Downunder Textiles

No Stitching to show you unfortunately- I am having problems with the tension on the Pfaff here- I have tried lots of different things, but it keeps jumping out of tension so I am back to hand stitching.I actually suspect there may be a bur in the bobbin case.

However i did want to share some of my work that is in a new textile magazine produced in Australia . You can see more information on Deborah Seagert's blog. Deborah has been the owner and editor of Downunder Quilts for  a number of years and it is great to see the magazine venturing into textile arts. I wrote two articles for the magazine one on linocutprinting and another on working with lutradur( you can still purchase the Lovely Lutradur cd from me).It is a good discipline writing for magazines because you have to be succinct,informative and hopefully inspiring.

I will be teaching anothe ron-line line cut course starting in early March so if you are interested email me.The cost is 40 euros for three fortnightly lessons - there are  lots of exercises to practice and improve your linocutting and linoblock designing skills in each lesson . You can see some recent work by students on Linda Robertus' blog, Sarah Smiths' blog, Robbie Payne's blog,Linda Bilsborrow's blog,Clare Wasserman's blog,Wietske Kluck's blog, Sally's blog ( I think she got the bug bad!), Magpie's artworks et al.

Boabab Linocut

I went for a drive last Sunday and came across some lovely little vignettes- first the lovely terracotta rooves in a small medieval village called Laroque- it's right on the river Herault and I imagine it to be choc a block full of tourists in summer. I couldn't help but notice the little discordance though- the ugly tin roof amidst all those lovely tterracotta tiles and old stones, and yes the ugly power lines as well. The second image is of a little twelfth century chapel  on quite an isolated road- one wonders what poor folk worshipped there, and what one must have done in rome to be sent to such an isolated place. It looked as if it probaly had a small abbey and enclosed garden once upon a time, now a barely discernable ruin- and the sky was really that blue- no filters or anything- just very cold and clear!

This is a linocut I have made of a boabab tree- I love boabab trees- natural water storage containers.I printed this piece and three others today.it was my birthday present to myself. This linocut is large - 50 cm by about 28 cm. I need to dye some fabrics to take these prints. The river print I posted previously  measured about 23 cm by 20 cm.. I intend to stitch this piece as part of Southern Lands. I also have three of the boabab prints for sale for 22 euros inclusive of postage if you are interested email me

Don't forget i shall be in England next week and I will be giving a workshop in Keddington near Cambridge on the saturday- we will be working with lutradur and stitching. it is defintiely going ahead so if you are interested contact Sandy via her blog.The cost is 40 pounds including materials.

Workshop in England-20 February

I will be in England the week of the 16th of february to the 24th of February. I am staying with my friend Sandy and we  have organised a workshop on Saturday the 20th of February in the Village where Sandy lives ( not far from Haverhill, Suffolk). If you are interested contact either Sandy ro me.
We will be doing Transfer Printing on  Lutradur and Stitching.
Transfer Printing is a method of getting permanent colour onto synthetic materials such as lutradur (a polyester non-woven fibre), polyester and polyester organza. The process allows you to get three prints so that a series can be created. We also explore methods of melting back and free machine stitching to embellish your printed fabric. Using Polyester fabrics such as organza allows you to build layers and play with transparency and overlays and still create your own distinctive fabrics and pieces.

You will need your machine with darning foot


Price will be £40 including materials.

A supply list will be provided on sign up.




The two photos are of the linocuts which i have hadn stitched. I particularly like the red one as the gold textile paint shines through the red stitching which gives a really nice effect. I must admit i liked the lino-cuts as stand alone ( see my previous post) and I really wondered what on earth stitching would add  to the printed image.But i am pleased with  how the stitching transformed the linocut. I have to stitch the edges and then they will be finished!

Linogravure

Another linocut- this time with an idea that i want to explore for Southern Lands. I can see hand stitching on these- but which to chose- the golden one or the more subtle one? Possibly the latter as it lends itself more to stitching.As you can probably tell I am a bit besotted by linocutting at the moment and have set myself the goal to try and make one a week- all of the same size so they can be bound together in book form.I also want to see whether I can develop something thematically in this format ( in the past I have made a linocut in response to a need for some form of pattern or illustration in my work not as a stand alone) and as I have a tendency to do some research doing one  a week allows me to explore and create a vocabulary as i go along.

