Daily Rituals

I must confess I am a complete failure at the daily drawing/sketching scenario that is often suggested as a worthwhile exercise for artists. I fully appreciate the reasons for doing this but I just sit there blankly, and then move on to other things. It just doesn't work for me. The same goes for taking sketch books and a camera wherever I go. An occasional sketch/note will appear in my handbag notebook but taking a camera around in my day-to-day life doesn't seem to fit. However, whilst overseas I seem to be able to do this successfully. Perhaps the focus is different in these situations and of course there is so much new stuff to see.
There are occasions, however, when I am quick to recognise something, especially when I am not focused on looking artistically. These things will simply 'jump out'. Fortunately, if I am away from home, I have quite a good photographic memory and am able to add the idea, image to my sketchbook when I get home. If the camera is handy, then a photo is taken and filed in a specific folder on my computer.
The other day around about midday I noticed the strong shadows under a chair on the my decking. I grabbed the camera and waited until the sun appeared from behind the clouds again – click! At the moment I have no intention of doing anything with the ideas but I thought I would share it with you.

First photo of chair and shadows

Cropped image

Second photo of chair

Cropped image, and turned. I feel the design goes better this way. If I was to use this as a basis it would still need alot more fine tuning......

Next Blog: New Studio Curtains

Recording Achievements

When one has been around for awhile, an assortment of information has accumulated and the need to do something with them becomes apparent.
I am refering to newspaper cuttings, exhibition invites and reviews, magazine articles, exhibition catalogues, photos, award certificates, qualification certificates and the like. All these are important to be kept, for our own personal acknowledgement and for easy access. Although we may be shy at starting such an archive too early, there should be no hesitation in getting it under way, and it is amazing how it soon grows.
I use a basic A4 ring binder file cover. I place a thin padding over the outside and then cover this with fabric (in my case something that I have painted / printed myself). The inside cover is tidied with a coordinated art paper. As information going into the folder is an assortment of sizes, everything is placed within copysafe pockets which allow for easy access for future reference.
This week I prepared a second such folder. My first was threatening to burst its ring binders; it now contains information from the early 1980's through to 2007. The second starts with 2008 and should keep me going for another decade or so.


The cover of my first folder.


The fabric covering this folder is the recently failed attempt of Celtic Rest. It now has a new lease of life as the cover of my second folder.

The following three photos are of open pages in my first folder.







Next Blog: Daily Rituals

2009 here we are!

Do people still make New Year goals? Thinking ahead to the New Year is always exciting and important but how about spending some time thinking back on the past year. Can we remember what we hoped we would achieve in 2008 and did we actually manage these? Perhaps some of them? It would be a rare creature who could say that they achieved all their goals. Most of us, hopefully, managed to achieve a fair share of our 2008 goals and this is the time to celebrate them.
Being realistic about our goals is important. Some things may take a few years to achieve and it is important to recognise this. Acknowledging progress so far spurs us on to further that achievement. At the same time we should question those that we have been procrastinating about for sometime – are they really important/necessary? If not – delete them, and move on...
At the time of posting this blog we now have 363 days left of 2009! It's a great time of year. Let's hope it will be safe and creative, and that world gloom will quietly dissipate.
As many of you know, I am a keen walking and during the summer months usually manage 5 – 6 km a day. Some of these walks are with friends but others are alone. It is amazing how the thoughts surface and many a conundrum is resolved as I walk.
Because we are still in our holiday mode, today's photos are taken early one Sunday morning on one my favourite walks. I never tire of this walk and hopefully you will see why!
All the very best for 2009....









Next Blog: Archiving Achievements

Last one before Christmas

On Wednesday of this week I took a flying visit to Auckland, there and back in one day. I hired a car and visited two exhibitions, POST Stitch curated by Kate Wells at Lopdall House, Titirangi (closes 8 February), and No Rules curated by Rosemary McLeod, Objectspace, Ponsonby Road (closes this weekend). Both these exhibitions celebrate textile arts and should continue to be referenced as to the state of the art in NZ. I felt very heartened when viewing the message and/or content in many of the works. When the very best of execution is combined with a thought provoking message, then the bells begin to ring and I inwardly sing hallelujah!
I would love to say more, but its almost Christmas and we have other things on our minds. Below are several images from the shows. An overview of the No Rules exhibition may be viewed on No Rules: Rediscovering Embroidery courtesy of Matt Blomeley at Objectspace.
If you do have some spare time over the holidays here is a link to another blog you might like to visit www.dailyvisuals.blogspot.com. It is written by Jane Dunnewold (of the book Complex Cloth fame). She has committed herself to a year of daily entries, photographing the world around us and making artistic observations. She started on 11 November. It will make you look at things in a more thoughtful way.
My next blog will be on Friday, 2 January 2009. Until then all the very best to everyone for a great holiday season; and thank you for continuing to read my blog.


My piece in the No Rules exhibition, Object Space. Where Did This Come From challenges the inappropriate image of the girl in New Zealand.


