arlee

texture

Posted on February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 by arlee

THIS is why i love hand embroidery. You are just not going to get that texture with a machine.

You can sort of see in the above photo that the “moon” is not really flat. Another bonus of my hand embroidery is that because i use no hoop, some areas will become more relief than others. While some may find this difficult to control and end up with bunchies, pulled in areas and uneven edges, i’ve done it so many times, that i know when the tension of my needle and thread has to be sparing.

The way the fabric moves on its own is another part of the joy.

And now i am looking at this piece from 2012, never finished. It’s quite crunchy as it is, due to the heavier silk and the netting over some areas, but i’m thinking i’d like to do something with it now too.

stretched, and done

Posted on February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 by arlee

Done.

Not that happy with either photo–i need mid afternoon light to do it justice–that’s when the true colours and texture are best! Will probably repost then.

So. What did i learn? Colour didn’t kill me. Even though the last few years have alternated between colour pieces and naturals, the colours were usually monochromatic (with the exception of “All the Gardens Dreaming”) . I can use what i have and not have to buy more–not that i have deliberately bought any fabrics other than white in a long long long time. I can work a background, then turn it into something without a lot of pre-planning. Hand embroidery CAN be cut up. Scale can become an inspiration or an issue–i’d be happier to see these figures *much* larger–and in neutrals 🙂

Though i am not as pleased as usual when i’ve finished something, i’m still quite happy with it, as an exercise and as a finished piece. I have no emotional attachment to this one, and THAT is what means to me that something is meaningful art. I’m sure however, that i could do something this way, in colour or not, that would be psychically linked. And i think *i* stretched a bit with this as well: colour, “story/subject”, time line. (15 days from initial idea and layout to completion.)

I have a lot of ideas in the sketch/notebook about how and where i can do this type of work in my more “serious” work. It definitely WAS a break for my brain though, not worrying about concept, what fit with what design wise, and no size or theme limitations.

Along with Jane Dunnewold’s current class, i have been reading other “thinking” blogs. I may not agree with all said there but this particularly bitey fangy post made me laugh and nod my head.

And now it’s time to get back to the other stuff: Leighton plans, translations of current lessons learned, and yes, still more “Screwing Around, With Intent”.

Creative Strength Training with Jane Dunnewold, Deliberation--do something you don't do--or haven't in awhile, embrilting, Jam Day

almost done

Posted on February 16, 2016February 16, 2016 by arlee

top portion done

missed one teeny line on one of the figures, so will have to fix that and then on to the final stretching on canvas. Started on Feb 2 and finishing tomorrow. Fastest project in hand embroidery ever in this stoodio!

Deliberation--do something you don't do--or haven't in awhile, Jam Day

a clamour of colour

Posted on February 15, 2016February 15, 2016 by arlee

“They” say the more often you have sex, the more often you will *want* sex. 🙂 I’m thinking it may be the same with colour!

(The two blue machined lines are basting only.)

The pictures i previously posted were taken early AM, so below is a better shot in late afternoon that shows the textures better:

I started this bright piece Feb 3 and figure it will probably be done this coming week. Not bad for someone who was resisting using colour again! I’ve even been digging through the more saturated threads and pulling aside possible colour combinations, not for this one, but for other “Maybe’s”.

Now lest anyone think that i am ONLY going to the Bright Side, my sketch/notebook is fast filling with ideas for my beloved neutrals and naturals. The little Prima Vera figures especially have lots of potential on a larger scale and in a slightly different treatment. With a lot of free association going on as well in my vasty head, i have also decided finally on work that will reflect the Leighton piece that drew my attention last year, and that is to be in an exhibition at the Leighton Art Centre. I do still want to finish “Body of Water” as a companion piece though, again with intention from recent thinking and diagramming 😉

Crayons full speed ahead!

a collusion of ideas, Creative Strength Training with Jane Dunnewold, Deliberation--do something you don't do--or haven't in awhile, Home Cookin' the Cloth, Jam Day

colour prompts

Posted on February 13, 2016February 13, 2016 by arlee

We can all agree that usually FB is a colossal waste of time, gets our blood boiling with some postings, or makes us want to puke with the schmaltzy canigetanamendreaminspirethislittlegirlwillamazeyouhavethepowerchangetheuniverseyouarethequeenoftheuniverse memes, but i do find it handy as a prompt also! I think of the old history programs, when FB kindly reminds me that “on this day, you posted this” and shows you what happened each year on that date–assuming anything did happen 😉

On Feb 8 of 2009 i posted this:

WOWZERS, look at that colour saturation and look at that texture! Now WHY am i not still doing this? I have the tulle, i have the metal (remember those stacks of things in the stoodio that rarely get used???)–what am i saving them for? (I’m NOT getting rid of stuff like this i admit, in the interests of honesty and Purge.) And you know what else? I COULD, CAN, WILL do this with the naturals and neutrals too.