And those of you waiting to hear more about the KISS project- it is coming!

Pear Shaped

Sometimes the world just goes a little pear shaped, but you have to keep smiling! it was one of those weeks where apart from some lino-cuts not a lot got done and very little sewing.I haven't made any small pieces of late and I must admit they are my bread and butter Anyway these pears jumped at me- the background fabric is printed with circles and machien stitched. It is for sale for 45 Euros inclusive of postage ( the piece measures 22.5 cm square or 9 inches square)

And just a reminder- there are still afew places for the workshops I am teaching at Essen for the Textile Event there called Colours of Africa. The classes will be a bit in the nature of a mastercalss if you enroll for all three days 13-15 April as you will be making all your own fabric with which you will work on the last day.

More Lino-cut Printing and St Martin de Londres

I went and looked at another little town not far from here- St Martin de Londres. This eglise was in the  central part of the old village and the archways must once have formed part of the cloisters for the eglise. Unfortunately the church was not open. I imagine it muct be busy in summer but I saw hardly a soul as I walked around.

I love these giant pans of paella that they have everywhere- this one I passed this morning at the market at St Gely du Fesc. It was very tempting but I only took a photo instead.

This linocut is of the sarimanok- a symbol of good luck in the Southern Phillipines- I printed these panels to be used for my friends project she is working on in the Phillipines- the panels are of a size to make bags.

This bird panel was inspired by a series of cards created by Wiener Werkstatte artist Ugo Zovetti- the form is the same but I have changed detail. I am pleased with both lino-cuts as I seem to be finally able to get finer detail into my lino-cutting- things do improve with practice!. I now have three birds all of the same size- maybe I shall make them into a little book.

Lino-cut Printing

I have been preparing the fabrics for one of my Southern Lands pieces. I have had to create new fabrics because alas i don't have my stash here. I have also been working on making new lino-cuts, as I also left all my lino-cuts behind and am slowly building up a whole new series of lino-cuts. My quilts for southern lands are largely about rivers and trees- the two are very connected in my mind, so I wanted to make a very stylised tree but with a round shape at the same time ( which complements the other work I am doing- rounds shapes and circles is a recurring motif). The first images is of different lino-cuts I made for the round 

shape. I tried various sizes and different designs. I made the middle one first , but it looked too much like an  eye, then I made the bottom  one but it looked like an orange segment of a flower so I ended up using the top one. I am still not  100% happy but can see with stitching it might be interesting. I then printed other

fabrics with circles as well. The dark fabric is an African print that my friend had- you cannot see it from the photos but it has just the right colour of turquoise in it- as my tree shapes are printed in turquoise colour bright  from Trapsuutjies.

And if you ar ein need of some adventure or  a change of scene and pace- don't forget that Creative Arts Safaris is doing a tour of Syria from 15 to 28 May of this year. I will be one of the tour leaders- we almost have enough numbers but could do with one or two more. The idea is to be inspired and to create as well- we will be visiting lots of different textile inspired things as well as stitcihing with some refugee women.And we will creating  your own versionj of a travellers blanket!

Reconsidering Dreams

These are two pieces of Kuba cloth- relatively recent as the raffia is not so finely woven and the embroidered detail is fairly loose. I love Kuba cloth for its simple repeated forms which seems to have a myriad of variations and its very abstract impression. Someone pointed out recently that kuba cloth is always  about right angles- although the bottom cloth seems to have just some dots. The tie dyed raffia on the edge of the bottom piece as lovely!

I may have to give up my desire to live in France- my youngest who is at school here is not likely to cut the grade with her French and is a langauage short as well ( apart from English they also do either Spanish or German in the middle years- it's actually quite a sad refflection on Australian education that we minimise langauages). it has left me in a quandary as to what now?? We will stay until at least June- that way she will have attended school here, picked up some french and not missed too much Australian school. I am also wondering about education in England? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thread Palette

I can't believe it! I only ordered my threads from Aurifil on Monday and today they arrived. I tried to chose a palette of colours that I normally use in my work as i often get asked what colours I use- so it is interesting for myself to see as well, when i have to pare it down and chose a modest array of  colours  . These particular threads are the Mako cotton threads in 28 weight- they have a lovely sheen for cotton and I can't wait to see what they look like stitched.

