I think i need more of them…….
I apologize for the lighting, taken last night at 1130 in a dim studio!
Not the finalized layout, i’m playing around with placement, and i feel i need more of them to not look like a last minute add on…..
Category: Contextural Fibre Arts Co-operative
finding the meaning in no meaning
I should keep my big mouth shut. Realistically, there is not enough time for me to create an entirely new piece for an exhibit that starts in 23 days, at least not with what i want to do to it….. Plans are wonderful, necessary to keep going and growing, but i don’t need to make myself any crazier than i already am, and decidedly do not need to frustrate my need to make with rushing and forcefulness. On that note too, what the hell is “concept” but construct?
So back to maybe not square one, but square 37? 🙂
Some of the ideas i had for the piece mentioned in the last post are valid for this, so i picked it up again last night, whacked a few more stitchings in, and can see where it’s going now.
Still means a lot of work has to be done, but just keep going. I created the faces during residency for a reason. Read any trope or import into that.
pull it together
Seeing all these photos in one entry makes it look like it’s going to be complicated. I don’t know how anyone else pulls elements together, but i visit the past (from my own work), research and then extract certain motifs or techniques and fit them together in new ways.
Above is the base fabric, the main component of the piece.
I’m looking at these shapes below, seeing them surround the circle/hole/void/portal/egg/seed.
Above, original sketch/painting (2013), below in process detail from “Nightmare Interrupted” (2014).
What i have in mind to do though, means that base fabric isn’t big enough. Below, the “filler fabrics” i deliberately created during residency this year will be pressed into service —and stitched and cut and pieced, as well as pressed 🙂
I’m not sure if i will use both, piecing them into each other, or just one. The honeycombs/hexagons/cells make a re-appearance, a motif i return to often, symbolizing for me nature, chemistry and beauty. Hexagons occur naturally, are not just a man made construct, in everything from beehives to snowflakes!
There’s machine work involved in this one as well. Lalage hasn’t seen much action in awhile, so i hope she complies!
I *think* the projected size will be around 24-30″ “square”, though my intent is not to make a square piece, but a dimensional, wall hung, more sculptural piece.
SO, now with the deadline only 25 days away, i best get at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hard favoured
A simple shape, unadorned, plain, unassuming, no clear path, unstoried.
Just a start. Some desire the fade into the background, don’t want attention on a personal level, but imperfect circling, coiled spring, comforting ensphere goes round and round only, nowhere. Just an end. Ouroborous unbound, the ultimate allegory.
someone must have hit pause
And now i need to fast forward all the way to Aug 28th, as that’s a deadline for another Contextural exhibit!
That gives me 26 days–i have ideas, and i have a plan, so best get on with it. I’m looking at this again, the sketchpainting that inspired “Ebb and Flow” (2014):
I still have this piece that was originally stitched for the Leighton exhibit. Not used, it could be incorporated into the new work.
First though, i have to clear the decks!
And yesterday we “decompressed” again at Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller. That’s the best kind of “pause”.
We’ve never seen the bottom of this geological wonder so green and bloomy!!!!!
Greyman brought his drone, but it was a bit windy as he had to keep rescuing it 🙂
And Nessie, the DogFaced Girl, dogged at her best.
shop update
Some of the residency fabrics are now listed! They are cured, washed and pressed, have been sorted by living with them for a couple of weeks and i am ready to share the wealth 🙂
There are more in the shop than these samples indicate!
Blue Moon, Leighton Suite Blue done
Done. Round and round i went, round and round it goes and glows.
Except for the last bits of stretching the smaller moons to canvases, and signing the big moon, i can now say that my Leighton Suite Blue work is DONE.
This is the first time i have done a deliberate series, with work based on each previous piece, and the first (and probably only) based on responses to another artist’s work, and i’m pleased with the cohesiveness of the pieces. I don’t know that the original Marion Nicholl work will be visible during the exhibit, but hopefully, there will be some reference to it, so that the audience can see the antiphon i intended. The whole process, in photos, sketches and ramblings can be found here.
With the deadline of July 30th, i’m well ahead of the game, and ready to move on to new work!
res day 8, abort
24 hour tummy bug yesterday, damn it, so no time at ACAD. This week sucked for getting in there, but at least on Monday i was able to find some more cotton. I’m going to have to do a LOT of work next week in the last few days i can get in!!!!!!!!!! I think the next time i do a residency, i will go for the three months! While some of the work i do is for the shop, i also try to have enough of a “stockpile” for my own work–and i’m not getting much of either done…….
I made the best of it however, and not only got a start on the first face, but managed to make 2 dozen sachets for the bread and butter sales. Boring but necessary 🙂 At least it smelled good while i was working!
I’m now “seeing” this face “dense” with asemics. Need to switch to a finer thread for the effect though, as both i used were so similar (swirls along the side of the face as well) that there is no visual difference. I’d use a silk, but the sheen makes it more obvious too.
I love how the eye turned out, but doing the other so it “matches” scares me! It can’t be “identical” as light and shadow is different for each side of the face, but i hope the skew isn’t too skewy! The original work from 2007 that inspired this was all in colour, but her eyes were black/blank areas, so i’m winging this aspect. I also need to think how i’m going to add more dimension to the flower area on the left side of her face: it seems a shame to cover that with something, but it may have to happen.
close to completion
Round and round i go. “Cheesy B movie night” pick was “Zoombies”—because it’s all fun and games until undead giraffes gang up on you and pull your arms off.
Today will be an indigo day at res–if i can get my ass in gear–and this will be going with me to stitch on as i wait for other processes to happen.
res day three, and a 12th blog anniversary
Enough with the faces ! 🙂 (Though i may do more with other older drawings as the inspiration, below a bag from 2007.)
Trees and roots were on my mind on the third day. (I always have to post days after while waiting for natural processes to process 😉 ) Here’s the current line dance.
Of course, as soon as i hung them on the line, the wind came up, and the sun came out from behind a cloud! Will have to rephotograph some in the shade.
Day 4 won’t be until Monday, due to that pesky Day Job thingee.
Happy 12th Blogaversary to me, whoopee 😉
albedo too 
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