The recent lessons with Jane Dunnewold’s Creative Strength Training class are paying dividends: colour, new designs, deep thinking, writing exercises, i’m getting it all.

A playful piece, the colour of this is rich and saturated. There are ideas here that will go into more “serious” work. I still can’t merge fun and “serious work” from those labels, these colours and techniques……Working on it! I DO believe you can do serious concepty work and still have fun—pleasure is subjective (metaphorically maybe!)

And there is still scissor work slated for this one.

Shows/Publications

a surprise publication

Posted on February 12, 2016February 12, 2016 by arlee

Had a bit of a surprise this morning when i opened my inbox: tagged in one of FB’s groups, i discovered a photo of work submitted in September of last year had been accepted. I used to drool over the pages during college in the 90’s, the first time i saw any art magazine even remotely related to textiles. Who knew 20+ years later, my work would be in Australia’s magnificent “Textile Fibre Forum” magazine?

I don’t have a copy, so if anyone out there is willing to either snap up a copy for me, or wants to get rid of theirs? It’s issue 120, which i assume is the fall issue of 2015.

Jam Day

pukey week, with colour

Posted on February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 by arlee

On the weekend, we had our car’s driver side window smashed, so that the vandal could steal a whole dollar and Greyman’s driving cushion. Monday morning my computer was invaded by something and crashed badly, losing years worth of files which can’t be found anywhere, and necessitating the reloading of all software. Yesterday i started feeling sick, possibly/probably with the flu–in Valentine’s week, which has my boss AND ME, freaked about time and pressure at the fffFlower Mines. I was supposed to see Karin last night who i miss desperately, but that didn’t happen with all the puking, heaving, snarfling and whining. I’m scared to face another gallon of lemongingerhoney tea.

(Sideways because of viewability! Right is actually the top.)

I hesitate to label this post as a JamDay because of all the shit that has/is happened/happening, but at least there’s colour. Now to take the scissors to it.

Jam Day

a glass brightly half full

Posted on February 8, 2016February 8, 2016 by arlee

Posting photos of work in progress can be boring, i admit, *I* can see what’s been done, you may think “sheesh another inch? whoopee….”

Actually this is almost half done! This is the top 9.5X11″ of the whole 23ish, and i am at the point of considering what the next “layer” will be.

I have several options, all of which would work (and i could do more like this to accommodate each), so the next step will be to choose either a figure, botanicals or body parts (!).

Jam Day

spring pointillism

Posted on February 6, 2016February 6, 2016 by arlee

It doesn’t look to you like much has been done, but *i* know it has 🙂

All variations on backstitch, there’s some lovely crunchy texture happening again. I didn’t set a rule that this stitch was the only one to be used, but i’m finding it enhances, blends and delineates the colour well enough without being intrusive, that i may just stick to it for the entire piece. (10×24-ish?) I do plan however on adding another layer of stitch on top of the whole, so keeping the background minimal (except for the juicy colour) is the best approach.

Since Calgary is mostly brown right now with only a few dots of snow (LOVE those Chinooks!), this work is welcome to my eyes at the end of the days.

Every day i work with flowers at the day job, and most of them are heavy on lots of colour and texture. When i come home though, this is what i like: simple, small, clustery, ornithogalums and tulips, in a terra cotta frosted glass “belly” vase.

Simple. Keeping it simple.

in progress

bee sweet colour

Posted on February 4, 2016February 4, 2016 by arlee

Loving how the edges are melded with the threads, pointillism of a sort.

I wish i could say who the photographer was in this one, because it blows me away: the colours, that sweet bee, the whole feeling it gives me. If you know who took the pic, please let me know, as you know i’m ~~a bitch~~ stalwart about attribution–found on FB, i did an image search and all it says is “found on FB”!!

Of course i had a thought to slap some bees on this one as well, but maybe not–might be a “signature” of mine in a sense, but with layers planned on top of the initial embroidery, it may not fit with the idea. Progress will tell.

Time to dig out the seed catalogues, garden planner and diagrams!