I have also been finishing some hand stitching projects- the one with the spotted leaf is for  Laura Liebenberg's Colours of Africa project- yes I know I am late, but it is all hand sttiched. The second piece is for my contribution to the southern lands exhibition which will be shown in March in Germany and in May at the Europeen Centre du Patchwork at  Salelles d'Aude. it too is entirley hand stitched on lutradur.

I have been trying to collate all the names for the KISS project- but am struggling- so I ask if you registerd your interest could you please email me.

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Bags

The photos don't really do these little bags justice- they start as a square which is then quilted. the pink one is quilted by hand and the cream one has been quilted with Aurifil Lana thread ( this is pure wool thread- I like it a lot!)- and then you stitch the sides of the square and you sort of create triangular sides- then add straps and voila a bag. I like the shape of them and because my friend will be teaching them to women whose sewing skills vary, it is quite easy to construct and can be hand quilted. I am in the process of making myself one as well!

The other photo is another image of Les Matelles- I love arched doorways and want to make a linocut of one of the images I took ( if you are interested in the lino-cutting course there are still some vacancies before our 25 January start)

Is there any other things that anyone would be interested in learning from me on-line? Just give me some ideas if you are and then I can put on the thinking cap and maybe devise a course!

Time really Does Fly!

I don't know where the last week has gone.I suppose I have been organising bits and pieces. I forgot to bring any batting with me- which is proving a bit of a headache- as I am so used to using Matilda's Own and so happy with the product, that  I am not sure what else to use. I could kick myself for not bringing any! I also came away with only hand stitching  threads and as i have a number of things to make including a coloured version of the 72 MORE Ways Not to Stipple or Meander quilt for my upcoming book with Editions de Saxe I have been wondering what to do- thankfully Aurifil have come to rescue in the way of sponsorship- I am so grateful, as the collection of threads i had back home was at times called "enviable"- threads being an important element in the work I make.

 And I have made one or two bags this week- they are samples  for my friend Liwanag's  project for  the women she is teaching in the Phillipines- hopefully I can show images in my next blog.

And then there is getting familiar with your surroundings. the collage is of a little village about 5 minutes form here called Les Matelles. The centre of the village is medieval and has wonderful stone buildings and lots of stone arches. The day i took the photographs the light wasn't too wonderful but I will go back another day and see if I can't do better.it is very tempting to go out this morning as it is foggy- which would lend a certain atmosphere!

 Ahh the day is beckoning- and today i really must do something in my  paper journal- I had promised myself to  improve my journal habits but that too has flown with time!

Some more Linocuts and le Triadou

The first image is the view from our bedroom window towards some of the rocky mountains/outcrops. You can still see hints of snow that fell yesterday.Sorry about the flywire- I will try and get better photos in the next few days!

The second image is an adinkra symbol on printed cloth that my friend Liwanag had ( she lived in Sengal and Ivory Coast, so has many of the wax printed West African fabris)- the other half is a linocut I made of the symbol shape. Each of the adinkra  symbols have a meaning- this one is called Gye Nyame- except for God and is a Ghanian symbol.

The last image is of a rose lino-cut I made. I am not sure it looks like a rose really- it  seems to also look like a peonie.There are stil places in my on-line linocutting course if you ar einterested- it starts on 25 January.

Fante Cloth and Workshops near Cologne (Keulen)

I still haven't started working though the studio space downstairs is getting cleared! Slowly we are settling into life at Le Triadou!

First things first. Southern lands- and exhibition showcasing the work of  5 Australian and one New Zealand artist will be shown at the Atelier of Juliette Eckel near Cologne in Germany starting in early March of this year. In conjunction with the exhibition I will also be giving workshops on 3-4 march ( a two day workshop exploring Lutradur  and transfer painting/dyeing) and Saturday 6 March also  exploring Lutradur.Juliette has a great space where we can work. If you are interested please contact Juliette via the link Ihave given to her website. please also take time to explore Juliette's website as she makes wonderful work with lots of printing

The above photos are of a reproduction fante cloth denoting the kings of Benin. it was hand made in benin in the traditional fante style. Fante cloths are flags made to commemorate kings and events. They ar ehand appliqued and embroidered.

