Musing over Bonefolder

I know I am little slow but over the weekend I had the chance to browse the latest issue of Bonefolder. It is excellent by the way and well worth popping over to the site and downloading a copy. Muriel Prince’s article Women and Books: Contemporary book artists share their thoughts was of particular interest as recently I have become more interested in book binding and artist books. I have always had an interest in this area and have started to bind my own visual journals. Murial Prince asks why so many women are attracted to artists books as a format and suggests that possibly “it’s the freedom of the multi-disciplinary approach that appeals to women, the not being pigeon-holed and restrained by tradition or convention, the idea that anything goes - the concept can be realised using any and every means at the individual’s disposal.”

It had me thinking half the day because my mind wondered if it was an area of artistic practice where women felt they could carve out a place without having to contend with a huge and historically long pile of baggage like the tradition of painting or sculpture has.

The “no rules” aspect of a particular practice is often highlighted when women talk about a creative practice they love. For instance both crazy quilters and art journallers constantly say that anything goes there are no rules. It is as if throwing away the rules is necessary in reaction to some areas of textile practice. It is as if many women feel that the generations of strict rules about for instance what is and is not done when embroidering a cloth has to be responded to. The thing is there is actually no rules left in many of these traditional areas too. However there are lots of people who still believe there are and are fearful of breaking some unspoken rule they do not know about.

Back to artists books as format you can still explore a concept. The physical size is also small and often intimate which may also be a factor.

Anyway this one article gave me food for thought but I really wanted to simply point to the whole issue as it is well worth reading if you are at all interested in the paper arts or even if you simply keep a visual journal

If you feel like leaving a response here or musing on your own blog about the importance of rules please do and leave a comment to let me and everyone else know. I know I will read it … now must be off I have a living to earn

 

Getting Grumpy over art speak

This is a little something to poder over the weekend as Eric Gibson’s piece The Lost Art of Writing about Art focuses on the writing in the reviews, particularly the Whitney Museum’s Biennial exhibition.  How critics, curators and  people in the business of the visual arts write about art is one of those things I get grumpy about. I have to admit that many exhibition catalogues, reviews and increasingly books I want simply throw across the room in anger as they are often written in this totally impenetrable text. You have to focus so much on trying to understand the writing that you forget about the work that is being discussed.

It alienates readers and makes them feel inadequate. This in turns makes them doubt their own ability to understand what is being said and respond to the work. Rather than informing the public these writers simply end up alienating possible art patrons. Looking at and enjoying art has absolutely nothing to do with weather you can pass the vocabulary test. Although I think it is possible to talk about concepts that drive a work of art rather than just the technical aspects of a work, I generally agree with the Wall Street Journal story. Read it and see what you think.    

Thanks for the link goes to Alyson over on Art Biz blog as she pointed her readers to the story

 

A tale of two samplers

This is the start of what may become the tale of two samplers and is actually a continuation of yesterdays post but for all those who swing by for links rather than chatter Susie Monday has a very good article about getting yourself going. 10 Ways to Unstick when You’re Stuck points you to ways that mean you can do something creative with your time rather than staying in a rut. So if you need to be energised try some of these tricks.

Yesterday my sampler had a visitor! Annie of Annies Crazy World came visiting and with her came her sampler. So we decided to photograph them as they talk to each other. Annie’s work is the thin sampler on the left .

Later addition: Annie has blogged her response too! - do check it out

As I said yesterday for years I have made samplers as a way of storing references to stitches. Of course they also act as teaching aids. I also always make them 15 cm (6 inches) wide. There uniformity has a sort of appeal. Anyway I stitched them all together and the sampler currently measures 33 ft 2 inches or 10.109 meters. I have a new section ready to be stitched on and I just lay it down next to the sampler.

Yesterday I said how appealing Annie’s format of being half the width is. I think you can see it here what I mean.

Annie became interested in how long various areas of stitches were (and I think she will say about that) But it quite spooky as for instance the area of herringbone on both samplers ended up being the same length.

This was a total accident and I stitch my herringbone sampler a good couple of years ago.

As I was comparing the sections of buttonhole on both samplers I saw that I had noted in 2005 the race riots in Sydney and Annie stitching this year noted Sorry day. It fascinates me how by chance both artifacts can become part of a larger story.

It was a really fun afternoon photographing them, looking and comparing and seeing how each of us had done things in a similar but highly individual manner.

On the left is the next section to be added to my sampler. As you can see I have introduced a border!

These samplers are very addictive. I think many people get put off samplers in school and think they are formulated practice pieces that just become too boring for words. If that happens you are listening too much to others or stitching to a preconcieved notion of what a sampler is, as they really are place simply to stitch, explore and doodle with thread!

mmmmm she thinks to her self as she toddles off to the work room … perhaps I should start a series of close ups … once a week or so … a detail … run a series … what contemporary samplers can be …

 

Work in Progress crazy quilting, samplers and chatter!

