Contrasts - a diary of the month by month preparation for the exhibition
Following the exhibition I have now added photographs of each of the pieces, next to the details images added in 2017. Images of the exhibition can be found on the Exhibition 2018 page.
December
The final month of the challenge I set myself nearly a year ago! I have really enjoyed the challenge and the different topics each month, you certainly don't get into a rut doing that.
Sadly this is the month I am most disappointed with. Lack of time, too close a theme to January last year felt like there was an element of deja vu in it. I had found in previous years that twelve pieces on the trot is very hard to sustain. A smaller time frame or longer for each piece might help in the future.
I should have included more green in the piece, it lacks a certain something. Not one the exhibition I think!
The final month of the challenge I set myself nearly a year ago! I have really enjoyed the challenge and the different topics each month, you certainly don't get into a rut doing that.
Sadly this is the month I am most disappointed with. Lack of time, too close a theme to January last year felt like there was an element of deja vu in it. I had found in previous years that twelve pieces on the trot is very hard to sustain. A smaller time frame or longer for each piece might help in the future.
I should have included more green in the piece, it lacks a certain something. Not one the exhibition I think!
November
It seems weird that the piece that I'm using for November actually began in December last year while I was working towards ideas for a hook for a year's work. I had visited Westonbirt Arboretum while the trees for full of colour and with all their leaves. Such a rich display of red, orange, gold, puce,yellow. green and brown had to find its way to my work. Colour really is the trigger for creativity fpr me and this was great fun to stitch.
With hindsight I should have swapped October and November's pieces round!
It seems weird that the piece that I'm using for November actually began in December last year while I was working towards ideas for a hook for a year's work. I had visited Westonbirt Arboretum while the trees for full of colour and with all their leaves. Such a rich display of red, orange, gold, puce,yellow. green and brown had to find its way to my work. Colour really is the trigger for creativity fpr me and this was great fun to stitch.
With hindsight I should have swapped October and November's pieces round!
October
As autumn progresses the colour in the trees turns an amazing range of colours, the leaves become tatty and scatter, lying on the ground ready to be blown, licked and bonfired.
I wanted to suggest this in an abstract piece (extract below) with frayed edges and the fabulous colours, the stray ends are falling in the breeze.
I have then mounted this falling layer on a grey, greeny brown fabric because on the day I made it, there was hardly any light.
As autumn progresses the colour in the trees turns an amazing range of colours, the leaves become tatty and scatter, lying on the ground ready to be blown, licked and bonfired.
I wanted to suggest this in an abstract piece (extract below) with frayed edges and the fabulous colours, the stray ends are falling in the breeze.
I have then mounted this falling layer on a grey, greeny brown fabric because on the day I made it, there was hardly any light.
September
Our apple tree is laden this year. From bright green through yellowy orange to red they shine in the sunlight and promise tempting puddings later in the year. I couldn't resist trying to create a piece to reflect this riot of colour.
I was lucky this year to be tutored by Anne-Marie Cadman. She creates multi layered coloured cloth with opaque and translucent dyes, prints, direct drawings and resits. A wonderful experimental day followed and it was really challenging to produce a really abstract cloth. In one day there is a limit to the layers that can be applied and dried before a new layer is added, but eventually I took home a piece I'm thrilled with. My attempt to suggest the apple harvest uses all the samples and the final cloth.
Our apple tree is laden this year. From bright green through yellowy orange to red they shine in the sunlight and promise tempting puddings later in the year. I couldn't resist trying to create a piece to reflect this riot of colour.
I was lucky this year to be tutored by Anne-Marie Cadman. She creates multi layered coloured cloth with opaque and translucent dyes, prints, direct drawings and resits. A wonderful experimental day followed and it was really challenging to produce a really abstract cloth. In one day there is a limit to the layers that can be applied and dried before a new layer is added, but eventually I took home a piece I'm thrilled with. My attempt to suggest the apple harvest uses all the samples and the final cloth.
August
Our challenge 12 inch square has exercised my mind for several months. I’ve been bereft of ideas. Sample after sample has gone in the bin. I ended up going back to my original mind map and realised that my tweed belonged to an island and that I should attempt a piece that reflected the land and the sea in the Hebrides.
Once I had that I was able to sample and work through the technical issues of using a small sample of the tweed. I have experimented with printing images on organza and I really like the hint of an image that this creates.
