The Love Letter

While in Vancouver I visited the Vancouver Art Gallery which is displaying an exhibition called Vermeer, Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art Masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum (open until September 13). Certainly some impressive paintings but my favourite was definitely The Love Letter by Johannes Vermeer (fast forward and he was played by Colin Firth in the film Girl with the Pearl Earring). The Love Letter is not big but packed so much detail and emotion into its frame that I had to return to examine it again. The body language of the two women and their exchange of glances are captivating.

Johannes Vermeer, The Love Letter, C1660, oil on canvas, 44cm x 38.5 / 17+" x 15+"

During the last week I have been working on a new fabric length (2m / 2yd 19"). Fabric is a silk/rayon mix which produces varying colours on each side. It has been printed with soya wax, then a soft orange and a chartreuse Procion MX applied. After more wax it was painted with a burgundy dye mix. These combinations have produced a mix of orange, chartreuse, cerise with the waxed area remaining undyed. Although I like the results so far I feel it is probably a bit bold for any possible garment, unless someone is very confident in their dress sense. Because of this I am planning some further applications.

The length of silk/rayon so far.

Maiwa Handprints Ltd

One of the joys of travel is the unexpected. While in Vancouver I visited Granville Island which has a reputation of being an artisan's and market area. I spent some time drifting around and suddenly I spotted Maiwa Handprints Ltd. I was aware of this place but had not registered where in the world it was situated. I really had to take a deep breath when entering the shop, as it was like diving into a swimming pool of ethic textiles and paraphernalia! It was ablaze with colours and patterns from all around the world. I could have purchased so many things, but settled on a small wooden printing block as my only memento. My suitcase was already threatening to be over weight (which it was but it was ignored). This week I did some pieces with this block.
The Maiwa Textile Symposium is being held September, October and November, and if I were living there I would certainly be attending.....

The wooden printing block I purchased, 9cm x 9cm; 3.5" x 3.5".

Working on some repeats. Printed with a black pigment.

Working with discharge paste.

A detail from a new piece showing use of the block.

SDA Workshop (2)

Here are images of work done in my second workshop at the Surface Design Association conference. This workshop was with Els van Baarle titled Walking The Creative Path: A Combination of Batik and Printing. As I was travelling on to Canada after this workshop I did not want to pack dyed, but not yet washed samples in my suitcase. So during my last day I concentrated on applying wax to several pieces and these have been dyed and completed since my return home. This was another great workshop, with Els being a great tutor full of ideas. I now plan to use soya wax alot more in my work in the future. Images have been posted with permission from Els.

The cover of my workshop folder in which all the notes and samples are filed.











I made this sample into a scarf

Look South

This blog focuses on a very important exhibition currently on show at the Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery, Napier, New Zealand, until November 1. This exhibition is titled Look South and displays the work of Clare Plug, one of New Zealand's leading applied artists. Her textile works reflect the world of contemporary art rather than the traditions of quilting and embroidery. In 2006 Clare was awarded an important residency by the Antarctica New Zealand / Creative New Zealand Artists in Antarctica programme, to visit this area for two weeks. It is also supported by the Mary Vigor Brown Trust. This exhibition is Clare's response and I fully recommend a visit, even if it means making a special journey. The HBMAG has supplied the images. There is also a very good catalogue about the exhibition Clare Plug, Look South published by the HBMAG ISBN 978-0-473-14879-9 NZ$20 + p & p.

SDA Workshop

Below are some of the samples I did in Kerr Gabowski's workshop, Working in a Series, at the Surface Design Association conference. These are being published with Kerr's permission. I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop and feel I have added much more to my skills and knowledge. I fully recommend a workshop with Kerr who is a giving and fun tutor.

I have now filed all my notes and samples into this folder covered with one of the pieces I did in the workshop

This piece, and the following three are based on the same design but achieved in various ways. All pieces are 18x18cm /7"x7".






I also worked with other designs, three of which are shown here.







And, with nothing to do with the above, I thought I would share this experience with you. When visiting many museums and art galleries one usually receives a floor map of the venue and what is currently on show. Now, I am not suggesting that my normal sense of direction is excellent, far from it, but on several occasions in Canada I became completely bewildered as to what space I was in and where I was heading. Then, one time I found I was holding the map up-side-down and suddenly it all made sense, so from then on I continued to read the maps this way, much to my amusement. My only explanation, not scientifically proven, is that I am from the other side of the Equator and that this had befuddled my normal map reading skills. You will be relieved to know that I did not do any driving in Canada.....

Back home again

Here I am home again. Much cooler here of course than in the USA and Canada, however the sun is shining but there is that winter chill in the air.
My three weeks away have been most successful and enjoyable. The Surface Design Association Conference in Kansas City, MO, was a great event yet again, and I am full of new knowledge, ideas and inspirations. Meeting up with attendees again was very pleasurable. I am still sorting my belongings as well as catching up with emails etc and in future blogs I will tell of some of my experiences during this time.
After conference my visit of one week to Canada, specifically Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria was filled with visiting museums, art galleries, and many other places of interest. In Toronto I spent five hours in the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), there was just so much to see. They also allowed photos which did surprise me. I also visited the Bata Shoe Museum which was equally fascinating. The Textile Museum was a highlight and featured three exhibitions, The Cutting Edge which focuses on the shape of a garment and what it signifies; She Will Always Be Younger Than Us questioning politics and culture. Also on show was the Judy Chicago's When Women Rule the World. This is a survey of this iconic artist's work in textiles from 1971 to the present day. Judy Chicago came to fame with The Dinner Party project which certainly rocked the textile world when it first appeared.

The ROM has its own textile section, very well displayed and full of information. Above is a garment by Zandra Rhodes (left), cloth by Thor Hansen, and a garment by Vivienne Westwood (right). I also watched a video on the making of a man's suit jacket, from the initial measuring, through to it being worn out of the shop. I actually found this fascinating.....

Me standing next to the Steam Clock in Gastown, Vancouver. Note steam coming out the top. This clock does not chime but toots!

Surface Design Association conference

In a few days I will be off overseas again to attend the Surface Design Association Conference in Kansas City, MO, followed by a week in Canada. I also attended the SDA conferences in 2005 and 2007. It is very costly for me to attend these events from New Zealand but I find the conferences totally inspiring and I would be miserable if I didn't attend. The experience 'feeds' me for another two years. I see such amazing examples of surface design and share this all with some wonderful people who I now consider friends.
I will be attending a pre-conference workshop with Kerr Grabowski and a post-conference workshop with Els Van Baarle. I really admire the work of these two artists so am looking forward to learning from them. I shall have lots to share with you when I return.
The Surface Design Association is well worth joining. It has 4000+ members internationally. It is the most well organised and informative association I know of, well up-to-date with technology and services. Membership includes four inspiring magazines a year, hard-copy newsletters, plus monthly e-newletters.

And now just a quick peek at where that dyed band I showed you last blog has been used. Once again I am avoiding showing the whole piece until after it has been exhibited publically. I am planning an installation of five exaggerated garments, all of which are constructed from plain calico (muslin) and each with some portions coloured and patterned using a navy blue Procion MX dye. They are to be suspended in space and all will have one other added common factor to humour.