I felt like i played hookey yesterday, staying home to work on Tabula Memoria, guilty as hell, and sneaking around in my own house!
This morning, back to res, and then to DayJob. There’s just not enough hours in the hours.
Author: arlee
I am a Canadian textile artist in Calgary, Alberta. As textile artists, we connect and are connected to communities larger than our Selves, or our immediate environs. We encapsulate culture, technique, history and innovation every time we touch cloth.
indigo moons again
I just can’t resist these. I love looking at the fabrics i’ve dyed, envisioning new moonscapes, different thread colourways, unique stitches i haven’t tried before.
I’ve got quite a little stockpile of these now to work. Not all are in the photo!
I’ve been alternating these with the res work, and the large commission.
day three res
Of course, usually by the time i post, it’s another day, in fact two days past, but………. This is part of the game, of what i do, hurry up and wait, no instant gratification, nightmares (yes!), anticipation and hoofies crossed SO tight.
(These are a mix of the two day’s results.)
Most are detail shots as that’s where the devil beauty is.
I have to start thinking about what will come of all this for the end of residency exhibition. This is Contextural’s 10th anniversary, but the theme is open this time, as we all work so differently. And i also realized that this is my 6th residency! (Although my very first one in 2009 was a self induced bust….i signed up for 3 months then too, all excited and drooling, and showed up TWO days, because i had NO idea what i wanted to do!!!!!!)
EDIT: got my idea/s last night as i was falling asleep 🙂
On Monday, i’ll be firing up an indigo vat there (two at home already, but impossible for me to transport by bus and train ), because, because, believe it or not, OMG, there are some participants who have never done indigo!
PS The rabbit showed up again, and was offended because i had nothing Rabbity to share, and YAWNED at me! Henceforth, he shall be Paul Bunyawn, ’cause he is a big rabbit 🙂
day two res
Because Day One is always setting up, thinking, doing what you did last year (as a warm up) and finding out what you’ve forgotten 🙂
Bear in mind that these are all photographed wet, and will dry lighter. Still, i’m damned pleased.
All in the dryer now, with more, and will cure before they go in the shop.
And this is my Lunch Buddy:
res starts today
Three months this time, lots of fabulous fabrics to create, and lots of stitching planned.
Previous years:
Mesmerising
No talking, no music, just flow.
discoveries
Now if i can just do this again…………
bottomless
Another two hours this morning. Time to stop for the while, when the thread snarls, and your rotator cuff hurts….. I wrote a funny many years back that mentioned “embroidery elbow”–i’ve got “embroidery shoulder” now.
more heart
Slopped around some paint and sketching in the Am to just get out of a major futz, and then picked up the second figure for Tabula Memoria. YES. “More heart” indeed: the first attempt was arbitrarily stitched, but i think the actual heart attempt on this, the second attempt, is MUCH better.
The first/older aborted start, below:
The new Valdani threads came in handy, but rather than dividing the 3 strands, i left it as a 3ply. Seems to be finer than DMC (though not as smooth), but worked like a dream.
And using the stretcher was actually much easier than i thought it would be. I left re-starting this one a (too long) while, as i hate using hoops of any sort at the best of times, so KERPOW to you Misconception. I wrassled ya down. This haremcloth behaved itself beautifully.
Thread SCORE!
I restrained myself, and spent 80bucks, half of what they are worth, because the poor man is trying to clear his departed wife’s stash in this estate sale.
A Valdani “Collection” (12 balls of 3ply embroidery floss), 10 DMC perles in #8 and #5, Caron Wildflowers in colourways i haven’t seen before, a couple of delicious mystery brands, and that solid DMC greeny bit because it reminds me of wasabi mustard.
This was a drop in the bucket. The woman had, i kid you not, about 5000 times as much thread, in boxes, cases, hatboxes, worm binder thingies, bags, storage carry cases and more. I kid you not. Seriously. I’d have taken more, but i fight with linen threads, the silks were too fine, and the solid DMC’s are readily available anywhere.
And he gave me this:
The legs have zipped openings as well. I’ll be quite stylish carrying this one 🙂
albedo too 
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