Moments are Out, Even is Uneven

 

I have been making since the end part of Dec 2013 on a number of small weavings that would in a moment create an image in my mind. It then moved to the small looms and 4 selvedge method of weaving Tapestry. Colour seemed to answer itself almost with myself viewing these two colours sitting comfortably together in a box, one soft the other stiff and man-made. 

To make is always a mixture of excitement and wonder how an idea comes to life and develops into the expression of emotion, thought and soul of both the materials and my response to them thus giving myself the encouragement to make.

I then came to finish the weaving when I realised that each piece was not yet complete, the sense of a completed work was when they were on their backgrounds which gave the weavings a place to call home.

These works are being shown as my solo exhibition and I am pleased how they have come together as both a body of work and individual pieces.



A Gift for a Friend

A gift made by two for a friend.

 The wrapping was on a core of cotton with red possum and black bamboo/wool.

 Metal of red and black with a core of copper adds a richness to the creation........basket.

Shaped elements to remind us how nature is always adjusting and creating much pattern, texture and beauty for us.

1st Workshop Weaving with Natural Materials

These are some of the pieces I have made and show how they can be either a brooch or magnet. The workshop was two 1 hour sessions in a beautiful Art deco building in Richmond, Victoria. Which I feel added to the experience, as it was light filled (skylights) and how the building had been modernised. This is my idea of using nature in weaving, along with 4 selvage method of warping and weaving. This allows for an other styles of brooches.

Bark, twigs, firm grass's, leaves and flowers have been used, with awareness of the flower may breakdown sooner. The people at the workshop came away with the one they made and seemed happy. A fun project to do, with the people from (EEEC) Sharing the Journey conference. Thank you all who participated in the day and my two helpers.

Close up of just a bark piece which is lacquered.

One of my favorites, yet I do like them all.

1st Window Display

This is my first go at a window display and I enjoyed the process, seeing my weaving and yarns that I use on display for people to see. While this happened during the wool and sheep show earlier this year it is something I am very proud to have done.

Weavings from a Rigid Heddle Loom

I recently received a gift of a rigid heddle loom and I have woven these two items on it whilst being away from home. This orange cotton and viscose was the first and it took a little to warp up as I was blending a couple of ideas on ways to warp up. But I wove this at the local artist market where I have a stall. It was a very winters day and weaving away gave both my hands and mind something to do that didn't involve the cold. I have tried a rough version of hand Leno at different points to see how the loom handled it.

A very happy piece and I was soon back at the rigid loom with more ideas abound for the future. For now I am trying a combined colour warp and another threading method after watching a few ytube video's. I found a slightly quicker way and was soon weaving away.

The way to yarns interact is something I find fun and are happy exploring, along with how different plys with different colours make for a rich textile piece wether that is light or heavy in both yarn and or colour.

Thank you

Winter warmers

I have been weaving three throws - wraps using some yarn that I have had for a few years and until recently I was unsure what to or how to use in weaving. Then I came across another yarn and ping went in my mind, these two can go together and even though they will create differnt width in the reed, they lend to  be woven clasp weft with the introducing of angora, alpaca and wool in some of them, so with this sorted I started.

This is the first one just off the loom with my new idea for measuring, little tags with the length it measured from the last tag eg 120cm plus 20cm = 140cm under loom tension. There is wool and alpaca in this one and a new happpy owner who fell for the weaving when I was doing some bark weaving workshop with school children recently.

Number two from the same warp this time a darker green running up the middle and different edge finish shape. Yarns are wool, alpaca giving a nice touch.

This one has angora, wool and aplaca in it which is giving a nice feel to the weaving even at this stage. I have started the final one and are please the light blue works well, the red looks more red on the loom, but I will wait and see when weaving is finished.

Faith In Fashion

Joan who you see here next to the robe that was made by her.
The skill, talent of ideas and materials used to make the religious robes, along with the associated regalia. It is in Bendigo til June 17th 2012. I met with Joan who made a applique robe and regalia showing the amazing abilities to show the dirvese nature of Australia. Plus much more from cloth made with glod lurex, to raised embroidery, chauseable fromVennia in  1800's, and the Tapa - bark ones are just a wonder in how and the way in which they are made. A feast of Embroidery and other methods made by people who you can see enjoy the process of making and belief of the wearer. 

Reflective Tape Weaving

From the idea to loom then a bit longer than expected and onto delivery at RMIT First Site Gallery in Melbourne. I enjoyed the process even if it took longer than I thought. In part because somewhere I miss calculated the length, it was supposed to be 2.5metres long but resulted in closer to 4 metres. But very effective when light shines on it in a certain way.

  

 The loom looked a treat and almost space age.

 Now it in it's unreflective state. The method of clasping the weft has given myself a whole new world of opportunities to explore shape and pattern with texture.

Above shows the way reflective looks when partially aglow, and below when rolled up on it's black square rod as I didn't want to take away from the total effect by hemming or creating a pocket and this way it completes the project by showing all parts, and this is a me thing.

Laid out at home with the flash for bringing out the glow.

Now for the reveal at the gallery RMIT First Site Gallery - Melbourne.

When looking at the length looks like the first one, but under the flash there is the glow. I am a very happy with this piece.

Tapestries - ART in the Street (Bendigo)

My exhibition at Goldfields Library Bendigo

I have been making a number of pieces for this exhibition that is run as a collective of 18 artist's, each in a business of Bendigo and 2 in Eaglehawk. It is organised and supported by the Bendigo Advertiser and City of Greater Bendigo.

My pieces have been influenced by my interest in weave, the materials around home and the ways of creating works that stimulates the senses.

These range in size from 10cm x15cm to over 50cm x 50cm and all woven in the no selvage method. I collected the bark after released from the trees around the home. I then looked at the way the gum's leaves would range in lovely greens.  

To use yarns from cotton to wool to express the many colours that is gained from the viewing of many trees looking back at myself. So from light to dark mixed among shapes as can be seen in the way the bark has shaped itself.

The sunset, (left top) is the view overlooking the town, gum tree (left bottom), close up memories of home (right top) and blocks of land (shaped right bottom) are all how I see the area I call home.

The Battery

This is to show my view of a dream gold mine in the old days.

I finish off with my two samples that was part of the Tapestry studies I started in 2004 as part of my textiles studies. Tapestry is one way I get express visual, textural and experimental elements that may stay with this method or go into other textiles ideas.