence made beautiful things, talked to angels and had a black cat who told her stories....they both mysteriously disappeared one day.....it is all in the story written for the box and will be made into book form shortly and published.

Inside the lid of Florence's box are pages from a 19th century book on Etiquette. I've embroidered "words of wisdom" such as she would have been taught when making samplers on the sides of the box, and Mehitabelle, her talking cat sits inside the box.

The other images are details of some of the artefacts "she made".

Nine Artefacts for the Nine Lives Exhibition

The box is covered with 19th century silk damask and lined with antique silk velvet. The idea for this group exhibition was that nine female artists would work on a project for nine months, creating nine artefacts for a box. By keeping tight restraints on the box and contents this should produce a diverse and cohesive body of work. The brief: Imagine you find a small box in the attic, on opening it you discover nine artefacts. Where did they come from - how old are they - who did they belong to - what is their story? The restraints: These are the artefacts we elected to use:

1) doll or similar toy

2) bundle of letters/cards/photos etc.

3) a heart - in any guise

4) needle case OR pin cushion

5) personal item of clothing or bag

6) all that remains of a set of something

7) a lucky charm/ amulet / icon

8) a rattle or toy that makes a noise

9) a memento of a significant event

One of these things should be a piece of jewellery

Here, as promised earlier are the images of the nine artefacts which I made. I also wrote a complete short story about the the box and contents which I hope to publish as a small illustrated book later this year, and it has really inspired me to get back to writing to accompany my artwork, and to make some more artefacts.

Group Exhibition...and my little angel is on the poster!

I havn't got time to write about the exhibition tonight, but was so excited that my little angel cat ....made in memory of my own Sooty who I had to say goodbye to last year, was chosen for the poster....a bit of a tribute to him too. Briefly, nine artist each had to make a box and nine artefact to go in it...the list of artefacts was the same for all, but it's amazing to see the different styles and stories that go with each. I wrote a short story to go with mine, all about a girl called Florence, Angels and her black cat Mehitabelle.,,I think I am going to write more as it just seems to happen. I've been ill and am going to stay with my son and his wife in Switzerland for a while as a break...taking my medication with me...this will be the third course of antibiotics...all different and am really praying that this one will do the trick. Faith gets tested and I have had some arguments with my Lord when the pain has been severe, but He knows our heart and how weak we are, and I will just keep on trusting that I will not be ill overseas because I havn't seen my son, and daughter in law for 8 years....I might try to put images of the other artefacts on the blog before I go, but if not, will do so whan I come back.

Branches "kissing" my bedroom window

When I drew the curtains this morning, the snow had brought nature within inches of my bedroom window....I took this photo from inside, and then went out to see what the other bushes were up too.

1937 Vintage 3D Pop-Up Printed Paper and Card Nativity

I've had this lovely Nativity since 1993, when it came to me from the original family who owned it....it was a school prize for music,given in 1937 at St.Mary's Dominicant Convent, Wymberg, Cape Town, South Africa ( where I used to live).
However, I am once again going through all my collections, thinning out in order to make more space, now that my studio is in my tiny home, so today the Nativity has been put onto ebay as I never have room to display it.
I would put a link to my ebay page, but at this stage am not sure how to do it, unless some kind soul can tell me....never mind, here are one or two images....the colours are wonderful, and the printed paper which is attached to the card base is just like those Victorian scraps.

It's actually made in 4 pieces which all slot together, and condidering it's 76 years old, its wonderful that it is still standing and its quite large too at 12" high to the chimney...it needs to go to a new home where it can be displayed and enjoyed.

Christmas Cameos

A little corner of my "studio in the sitting room" awaiting Christmas and family.

A Christmas Break & Blessings

I'm having a Christmas break after completing 9 new pieces for an exhibition, all of which I will put up here, once the show is up and running. I'm also doing some larger new work, and need to concentrate on that now ( after a time of peace over Christmas). So here are some little details of some of the Hope Chest contents, and my very good wishes for you all for a peaceful and blessed Christmas....with love.

Kitchen Gallery

Two corners from the "kitchen gallery" of my small home....I'm always surprised at how different something so familiar can look, when seen in a photograph.

Tiny Nest made from hair

Made randomly with my own hair from brush....after getting rid of the damp washed hair tangles (its long).I found myself felting it with my fingertips and it turned into a little birds nest.
Here it is surrounded with soft feathers I found on the grass in a morning following shrill Owl and or Kestrel calls, and I wondered if there was a bit of a fight, as I can think of no other explanation of the loud calls and subsequent treasure.

Lovely things waiting for assembly or transformation

Waiting to be used in a current project: art deco mirror,rusted fabric, faux pearls, 1930s bridesmaids floral headband...and a little birds nest made from my own hair...will show that in detail in the next post.

Sycamore Angels...or fairies

Another page from an old journal I was writing three years ago....scraps of antique fabric and Sycamore seeds....I think I shall start playing again, artwork can get all too serious.

A Page from my Old Journal

I have been making my own journals for about 6 years now, using my late Mothers Victorian story books, so that they wouldn't just stay in the bookcase unused.
Today I started to read through some of them again, and found some pages that I loved at the time, and still do....here is a stitched Sooty ( although I added the name "Little Flo", as that was the title of the chapter, but it was Sooty, sitting and staring out of the window watching the birds.
It was done on the spur of the moment, in minutes, which always seems to work best, and somehow just captured the essence of my little friend, simply.

Contents......and chat

This photograph was taken at home before I packed the chest for the EAST exhibition, so the contents are all spread infront of it...gradually I will put images of them on the blog, with their stories.
At the moment I am working on another project with a group of 8 artists, each making an "Heirloom Box", its contents and story. Its inspiring to see how creative and individual each body of work is, as they emerge.
I find that I am now really enjoying making the"artefacts",and creating their stories especially when I can manage to combine wood somehow with textiles, as its such a great contrast, and am looking forward to seeing how this will feed into future work....no images of this work untill the exhibition is up and running of course.
In the background at present is research for a completely new body of work destined for local and London exhibions in 2014....and a competition in 2013, so I need to stay on track, and what better for that than deadlines.

Details from 2 Framed Works: "Making a Point" exhibition

"Hope Chest"....the exhibition "Making a Point" is now open

It was the Private View of the new EAST exhibition: Making a Point, this evening, and despite the bad weather lots of people came, including many friends, making it a lovely event. The feedback for the show has already been excellent,and images will shortly be appearing on the EAST website, which I will add a link for soon.....it is late this evening, and I just wanted to post this, plus an image of my "Hope Chest" which I hope you will enjoy.

Super New Exhibition of Textile and Mixed Medium Artworks by EAST

This is an exciting exhibition of all new textile and mixed medium artwork by a group of very talented artists, so if you are in the region, it is not to be missed. I have new work on show, and will put some images onto Blogger once the show has opened on the 6th October.

Gathering Myself...and a new exhibition

Time to gather myself together again, after too much time alone and wondering. It will do me good...and put a bit more structure into my day to start blogging again, and now that some new work for what promises to be a great exhibition is complete, I can focus on other things, rather than too much inward looking. Here is the poster for a wonderful new exhibition of Textile Art, comming up very soon at Braintree Museum ( for starters)...then it will start travelling further afield. This is all for now, as I am committed to "making something" this afternoon....too long have I been wandering, and after some real good spiritual food this morning, I am making a new start, hand in hand with my Lord. Here's the poster.....I will post some fragments of my work for the exhibition shortly too...and here's to life! it is a gift.