I also am unable to take any more takers for the Kiss project- it  has tunred into quite a substantial project and if everyone delivers we will have plenty of things to exhibit and realy can't take any more.

I am still taking registrations for my on-lino linocut courses. have just found a fabulours engraver from the eraly sixteenth century, Lucas  de Leyde, in a 1966 catlogue of european engravings ( don't you love othe rpeople's bookshelves for the treasures they contain!) which has me all inspired again.

Lino-Cutting On-Line course

This is the cover of a 1930 book on Textiles given to me by my friend Christine Moulin.I love old textile books and even though the pictures are in black and white it often gives you good clues as to balance in the design of the textile. I am trying to get myself organised to get down to some serious work- the KISS challenge which now numbers over 50 participants and my next on-line Lino Cutting course which will commence on 25 January 2010.

The course consists of 3 lessons with numerous exercises delivered at 2 week intervals with the idea of starting simply and developing more complex designs. The course has been geared for printing on fabric but the designs could equally be printed on paper. it takes you through the proces of creating a lino-cut, creating designs for lino-cut, using your photos to create prints and creating prints of more than one colour . The cost of the course is 40 Euros ( $56US) and I can be paid via paypal just email me!

Happy 2010

I will reply to eveyrone about the KISS project early in the new year and will give you more details. I think there there is a strong possibility that it will turn into an exhibition- so think your best creative thoughts about the project; I love the fact that people from all over the world have responded so it promises to be fun!!!

I love the texture of wizened fruit that ripens on the tree, doesn't get eaten, doesn't get attacked by the insects, doesn't rot and there on the last day of the year, defiantly hangs by its stem in the tree with a texture unlike it's full fruity self, in colours so different to its summer glory and yet it is still beautiful. So Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Keeping it Simple

This is one of my fire quilts which I had left stored at my aunts house- somehow I have never felt it was quite finished even though I had put the binding on and sleeve- but finally I fellt I knew what else it needed- hand stitching around the tie dye fire spots. I am already liking the difference the stitching is making- even though it is not so readily apparent from these photos- more later.

I have obviously been thinking of new directions, new life and making  do with less things, less  things with which to make my work-  my working equipment is reduced  to two shoe boxes- one for my threads and scissors etc and one for dye/ printing equipment- and one journal only! Obviously things need to be reasonably simple- not a bad thing as I am a believer in less is more and I find that  many things are overwrought with glitter,beads, thread, sequins and all manner of surface attached things including sometimes too much paint.

 So..... i would like to throw out a challenge- is anyone  out there willing to follow the KISS  principle?( KISS- Keep it Simple Stupid)- make a 50 cm square quilt using only two coloured fabrics ( or white for that matter) and threads ( as many colours as you would like) but using only straight stitch by hand or machine- no fancy stitches- of course straight stitching can be done in any form- and absolutely no embellishing- just fabric and stitch and your imagination!

Any takers? If so contact me and we will see where it takes us- we could maybe work it into an exhibition or use the KISS principle as a jumpoff for an exhibition? I am thinking a deadline  for the end of march 2010 - I will show  pieces on my blog or perhaps set up a special blog and if you do decide to do it would love to hear some of your thought process in the making....

Not Quite a White Christmas- alas

The snow is melting- it was almost a white Christmas. It looked lovely whilst it lasted and sure beats worrying about bushfires and high fire risk days.

Coming away for a length of time has mean that I have had to leave behind many of the things which I normally work with including lino-cuts. I have bought more lino so I have been making new linocuts and this owl is one of the new linocuts. I have to think of some more designs and inspirations. And of course I will  be teaching an on-line linocutting course  in January next year. the price for the on-line course is 40 euros- I raised the price a little after many of the students provided feedback to say they felt I should charge a little more for the class as the content was good and wide ranging.

When i was in Paris I bought a book on the Werksstate- the Austrian  version of art nouveau- I like how they designed so many aspects of their surroundings ( much as the Rennie-Macintoshes did in Scotland) and how they repeated motifs in different objects.I think it is something I would like to develop  an enduring motif. I use pomegrantes a lot as a motif and love it and have used it since the middle nineties as a thread in my work, for which the classical and traditional symbolism associated with the pomegranate add meaning to the work itself- but i feel i want to develop another leit-motif in my work. I have also used fire as a motif. But a new dream needs a new motif- that is my motto for 2010!