Hi all grab a cuppa, as you can see I have done a little more crazy quilting work. Not much stitching because work is busy and frankly from now until the end of the year it just gets busier. I am also polishing my latest online workshop that is on offer at Joggles so for the moment stitching time is limited

The other week I lay out a few of these completed blocks to see how they would sit together and this is what they looked like. Progressing and they look better once they sit together. As usual if you click on the photo it takes you to a larger version.

As I said above I have been polishing my latest class Studio Journals: A Designer’s Workhorse . Since this is a new course I will be tinkering with it until it starts! If you are interested follow the link to find out more about it. The other course that is available is the Encrusted Crazy Quilting which teaches people crazy quilting. It has been very popular and there has been lots of new hands to crazy quilting find their way to me. Once again follow that link if you are interested.

On another note who has been following the progress of Annie’s sampler over on Annies Crazy World. She was inspired to start it after I pieced mine together. Just to remind you what it looked like - here is the image again.

For years I have made and kept samplers as a personal reference and teaching aid. I just love them. I always make them 15 cm (6 inches) wide and long like a band sampler.

Pieces are worked on a number of different fabrics. Linen, aida and cotton are all represented on a number of different counts from 25 count linen to 38 count. I plan to just keep adding to the roll so this sampler will be forever a work in progress. Currently the sampler measures the sampler 33 ft 2 inches or 11.05 yards in metric that is 1010.92 centimeters or 10.109 meters but I have two more sections to add that I have worked since the start of the year.

The reasons for stitching these samplers together in one long roll is that it is easier to travel with them like this. A pile of teaching samples stored like this are lighter and more compact - think about how heavy they would be if this amount of teaching samples were housed in plastic slip files in folders. The main reason I did it however is that I like to hand out samples to students in workshops and lectures so that they can see and feel what a stitch is like. People learn by touching, but unfortunately in the past a couple of samplers were handed out but never came back. I figure if they are all stitched together no one can stuff it in their hand bag. So it is a security measure! It also means odd samples can not get lost.

Often along the way I have added a little bit of text stating the date or what has been happening. Like this

Now Annie’s of Annies Crazy World has taken this idea and really run with it. She has been documenting bits of her life on her sampler. The other thing I really like is that Annie’s sampler is 4 inches wide. It is just so appealing when you have it in your hand! Annie and I get together every week to stitch and I can’t stress how delightful her sampler is. I have fallen in love with the width. So much so I thought to start to another thinner sampler but decided against it because I felt that part of the appeal for me is that my sampler consistently tells the history of my stitching so I am still working on a a 6 inch width but attracted to the format that Annie is using.

Anyway thats a very round about way of saying a sampler (and the crochet rug I spoke about last week) are the other things I am working on.

On another note: Do check out the comments on yesterdays post as many new bloggers are leaving their details and its a great way to find new faces. Swing over, check them out, leave a comment and welcome them to the online community of fiber blogs. It is great to have the opportunity to share what we do but becomes very empty feeling if no one comments. So as I say check them out and let them know you have dropped by.

 

A newish blog …

Patricia of Birds Nest on the Ground dropped me an email to draw attention to her blog. I am very pleased she did as Patricia is interested in quilting and embroidery. She describes herself as “obsessive about fabrics, buttons, trims, and old photos. I am a hunter/gatherer who loves flea markets”. Just my sort of person I thought to myself and checked it out

If anyone else has a blog that relates to their activities in an area of textiles leave a comment with the URL and let me and everyone know about it, as if you are new to blogging it is sometimes hard to break into the circle and let people know you are there. So if your blog is on topic put your hand up and wave I would love to know you are out there and I am sure readers would too. Now don’t be a stranger….

 

Collage Mania is about to start!

Virginia Spiegel dropped me a line to remind me that Collage Mania is Monday and Tuesday, in other words May 5 and 6.

I think it is going to be 2 days of total crazyness for Virginia as all you have to do is choose an artwork, e-mail Virginia and make a donation and that is that. So over the weekend I took time out and toddled off to check out the site. It was fatal as I spent hours browsing the gallery. Literally half a day was spent looking at one piece or the other so for eye candy don’t miss this site! The images here are just a bit of a taster. (Please see the image credits at the bottom of the post)

There are hundreds of collaged pieces to browse and delight the eye. So if you enjoy collage of either paper or fabric you will have hours of satisfaction browsing these images.

Do pop over and take a look and remember that all proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.

While I was on Virginia’s site I checked out her blog. Apart from details about Collage Mania a few posts back I stumbled upon a very thoughtful post on “What Makes A Series Work” which is worth thinking about. The other project I delighted in is Virginia Spiegel’s personal challenge the Garbage Day Project. Do check it out as it had me wanting to reach for a camera and join in

Image Credits

Image 1 Collage by Karen Bettencourt
Title: e onziéme étourneau (the eleventh starling)
10″h x 8″w Old papers, acrylic paint, image transfer on canvas.

