Natures Own Art ...and collecting driftwood

 

I got my scan results....and they are clear! now I can forget all about it until the next check up in February. I've had a bit of a break from making my own art, and gone down to the beach on a rather grey day to look at natures own....it is always the best... taken some photos to use in my  future work ( so I would be grateful if you don't use or pintrest them please ).... here are some of the lovely things I saw:

 

Sea Holly and Seaweed.



Fit for a gallery I think.

Ghost of Sea Holly

 

Seawick in Essex....where nature made her art.

 



More New Work for WW1 Progect @The Solace of Larks'

It was a great feeling of achievement yesterday to have caught up with my blog after 8 hard months, so I will try to keep up with it now. Sometimes I may not have much to write, but " in honour of the faithful few" who have styed with me, I shall keep at it.
When our EAST exhibition ( currently at Ally Pally & Harrogate) travels in 2015, I will have two more pieces of work to go with the suitcase. The first is a wall piece which I haven't yet decided whether it will be framed, hung or mounted....that is always a bit of an issue I think with textile pieces as they are so tactile....to put them under glass is to render them untouchable, but dust free and protected , whereas unframed they can be touched...I don't find the decision easy. Here are some images then of work which will only be seen in 2015...if you share it, I believe you will respect it and add my name to the piece,thank you.

 

 

The panel once again shows the shattered landscape, the crosses for the soldiers but there are now pearls for them too in some of the craters. The Skylark is now represented by two small feathers and there are some red French Knots for the poppies that will grow and blow on the years to come.

The faded red fabric is the right side of the 100 year old quilt which I have used in the lid of the case....it has not gone into holes as has the reverse, but would have been bright red when first made....it was a hand quilted "stripy" Durham Quilt which had been severely damaged.

 

 

The heart is in memory of all the broken hearts of WW1 and was inspired by the pincushions earlier soldiers were either making or purchasing from cottage industries for the wives and sweethearts..

The mother of pearl pendant is Victorian and is a token of both our human love for each other, the natural world and that of our father God for us.

 

 

 



 

 

Chemo Finished & Work @ The Knitting & Stitching Show.

I can hardly believe that it is now 8 months since I wrote about what had happened to me; it has been a very rough ride, the 6 months of chemotherapy were very difficult with some nasty side effects, and a 6 day stay in hospital when it made me very ill....however, that has passed.....I can hardly believe it, and even though I haven't had the results of the scan yet, I am feeling very well and have been getting back to " normality"...if there is such a thing....again, re joining my art group EAST ( East Anglian Stitch Textiles), and going out properly.
For the first few months of the treatment I lost all creativity, only managing to start feeling any inspiration at all, once I had started to do a little bit of gardening and a little bit of garden art by way of making a woven nest for a large stone because my sister said that a certain bush looked as if it should have a nest in it.
Thank goodness I did, because I was committed to finishing a piece of work for our " Between the Lines" WW1 inspired EAST exhibition at the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexander Palace and Harrogate in October......and I did finish it...in fact, I am certain that having it as a goal really helped me to stay positive and focus on things other than feeling ill! I have always known that for me art...especially stitching also works as a therapy and I have often talked about stitching myself better.
I wasn't able to steward our exhibition but went up on the coach with friends last Sunday and thought that our ladies, who work so hard to hang all the work well had done a wonderful job....and everyone's work shown to its best.
"Between the Lines" goes 'on tour' in 2015 by which time I will have three pieces ready....I was just happy to have finished the major piece in time.
So, I thought it was time to start my blog again....I think it helps me in that it is another goal and point of focus which will hopefully drive the practical work forward as I have a lot of ideas buzzing about in my head for new work, but no clear direction yet....I know that I want to make a visual journey of my last 11 months of surgery and chemo, but in what form I have not yet decided....I may start with some lino cuts first of little drawings I did in hospital and see where that leads, but for now, here is my work for the exhibition, it is called "The Solace of Larks:


"The Solace of Larks"

 