View of the Post Stitch exhibition


My piece(s) are in the middle of this group; two pieces connected by a thread. Titled Connecting it references the connections made when communicating.


Side gallery at Lopdall House with larger pieces


Another view of Post Stitch pieces. Katherine Morrison's Sub Rosa - Under the Rose in the foreground.


Post Stitch again. Clare Plug's ASPA 156 - Erebus Voices

Next Blog: 2009 here we are!

When a piece goes belly-up

Each time I start a new piece there is a keen sense of anticipation as to how it will turn out. Will it be my best piece ever, a so-so piece or, heavens forbid, a disaster only fit for the reject bin? All three happen of course, even to the most experienced people.
Making that decision to abandon a piece is never easy, and stressed with considerable frustration. The piece I showed you the beginnings of a few weeks back, based on a Celtic seat in northern Spain, is no longer. It got so far then I decided I didn't like the direction it was going. I tried a few remedies, until finally I did something that I knew would probably 'kill it'. It did, but that was okay.
I then started all over again with a quite different approach. This piece is now finished and I am pleased I decided to have a second attempt. It is still too early to grade its level of success but I am relatively happy with the outcome.
While working through this piece I had two unexpected new outcomes. One was purely by accident, and the other was rather more deliberate. I plan to develop these further and incorporate them into future pieces. So definitely a gain in starting again, if you know what I mean!
Anyway, I am not going to show the whole of the final piece yet as it needs to be professional photographed, but below are four details.









Next Blog: last one before Christmas

Magic Manutex Part 2

Following on from last week's blog about Manutex and how to mix it, I now have several photos of exercises using the Manutex and Procion MX dye mixture. These were worked at the 2007 Surface Design Association Conference in Kansas City, MO. Their 2009 conference is now on line. The Manutex dye mixture is best spread and rolled on to a sheet of glass or perspec with a sponge roller so that the mixture is absorbed evenly.


White fabric placed over a raised grid and a sponge roller partially covered with Manutex dye mixture rolled over the surface, similar to a rubbing.


For this piece I cut out a firm cardboard shape, cut nicks in the two long sides and then laced a string around the card. All of the surfaces were then sealed with a spray paint so that it would withstand washing. It has been placed under the fabric and rolled with a sponge roller and the Manutex dye mixture.


Here is the same motif used in combination with a plastic grid laid under the cloth and printed. The ovals were done the same way.


More of the same; the larger diagonal grid is that cardboard lattice often used in shop displays. The fly swat, although it makes a good print, is just that - a fly swat. I often see the use of recognisable printing objects in textile works/magazines etc and am constantly turned off by these. Unless the theme of a piece is about potatoes, using a potato masher to print (for example) will be just that - a potato masher. I feel too often there is an unwillingness to stretch further and make more meaningful prints.


On the other hand in a workshop there is a need to work through as many things as possible, without too many deep thoughts. This is an example of not using the letter stencil more creatively. The coloured background is done by spreading the Manutex dye mix like finger printing - luvly!!


A stencil cut from stencil paper.


The same stencil is printed by placing it on top of an already printed cloth and rolling over with the Manutex dye mix. Good for limited edition printing.

Next Blog: When a piece goes belly-up....

Magic Manutex Part 1

One of my most valued dye products is Manutex (sodium alginate) available from Creative Craft Supplies. This product looks abit like brown sugar but is a seaweed extract. In dyeing processes it is used for thickening dyes for direct painting and screen printing.
I consider it to be like a good cooking stock and use Ann Johnson's recipe, keep it in a marked container in the fridge and return it to room temperature before I use it. It will last for quite some time, months in fact but may eventually go 'off', evidenced by a 'bad' smell and the growth of mould. I don't have this happen as I use it regularly.
Here's the recipe:
Dissolve 6.5 tbsps urea in three cups boiling water then strain the urea water through a cloth to remove any grit that is often found in the urea.
Sprinkle six teaspoons Manutex into the urea water and stir briskly with a hand whisk constantly for three to five minutes, then a regular stir until it cools. By this time it will have achieved the thickness of a thick runny honey. It is now ready for use, or to go into the fridge.
When I need to paint or print, I simply pour some into a container, and stir in sufficient dry dye powder for my needs. Finally I stir in dry soda ash granules (one teaspoon per cup of Manutex dye mixture) to activate the dyes. This mixture now has a useable life span of about two hours so it is best to be prepared with the fabric about to be printed/painted, although more Soda Ash can be added to re-activate.
I usually leave the fabric to cold-batch overnight. Depending on the size of the piece I will hose it down on my driveway as mentioned in a previous blog. Then it is rinsed in the conventional manner, followed by a hot wash, and a spin in the washing machine before ironing dry.
Next week I will discuss some of the outcomes in using the Manutex mixture.


My Manutex container with dates of mixing


Progress photo of Layers showing clean lines as a result of painting with the Manutex mixture. No gutta or waxed lines here.


Progress showing the blending of colours on the piece shown last week which has now gone 'belly-up' – more about this at a later date!


Detail of Flying High

Next Blog: Magic Manutex Part 2