Sketch of a Tiny ship

Yesterday's sketch

I have decided that I really need to draw more than I have been in recent times. It will be interesting to see if I can notice any improvement in a month, three, or twelve. No colour today, just pencils and I need a lot more practice.

Today I've been painting again for my new textile piece. I know that I had decided not to do another major piece until after the McGregor Summer School which starts next Wednesday, but I didn't have any control over this. The design came and I just couldn't stop myself from doing it. I've made some good progress and hope to have some photos up in a day or two. Stay tuned.

And so we come to the end of another year and the beginning of a new one tomorrow. I would like to thank everyone who has read my blog and posted comments. Those comments mean so much - thank you. I'm looking forward to a wonderful new year with lots of great things ahead. Best wishes to everyone.

Louis - today's subject for a sketch

Louis

Louis has been very cuddly today - he has wanted to be cuddled, and especially sit on my lap, at every opportunity. Most of the day has been spent sitting as close to me as possible, preferably touching. Just like a baby! He has spent a lot of time just lying down, not necessarily sleeping.

I use my visual diary a lot. Last year I bought a beautiful bound diary - no spiral but a proper bound book and it is beautiful. It is not a showcase journal, but a working, messy diary with quotes, dreadful drawings, okay drawings and sketches and a place to put together ideas and explore issues that are bothering me so much that I have to remove them from my mind and place them on paper. This gives me the opportunity to really judge the ideas for their value and potential usefulness.

One thing that I have failed to do ever since I began using a visual diary is to use colour. Most of my diary pages are in plain black 0.4 Artline pen which can be a bit boring (even though I love the patterns of the past few weeks). So, one of my concerted goals for the next twelve months is to use more colour in my diary.

This brings me to today's sketch of the little dog - I used watercolour pencils, not without a considerable degree of terror. Why do I find colour more difficult to work with than a black pen? Is it because I am used to the pen and afraid of the colours? Time to get over this nonsense and just do it.

Oh and PS - I know it isn't the world's greatest doggie sketch, but Louis really does have big ears. We always hoped he would grow into them, but he hasn't.

Another drawing

Pattern drawing 2

Here is another of the drawings. I start with one shape in mind and just sit with the pen and let it do its work. They could go on forever, but I have to do other infinitely more boring things like going to work and cooking etc, etc...

Today is Christmas Eve and a very quiet and relaxed day for us here. I've been catching up on some letters and office work here so my long suffering friends may soon receive some mail. Tomorrow is Christmas and I would like to wish you all a wonderful day tomorrow. I hope your day is filled with love, peace, joy and happiness.

A Fascination

Pattern drawing

Lately I have developed a fascination for patterns and positive and negative spaces. I've been finding great relaxation from sitting and drawing designs in my visual diary. I have been influenced by a year long informal study of Indonesian design elements - see this site - and these drawings are the result of this fascination and study. Not sure where it will all end, but I just love doing them. It is the one time I am enjoying facing a new blank page in the diary.

Open

Treasure box 2

Again, not the greatest photo but you can see some of the stitching if you click on the photo for a closer and more detailed shot.

Treasure Box

Treasure box

I had to try these delightful little boxes. Forgive the dreadful photo but it was late at night and I needed to get some sleep. These are just brilliant for anyone wanting to try their hand at machine embroidery and a quick gift to make.

A Five Minute Sketch

Pastel sketch

And last of all we did a five minute sketch using pastels. It is tiny - about 6 x 4" but was fun to do and easy as...

Ready to cut

Detail

Here is a small part of the design that we used for the sample print. I will make a whole print at a later time when I have had time to cut it all. I've never attempted a screen print of such a detailed picture so it was good to do a challenging one (especially in my comfort zone with Simone here with me).

Some experiments today

Hibiscus

I've had a most enjoyable weekend with lots of art. Here is a picture of a hibiscus which is being prepared for silkscreen printing. It is a number of years since I tried it and my good friend, artist and teacher Simone came to visit and brought me a silk screen so we spent the morning preparing a small piece of this stencil and then practiced printing it.

Finished

Finished!

After four months, this piece is finally finished. It has been a great piece to work on and I feel that I may have moved one step closer to finding my own style. Of course I am not necessarily totally happy with it and I would do some parts differently if I were to do it again.

I won't be doing it again, though, as it is done and now it is time to move on to something new. I think that I will concentrate on some small pieces for a while while planning another major piece in my mind.

Detail

Detail

Not a wonderful photo but you will be able to see how I have worked on this piece. At the top is the painted part before I stitched over it to add the texture. I used a wide variety of stitches in this piece. That is what I love so much about free motion embroidery - you can make so many different effects by changing the thread, the stitch lengths and widths and altering the tension. When I first started free motion, the only stitch I used was straight stitch, but now there is almost no limit and it is much more fun. Enjoy your sewing.

Small works

Here are some small works that I have been playing with while taking a break from the dust storm piece. They include some collage, machine embroidery and tyvek which is a new experience for me. Lots more of these are on the way - I have so many ideas for them and so little time.

Only 8 more days of work and I am on holidays for several weeks. During the holiday I am going to a McGregor Summer School and will be doing this class. My son will be doing this class. This will be my first McGregor school and I am really looking forward to it. The tutor Carol Wilkes is a well known mixed media/textile artist in Australia and here is a sample of some more of her work. Just imagine - 10 whole days of art - from 9.00 - 4.30 every day and concerts and even life drawing classes at night.

My attendance at this Summer School has been helped by a grant that I received from the Regional Arts Development Fund and Bungil Shire Council and a prize I won earlier this year for this piece of artwork. I have also recently sold two pieces of work which are my first art sales. It's a good feeling and one I plan to continue experiencing.


Framed work 2

Framed work 

Detail

Detail

Here you can see some further detail of this piece. It is growing, but slowly.

Textural piece

Textural piece

Every so often this piece comes down from the design wall and grows a little more. I have no idea where it will end - it keeps talking to me and says 'do this' or 'do that' and even 'I don't like that anymore - I want this now'. It is a real journey this time with much learning about pattern, line and texture as I travel the journey. Earthy colours are not colours I have historically worked with very much or particularly liked but the more time I spend with them, the more I love them. I'd imagine that you can expect to see more of them in my work in the future.

Today I have been working on a small collage which has been so much fun that I have several more in mind to make in the next few days.

Detail 5 

Detail 4 

Detail 3 - silken gum leaves 

Detail 2 - Lotus flower 

Detail 1 

Bali to Bush

Bali to Bush wall hanging

My latest piece of work. Each panel is approximately 6 x 6" and are joined with gum tree twigs. I have used knots and beads to enhance the wool trails. That was fun to do and I can imagine many used for the process and will use it in future work.