I needed to relate personally somehow to what I was going to make, and started with my love of nature and birds....Skylarks especially as hearing them every day through Spring and Summer was such a joy and blessing. I started studying the soldiers diaries with specific reference to this subject and discovered that nature and wildlife were of great importance to so many of them....especially the Skylarks as they could sometimes be heard even over the bombardments.....on quote was " as long as the Skylarks sang, we felt we had hope", and the other, which formed the basis of my work was " the song poured down over our upturned faces like golden rain"
At the other end of the wildlife theme were the rats, who were responsible for a huge amount of deaths through disease, but they also provided a great deal of sport as the soldiers would be killing as many as they could in their quiet times and proudly displaying rows of them strung like bunting, so I knew they had to be a part of the piece.
Finding an old First Aid kit, built into a suitcase was the starting point too; it still had very old medical items, and the wooden splints and tourniquets could even be from that era..
I decided to make a textile panel to fit in the lid of the case, which would show the shattered landscape by using tree bark. The piece of antique quilt that I used was already full of holes....like craters, so I filled them all with tiny stitched crosses to represent the soldiers.
The mother of pearl Dove was a very old brooch, and seemed perfect to represent the purity of her and the song in contrast to the devastation and horror below, and gold beads 'rained down from her' over the crosses.

There were three empty compartments in the suitcase,  and I knew that I wanted to make rats to put into these. In fact, the part I found most difficult was the making of the rats....first in finding a fabric that I was happy with and felt I could mould well, and secondly....I had never made animals before and I didn't want them to look like toys....they needed to be a little sinister, but not ugly. After many trials with unsuccessful fabrics I sacrificed a very old black cashmere cardigan which was almost beyond repair, and this worked really well.

Plotting.

 Secrets

 

 





 

 



 

 

Hospital, a shock and a long absence .......

Such a long time since I was on blogger.....in November a malignant tumour was discovered in my bowel......what a shock, as I had been feeling so well and getting on with my artwork, church group, drumming and looking forward to a summer holiday in Switzerland again with my son and daughter in law.
As I write this I am recovering from a third operation in less than 3 months and have 6 months of chemotherapy ahead of me, starting in March.
I have been through some difficult times in my life, and most of my previous artwork has stemmed from those experiences, but I have to say that this has been the most difficult and challenging situation that I have had to face.
Thanks to my faith in God, and the support of family and wonderful friends I have been loved, looked after and have come through the worst part of this journey into a different season in my life, and even though I expect the road ahead to be rough at times, I am facing it with faith, hope and peace....and expectancy that all will be well in the end.
There have been times of great fear, doubt and tears, which I have had to work my way through, and even now there is of course trepidation.....nothing prepares you for this, and the initial disbelief that it can actually be happening to you, and all the questions you ask yourself; however, it is a mountain that you have to climb...there is only one way, and that is forward and up.....with hope I believe I am now on the way down the other side.
I'm not sure how often I will appear on blogger as creativity is only just starting to return to me....but it is returning....the birds are singing and there are signs of Spring and new life...and that is what I am believing for me and this new season....expectancy, trust and peace.

I'm still here

I'm going through a bit of a "health scare" at the moment, so there's been no time for blogging amongst tests and scans. Trusting God, and staying positive whilst awaiting the results, but feel new direction coming in my creative work whatever the outcome.....will hear the findings later this week x

More of Autumn.....now on my kitchen table

     A wonderful gnarly pumpkin, glowing oak leaves and the fattest of acorns.

Autumn at Beth Chatto Gardens

Yesterday was a perfect day of sunshine, spent with a friend in the beautiful Beth Chatto Gardens. I am doubly blessed in that my friend has a yearly ticket, so I am exempt from the entrance charge ( although it is worth every penny), also, I only live 1-2 miles down the road from it.....it always restores my spirit.

 

Beautiful autumn colours.

Contrasts.

Blogger has gone mad!

I really don't know what is going on with Blogger on the Posts List.....it is showing my post 3 times....in part, and in "computer Speak" !! However, one IS the post that I actually have made. ( Unless they only show up 3 times on MY blog list page.....all very confusing!)

"Angel"....and the Kestrel nobody wanted

"Angel" ( and the Kestrel )...the dress which has recently come back home after being part of a Textiles & Wearable Art exhibition held at Slackspace, in Colchester, Essex. A collection of white ethereal garments would look lovely, shown against the backdrop of a green and damp autumn garden, however, how could one ever trust the English weather.

 

A detail from the back of the dress ......her wings...the last of the white Japanese Anemones in the background.....I love white flowers in the garden.

