WOW... it certainly is!

Last night I attended the Awards night for this year's World of Wearable Arts. In its 21st year this event certainly maintains the excitement and impact that it has always done since the beginning. Each year it seems to lift its game, not only with the performances, but the quality and creativity of the garments continue to expand into a very sophisticated spectacular show. For the designers, selection into the show is a real privilege. With more and more entries coming from overseas, New Zealanders have to create harder and they most certainly do that. Everyone should be very proud to be part of the show; I know I certainly am.

My piece Iced Sherbert is paraded in the FOLD segment. I was delighted with the way it was presented on the model and her stance as she walked around the stage. She looked very elegant. I felt she certainly held her own amongst the other entries and although not an official prize winner, I feel I am a 'winner', and that is good enough for me.

I can now publish images of my piece. This is definitely prohibited until after the show starts, for obvious reasons! Iced Sherbert reflects the cold, crisp, frosty, mornings when the air shimmers and sparkles as the sun strikes the frost and snow on our surrounding hills.

Here is the scan from the programme. As it is taken from a small thumbnail image it is rather fuzzy. In due course I will receive a certificate acknowledging my piece in the show and it will show a photo of it in action. I shall publish that then.

Front view on my mannequin. Bodice is ruched and stitched with beads and sequins and these reflected in the spotlights. The green tulle represents the trees on the chilled hill tops. The main fabric is a white and silver narrow stripe synthetic fabric which had its own shine.

A view showing the side panniers. The model walked with her arms resting between the two rows of peaks.

28 days to my exhibition. Today is going to be somewhat of a rest day as I bask in satisfaction.

Delta Flow

Continuing with the images of my latest piece...

Some colouring in the background areas. Nothing spectacular but enough to act as a base for further applications.

Then some discharge patterning in the main blue shapes after which I decided these shapes needed a bit more 'umph'. So, during the weekend I added another layer of blue dye over the main shapes, time consuming but it has made a big difference. I have also started to add more texture to the background areas.

And now it is finished and I have to make a confession (drum roll please, da-da), this piece is actually a diptych, and herewith the two pieces together. I did two 'over the bath' dye pours with my big screen and serendipitously, portions from each seemed to work together nicely.

I have called it Delta Flow. On one of my travels to the northern hemisphere the plane flew over the northern coast of Australia. Travel from NZ usually starts around midnight so that arrival, many hours later, is at a civilized hour. For some reason this particular flight chased the sunset and I had a great view of the many estuaries along the coast. My initial dye application reminded me of the various water inlets and ponds. The dots suggest aboriginal paintings, and the red lines are the latitude and longitude lines.

32 days left now....