Image 2 Collage by Jennifer Black
Many Gatherings
7.25″h x 5″w Vintage sheet music, photo, envelope, and other papers; tissue papers; spine of an old book; paint, thread and old buttons.

Image 3 Collage by Susan Lenz
Remains of a Quilt
10″h x 8″w Leftover snippets from a silk painted quilt, paper, thread, acrylic gel.

 

Time for the letter E

This weekend take some time to make a cuppa settle back and enjoy some blogs from another section of the big blog list. I am publishing a letter from the list every couple of weeks, so that people have chance to browse the blogs they may not have encountered.

I try to choose blogs are mostly on topic and written by textile practitioners and designers who do such things as quilt, stitch, dye, sew, embellish fabric, bead, use visual journals, and are interested in art and design.

Letters A , B, C and D have all been popular I hope you enjoy these. Let me introduce …. the letter E !

Earthtone Studios Sue is a mixed media artist working with collage, assemblage, altered books and various paper arts

El Blog de Gabi Campanario Gabi is an illustrator and he blogs page spreads from his fantastic sketchbook

El Cielo Studio Journal Susie Monday describes her blog as being about “stitching and dyeing and printing of the craft of art cloth and art quilt

Elizabeth Creates Elizabeth’s interests cover mixed media and altered arts, crafts, beading, sewing and creating art dolls

eLoomanator is a blog about weaving on little looms but also touches on other craft and sewing interests

Embroidered Collage or Artist Perpetually in Progress by Beth Robinson documents her experiments in technique, her design process, including her visual journal, samples and her interest in contemporary textile work

Embroidered Prayers of Peeling a Pomegranate

Embroideress is the blog of Linn Skinner who researches historical embroidery and designs samplers. Her blog is really worth looking at as she turns up all sorts of interesteing textile related items

Embroidery and design work is a blog kept during the City and Guilds course in Embroidery

Embroidery Overlaps Barbara works with contemporary texilte techniques and embroidery to produce fabric postcards, journal quilts, and various other projects.

Emma Kirsopp is an Australian artist who holds a bachelors degree in Art and a Masters degree in contemporary art (visual art) Her blog contains images of her drawings and works in progress

Empty Easel houses articles on art, painting tips and advice for artists on how to market their work online

Enchanted Art Elizabeth is a fiber and mixed media artist who says she enjoys “traditional patchwork quilting as well as incorporating other materials such as paint, beads, wire, and more

Enter the Stitcher Lisa is a cross sticher who blogs her work

Ephemeral Alchemy Kelli dyes, stitches, collages, makes books and creates assemblage pieces

Ethel’s Blog covers Ethels interest in paper arts quilting, sewing, knitting and craft

Everyday Revelations Kate is a crazy quilter who posts images of her blocks

Everything is Contextual Juj frequently draws and publishes images of her yummy sketches on her blog.

Exploring Color and Creativity Nita paints and teaches watercolour and blogs about this topic as well as art and creativity.

Expression Studio Gail is a photographer who is also interested in mixed media and fiber

Extraordinary pencil is a blog that features some extraordinary drawing skills from the hand of Marsha Robinett don’t miss checking it out as this blog is a gem!

Extreme Craft covers contemporary and Indi craft

Eye Level is a blog produced by staff of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

 

Take it further in May

I hate that what do you do question as I have often wondered how to describe my various creative activities.

How do you describe yourself as an artist? One moment I am doing one thing that could be described easily as Art and the next I am doing something else that is craft! One moment my curiosity has lead me to to look at something quite strange as beautiful like the mould that grows on food in the fridge and the next I am looking at something most people would find familiar and boring and finding it fascinating like the bubbles in the washing up water.

Have you noticed that the term maker is being used to describe the activity of various people who may in the past be referred to as crafts person, or applied artist? For instance the British Crafts Council provides some interesting and thoughtful reading but in the Makers in Focus which looks at the working environment of West Midlands people producing crafts, the term ‘maker’ is used to encompass practitioners who variously describe themselves as craftspeople, or applied artists.

One of the ways I try and make sense of what I do is by defining what ever it is, as clearly as I possibly can. I think most people do that. The way I see it is if you can’t talk about what you do, or haven’t taken care in how you think about what you do, how do you expect others to respect the way you spend your time? Or how do expect people to respect what you make?

OK there is a few questions in the passage above but this month the challenge question is what do you call yourself and why?

Hopefully this will have everyone scratching their head but if you don’t like the challenge question you can elect to use the colour scheme instead.