 

Here is the Kestrel that nobody wanted.
 I was at an auction this week, hoping to purchase a collection of antique needlework items, which finally sold for four times the estimate, so I was a little disappointed.....however, a little later on, this beautiful Kestrel came up, and no body seem to want her.....so she came home with me.
Ironical really, as I have a running battle with live Kestrels and Sparrow Hawks as they are often seen swooping into my garden trying ( and sometimes succeeding) in taking poor little Blue-Tits or Sparrows.

 

 

New Exhibition...photographs to follow after the opening.

The poster for a local exhibition due to open this week,
the image is a section of a piece of my work.

Startingto make, again.

Just the start of a dress, the first in two years.

Since completing a large body of work for a recent "travelling" exhibition I haven't really been able to focus on my work and have felt very dry. I know that there are seasons for all things, so I just stepped back and concentrated on long overdue garden work and some writing, but now that I feel restored, I feel that creativity stirring again....but I had to retreat before I could go forward once again.
Also, William....my last, and 17 year old cat has been very ill...he became dehydrated during our heat wave and had to go onto IV fluids for 24 hours; it was a battle, but he is now eating again and so much better, thank the Lord, as it was this time last year that I had to make a very hard decision over his brother, and in all honesty still cant think about Sooty without feeling some emotion.
The "travelling exhibition" finished in June, but I have been asked to show the work in a local venue this month, and I suddenly felt like making a dress to go with it.....perhaps this is the stirring of creativity again, I do hope so as the old saying "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" has certainly been true of me so far this year....I think all the illnesses I had up until May contributed too.
I have been on a kind of "retreat" at home this week....seeking guidance, and peace back into my spirit, and it has been the best thing for me to do.....
We really need to listen to that inner voice, and mine was telling me that in order to go forward, I had to first "retreat".
This will be quite a simple but beautiful garment reusing part of one I made two years ago, and adding the very worn and damaged part 50s petticoat which I shall "do things to" as well....I have always reused fabrics, long before it became trendy and fashionable to do so, usually because I have always been quite poor, but mainly for the love of using something that carries signs of the life and traces of previous owners.
There will also be Swan's feathers which I shall need to go and gather this week, as I only have a few....it will be two bus rides ( I don't drive) and hopes that there will be some when I get there....I shall pick a fine day, and have lunch there too.

still posting corners.....whilst waiting for the Muse to arrive

Small....not so sunny corner of the kitchen.

Third corner of the sunny workroom....William and Mr Spot the Leopard

Distracted by the sunshine in corners of the workroom today

While taking photographs for items to go onto eBay, I was aware of the colours and patterns on the rugs, door curtain and embroidered Arts & Crafts screen......it's funny how we can live with things every day, and then see them in a new light, and from a different angle when we are perched on a chair and the sun is shining on them!

Another corner in the workroom.

William in the sun, in another workroom corner.

Some Swiss Holiday Memories, February 2013.....a sample from 300 Taken!

 

 



Happy to be out for a walk with family.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rushing River with tree icicles

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

Outside a mountain restaurant.

 

Lovely walk near family home.

Over the bridge and walk home on the other side of the river.

Another walk, high up in the mountains.

On the shady side of the mountain.

Two weeks after arrival and signs of spring....but only on the sunny side of the mountains.

...and on a less sunny side....little church.

 

The river was flowing really fast.

The oldest house in the valley....it looks so magical with the unusual spire 300-400 years and can never be sold.

The side of a local barn.

Art on the shore of Lake Lucerne.

Natures own artwork.

Natural art, outside a little shop in Stans.

The side of a private building in Stans, in what seemed to be an artist's area, but all vas very quiet.....it is hard to tell in these little towns just what are shops, and what are homes...they are not at all like our shops.....almost secretive and understated.

Another Garden Break from art, a present and Mr.Swan in the sunshine

The miniature garden arrived with family today as part of my belated birthday present.....Swan has inspected it and approves, but only because he was planted up yesterday himself.

I love swans, there is always something mysterious and a little bit dangerous about them....this one is a lovely 1950s variety who lives indoors during the winter.

Spring Break from Artwork, and Sooty's Place planted up at last.

The Angelica has sprouted five lovely seed heads.



I buried beloved Sooty under the spinning wheel last year, and now, in
Spring have been able to put some plants into that bare earth.

Here is Nutkin......stealing the blackbirds cherries.

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.

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