I hope to post another blog post before Christmas- but in case I don't I hope however you celebrate it or not that you have a wonderful day !

Snow

We decided to leave France yesterday, for the Netherlands where we are spending Christmas before going to le Triadou in France. The forecasts for snow and verglas sounded quite scarey and proved right as it has snowed most of today. We are staying in the small city of Hulst in Zeeuws Vlaanderen.It looks delightful covered in snow. I am excited by the fact that after 44 years of hot Christmases in Australia, finally when I am back in the country of my birth for a Christmas it will be a white Christmas! I am looking forward to the oliebollen!

I have also been re-united with some of the things and quilts I had left behind in Europe last year- I had forgotten quite how much stuff I had left here! At least I will have some fabric to play with again and try the new linocuts I have made out. I cut them a couple of weeks ago especially for a class I was teaching near Paris, Marcoussis ( where I will be teaching again in March). I will also be starting another lino-cutting course over the internet sometime in January- if you are interested please email me. I am also working on developing the material into a pdf book if anyone is interested.

Goodbye venezia- and Paris is White

I could not say goodbye to Venezia and not show you a picture of masks- they are everywhere, many of them made in places other than Venice- yet they, and the glass are amongst  the main tourist objects for sale. One thing you notice when you travel how much the same everything is everywhere-  it is really difficult to point to any objects of difference in different places- it seems culture has become commodified into the  well known brands- and every city boasts brands form the highflying high profile ones to the more mundane ones for the budget conscious. Venice has masks and glass and many of the store keepers are anxious to point out that their objects are authenttic and  not produced in china like similar objects in other stores.

Even the graffiti on the  old house entry from a canal boasts a universality which suggests hiphop rather than Casanova, Byron and any other number of latin lovers who dashed around the canals of venezia in search of romance and  secret encounters.

Such was Venice- yes it was still lovely and cold. And then we came back to a white Paris- it is blanketed in snow with more forecast.

More from Venezia

Yes I did see pomegranates too, with chestnuts, fresh walnuts and sundried tomatoes!

And yes it's also true I am a complete fool for printed things and blank books/journals. I always think I shall write in the journals and then somehow find it too daunting. Bought a delightful journal book from Scriba- blank pages interspered with 14 wonderful reproductions of the work of Rosario Morra whom Scriba represents in Venezia. Morra's etchings are marvellous- how will I ever write on the blank pages???Wish I had discovered this little gallery on day one- I would have happily gone without lunches etc for one of his small etchings!

And last but not least- one of those delightful scenes you encounter in walking around Venezia!

Day Two from Venezia

The Opera last night was lovely- even if it was freezing to get there- we had to walk very briskly to beat the cold.It was delightful being so close to the stage ( the opera house is not very big) to be able to see the faces of the singers properly and to enjoy the singing music and acoustics.

Got up early this am as the teen I am travelling with  doesn't want to get up early- was looking for the Fortuny Musea, got lost, but even lost in Venezia is lovely. It looked like snowing for quite awhile- flakes fell but then it just decided to be cold-brrr. Found a lovely off-set printing shop that I could not walk past- really really want to go back, but Ryan Air lugagge allowances are so measly and so strictly controlled that many beautiful things have to stay in venice! Ohh but that print shop is so calling to me....

The images are of a persimmon tree with a church spire in the backgrouds- called kaki locally I love the way the orange fruit stays on the tree even after all the leaves have dropped, and a wonderfully ornate light on a street corner!

Reporting in at Last

I am back!! Phew it's been a challenge trying to load photos as we managed to not pack the chords to connect the camera to the computer in the panic to get the house packed.I promise I will report in more often from now on as we have solved the camera problem.

From the photo you can probably guess we are in Venice, glorious sunny but very cold day today and then we decided to get tickets for the opera- so more braving the cold, but the chance to see la Traviata in Venice proved to be too tempting. Hopefully I will be reporting more textiley things in the next few days! Cioa!