Where do camels stay overnight.....

Further progress on my new piece (the camel reference follows). This piece is based on the Three Brother's Tomb which is located underground in Palmyra, Syria. The main shape is the floor plan which I had to memorize as of course no photos are allowed in many of these enclosed sites. At this stage I am still working on the background levels. More next time.....

The start of the mummies. Pigment painted on and instead of heatsetting the pigment (as one is meant to do), I washed the whole piece again shortly after painting. This removed some of the pigment and softened the effect of the lines.

The outside colour has been softened with discharge paste (still not happy with the colours and patterns within that main shape).

...and then I over-painted the discharged area with a Procion MX and Manutex mix; and the mummies were discharged.

And more from Syria, Damascus in fact. Damascus claims to be the oldest continuously occupied city in the world.

Big door, little door, familiar in today's industrial buildings, but this door was for camels and men.

Inside the camel inn; rather posh but Damascus was a major stop on the journey. Camels, and their wares, occupied the main central area overnight and their owners were locked in the rooms around this space so that no pilfering could take place during the night ie the guests were locked in at night, rather than locking out intruders as we do today!

The camel inn, somewhat cleaner than perhaps in earlier days, had an exhibition which included several quilts. Here is a detail of one executed entirely in sequins.

Next Blog: Syrian Dye Workshop