Once again I came up with it by using ColourLovers and the palette was inspired by a crazy quilting block ( below). Remember that the colours can only ever be a suggestion as computer screens display colours differently. The aim is to be as close as possible to the colours on your screen. From ColourLovers you can download swatches to use is Photoshop, Illustrator, or in a CSS file. Have fun with it!

If you are wondering where the idea for the swatch came from it was this block and request for some pink that provoked the colour scheme. Once again click on the image and it will take you to a larger image.

As usual when you have worked the idea swing back to this page and leave a comment with blog or flickr address so that people can take a look at what you have been working on or done. There is a flickr group for the Take it Further Design Challenge and Debra Spincic has set up a another TIF blog. Please remember if you use Debra’s tif blog to swing by here too!

I also have some news as I have two classes on offer at Joggles.com. The first is called  Studio Journals: A Designer’s Workhorse This is a new course which aims to help people keep and use a studio journal. If you are interested follow the link to find out more about it. The other course that is available is the Encrusted Crazy Quilting which is still popular! Once again follow that link if you are interested in learning how to do crazy quilting.

 

Make a sewing kit

This tutorial on Mackville Raod shows you how to create a small traveling sewing kit bag for toting around sewing supplies. It is a cute wallet made up of three handy pockets to hold things like threads, scissors, needles, etc. For those who carry a visual journal in your hand bag it is also an ideal pattern that easily be adapted to a wallet to carry a modest amount of drawing supplies. So as a fabric stash buster check it out.

 

My new online course is available!

I am bouncing around this morning as my new online class has been announced. Yes the news is I have a new course to offer via workshops at Joggles.co

Drum roll please …. It is called …. Studio Journals: A Designer’s Workhorse

The aim to help people keep and use a studio journal and hopefully students will not only put stuff into it but develop designs from that ’stuff’ and take what they design into a fiber form of some sort. Here is a a description taken from the blurb …

Keeping a Studio journal is a process for catching ideas, developing those ideas into designs with the aim of realising those designs in fiber. Unlike an Art journal which aims to be an aesthetic object in its own right a Studio journal is a designers workhorse.

This course covers the process of using a Studio journal to create designs suitable for textiles such as contemporary embroidery, or quilting. To use a Studio journal as part of your creative practice you do not have to know how to draw but there are some tricks to establishing a process that leads to a design that can be applied to textiles. This workshop covers the process of how to keep a studio journal, how to develop and idea further, and how to turn it into a design suitable for a project in fiber

Painters keep a sketchbook to take visual notes of what they see but their finished paintings and their sketches are very different. Writers keep notebooks but their published book is not the same as what is first put down. Notebooks are starting points for more developed ideas. Both writers and painters go through a process using their sketches and notes as a starting point. Fiber artists do the same thing when they develop a design. Studio journals can be used as the starting point for textile practitioners. This is what this course is about.

Each week a series of design exercises are introduced. Students work though these in order to develop designs that can be applied to fiber. They aim to develop design skills and the habit of using a studio journal.

Please note that this course is about keeping a studio journal as a work horse not about creating an art journal that is a finished object in its own right. The emphasis is very much on using a studio journal as part of a design process to produce something in fiber. The course contains design exercises and techniques and discusses how these might be applied to textiles. It is a course where students spend their time designing for textiles and working in their Studio Journal rather than working a step by step project. That said I am definitely not going to discourage anyone from jumping in and making something!

This class will begin on June 27 and click here to order it from Joggles.com

Also my Online class Encrusted Crazy Quilting will run again

Also taken from the class blurb …

One of the delights of crazy quilting is that there are no rules. This is liberating on one hand but for those who are beginners they often get stumped as to where to start and how to control what they do to start! Encrusted Crazy Quilting offers students the opportunity to learn how to piece, develop and heavily hand embellish a crazy quilt block with hand embroidery, beading and exploring different embellishing techniques while solving design, composition and colour issues. This class is suitable for beginners to intermediate crazy quilters.

Encrusted Crazy Quilting will start on June 19th Click here to order or find out more

How the classes work
There are two major components of online classes, the lessons themselves, and the forum. The lessons are the guts of the class. The lessons are an Adobe PDF document are disseminated to the students by joggles.com. Each student is given a User ID and password as well as the URL to the class webpage where they are expected to go and download each lesson. There is a one lesson per week. I have designed the lessons so that people can work at them as much or as little as they choose. Some people have more time to put into them others do not. I understand this, for this reason I have designed the lessons to be self paced.

The expectation is that the students download each lesson weekly and progress through the class. They can choose to just do a few hours stitching or more. It’s up to the student.

Each student is invited to register at the forums, which is where all class communication takes place. While not real time chat, you can post messages. I check the forum daily to answer questions and join in on the chat. Students can post images of their work online so I can give them feedback. Participation in the forums is totally voluntary but I think this is the fun part of the process as it is where students get feed back from me, bounce ideas off each other and share pleasure in learning a new skill.