Our challenge 12 inch square has exercised my mind for several months. I’ve been bereft of ideas. Sample after sample has gone in the bin. I ended up going back to my original mind map and realised that my tweed belonged to an island and that I should attempt a piece that reflected the land and the sea in the Hebrides.
Once I had that I was able to sample and work through the technical issues of using a small sample of the tweed. I have experimented with printing images on organza and I really like the hint of an image that this creates.
July
A past holiday in Sri Lanka gave me a collection of images of the coast and the amazing stilt fishermen. Tall poles with a small cross member sit in the shallows and the fishermen perch on tiny platform with their knees around the pole wielding a long pole with line and hook. The sea shimmers and is every shade of turquoise and green. Thinking of holidays as one does at this time of year, I couldn't resist attempting to suggest this image. I was so taken by the idea this has proved to be the trial for a large piece I'm now completing.
A past holiday in Sri Lanka gave me a collection of images of the coast and the amazing stilt fishermen. Tall poles with a small cross member sit in the shallows and the fishermen perch on tiny platform with their knees around the pole wielding a long pole with line and hook. The sea shimmers and is every shade of turquoise and green. Thinking of holidays as one does at this time of year, I couldn't resist attempting to suggest this image. I was so taken by the idea this has proved to be the trial for a large piece I'm now completing.
June
The garden has suddenly become full of blowsy purple and yellow Iris flowers with their sharp spiky leaves they provide a garden focal point. My challenge was to find a way of using the fabulous colours to produce a piece of simple abstraction. I turned to a technique learned from Jean Wells to create slivers of colour which I then stitched and embellished. The twin needle track created a great basis for simple running stitch.
The garden has suddenly become full of blowsy purple and yellow Iris flowers with their sharp spiky leaves they provide a garden focal point. My challenge was to find a way of using the fabulous colours to produce a piece of simple abstraction. I turned to a technique learned from Jean Wells to create slivers of colour which I then stitched and embellished. The twin needle track created a great basis for simple running stitch.
May
At this time of year the fields in this part of England are full of Oil Seed Rape. The bright yellow can dominate the landscape and the smell in profusion can be overwhelming. The brilliant yellow and the still, vibrant greens of the hedgerows and trees make a fabulous contrast.
At this time of year the fields in this part of England are full of Oil Seed Rape. The bright yellow can dominate the landscape and the smell in profusion can be overwhelming. The brilliant yellow and the still, vibrant greens of the hedgerows and trees make a fabulous contrast.
April
The Bluebells in dappled shade are the highlight of the month and I have experimented with a different technique to explore these delicate flowers. I may want to repeat this one if I have time before the exhibition as I'm sure I can do better.
The Bluebells in dappled shade are the highlight of the month and I have experimented with a different technique to explore these delicate flowers. I may want to repeat this one if I have time before the exhibition as I'm sure I can do better.
March
This lovely month is full of unpretentious hedgerow plants and their lovely flowers. They really herald the spring. As a child primroses were everywhere and we picked them in the garden. The fresh green, yellow and white provided my backdrop and stylised flowers were then printed over it all.
This lovely month is full of unpretentious hedgerow plants and their lovely flowers. They really herald the spring. As a child primroses were everywhere and we picked them in the garden. The fresh green, yellow and white provided my backdrop and stylised flowers were then printed over it all.
February
Continuing to work on abstractions inspired by the changing seasons.
February was grey and wet - it feels a miserable month, but the muted shades of
the sky are inspiring when you bother to stop and really look at them.
They gave me opportunities for hand stitch that I really enjoyed.
Continuing to work on abstractions inspired by the changing seasons.
February was grey and wet - it feels a miserable month, but the muted shades of
the sky are inspiring when you bother to stop and really look at them.
They gave me opportunities for hand stitch that I really enjoyed.
January
I am exploring the seasons we experience and the weather, scenery
and countryside which show how the seasons change. I am developing
my abstraction approach and my practice involves considerable sampling to
achieve the effect I am looking for. My schedule runs for the calendar year 2017.
I have begun with an image of birds feeding on berries in the snow for my
January piece.
I am exploring the seasons we experience and the weather, scenery
and countryside which show how the seasons change. I am developing
my abstraction approach and my practice involves considerable sampling to
achieve the effect I am looking for. My schedule runs for the calendar year 2017.
I have begun with an image of birds feeding on berries in the snow for my
January piece.
