Life Drawing 5.11.18

Pen, continuous line

Another month has raced past and it's time for Life Drawing again. I was really looking forward to this session as I enjoyed last month so much. I wasn't disappointed, it was a small group but most of the artists have been coming to my sessions for a while so we know each other quite well now and we do have a laugh. One of the reasons I continue to run these sessions is because of the group of people who attend, it's a good opportunity to learn from each other, share stories and gently critique our work.

Blind drawing

Blind drawing

Blind drawing

I wrote last month that our model had lost a great deal of weight, changing her poses in interesting ways. Similarly this month's model,who has been modelling for me since I started running sessions seven years ago, has also lost a lot of weight and again there were some subtle changes in the poses he chose. I like this 'evolution' and seeing how the models change and pose differently according to how they physically look and how they feel. However, I am slightly concerned that all my models are wasting away...

Blind drawing

Continuous line drawing

I struggled with getting the proportions right in this session, I don't know whether that was anything to do with the fact that I've drawn this model a lot so there was maybe an element of drawing what I thought should be there rather than what was or because I was just struggling with proportion. I think probably a bit of both. I tend not to worry too much about proportion and to just try and work it out through 'blind' drawing and by repeatedly drawing the pose until I get it right. I draw quickly and I try really hard not to overthink my drawing and to let it flow. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't but it's interesting to look at afterwards and see the bits that went well and not so well and to try and work out why.

Multiple drawings

Layered blind drawings

Layered drawings

In this session I also looked at layering up my drawings a bit more, rather than move on to a new piece of paper for each new sketch I tried to work up multiple drawings of the same pose on one sheet of paper. I like the interesting compositions and strange juxtapositions working like this can create. It's not really planned so it does sometimes turn out to be a little odd. I also worked in more than one colour and again I like the way the drawings interact with each other, it adds a bit more definition rather than just becoming a jumble of lines.

Blind drawing

Multiple sketches

The next session is Monday 3rd December and I'm already looking forward to it!

Continuous line drawing

Back in the studio...

Dipper
Machine embroidery and fabric paint on cotton. 2018

Over the past couple of weeks I've been able to get back into my studio a bit more and it feels really good to be working there again. We've had quite a stressful few months for various reasons and I haven't had much time to focus on my own practice. I had a look back through my book of knowledge (the notebook that contains all my thoughts, to-do lists, projects, ideas and so on) and I kept seeing 'need more time for my work' so I'm really pleased to finally be able to spend a bit of time on my own practice.

Dipper (detail)
Machine embroidery and fabric paint on cotton. 2018

Dipper (detail)
Machine embroidery and fabric paint on cotton. 2018

Mr. Stitches and I try and go for a walk every day as it has so many benefits for both mental and physical well-being and on one of our evening walks last week we saw three dippers together. I often see them along the river but usually only one at a time. I'd been thinking for a while about doing a dipper portrait and seeing them on our walk prompted me to actually get on and do it. I decided it would be a good project to get myself back into working in my studio.

Design drawing

I began by drawing out my dipper, I only make portraits of birds I've seen because it's important to me to observe and then capture a bit of their character rather than just what they look like. I love the way the dipper moves and the way it suddenly disappears underwater, it always seems as if it's been swept away but then it pops up again, fine and unharmed. To create my drawings I do use photographs and reference books as well as any quick sketches I've made whilst watching the bird to supplement my memory of the bird.

Work in progress

Work in progress

I then used my sewing machine to 'draw' my dipper onto fabric. I started with a black outline and then added some hints of other colours. I didn't want to put a background in, as I very rarely do, but I did want my dipper to have something to perch on so I added a rock and some swirling water so it wasn't floating in space. At this point I hadn't decided whether or not I was going to add any applique or paint; I was keen to experiment a bit with paint and in the end this is what I decided to do.

Rook
Machine embroidery and fabric paint on linen. 2016

Often when I use fabric paint I use the paint first and add the embroidery over the top but for this piece I wanted to do the reverse. I made a portrait of a rook a couple of years ago using this technique and I've been thinking about experimenting more with it recently. I wanted the result to be quite watery and for the colours to bleed out into each other and the background. I wanted to do it this way partly to evoke the watery world of the dipper but also to suggest the fragility of the bird and it's environment; our wildlife and environment are under so much pressure and I wanted to comment on this.

Sketches, books and work in progress

From sketch to drawing to finished piece

I really enjoyed making this piece, although at several points I considered abandoning it as it wasn't going quite as I envisaged. I'm pleased with the way the fabric paint has worked and I think this might be an interesting idea to explore further in other pieces. As an added bonus I received a message asking if the piece was for sale after I posted a picture on Facebook. It's always a nice confidence boost when someone wants your work on their wall and I'm delighted that the dipper will be going to a home where it will be appreciated!

Changing Impressions: Remembrance Workshops at Cumbria's Museum of Military Life

Objects and samples ready for the workshop

Earlier in the Summer I wrote a couple of posts about projects I've been involved in connected to the centenary of the end of the First World War. One of the projects I've been involved with was designing and delivering a drop in workshop (two actually) for Cumbria's Museum of Military Life as part of their Remembrance 100 programme.

Stitching

Making a rubbing

Adding stitching

In all honesty drop in workshops are not my favourite; the activity needs to be accessible and achievable in a very short time frame but should also be able to be extended if visitors want to stay, you never know how many people you're going to get and a lot like busses participants tend to either not turn up at all or all come at once! However, they are a great way of getting people in to museums and offer an easy way for people to participate which I do think is a really good thing.

Exploring colour

Rubbings and stitching

Adding stitching

Memory and how it changes over time is a theme I'm currently exploring in my own work so I was interested in creating a workshop that looked quite broadly at remembrance; what it means to remember and how that changes. (I wrote a bit about this on my post about the Remembrance 100 exhibition if you're interested to read more.) I'd also been asked to give the workshop a textiles focus, which was good for me as of course I love working with textiles.

Getting involved

Getting involved

Getting involved

I decided to create a workshop called 'Changing Impressions.' Using fabric crayons and cotton fabric I encouraged participants to make a rubbing of an object, creating an impression of it. If they wanted to they could then further embellish their rubbing with stitch. The idea was that by taking a rubbing from the object you would create an impression of it; it's from the object and bears a resemblance to it but it's not the same in the same way that our memories of things are not the same as the actual things (or events.) Further embellishment further changes the memory of the object imprinted on the cloth, just as each time we revisit a memory it subtly changes.

Workshop results

Workshop results

Workshop results

I really enjoyed running the sessions, both were well attended and what I loved was seeing participants, particularly the children, become very engaged in what they were doing and focusing on the process. In our increasingly fast paced world I think it's increasingly important to find time to stop, slow down and properly engage with an activity, especially one that uses the hands. I think I created several converts to hand embroidery, more than one child was heard to ask if they could go and buy threads to do some sewing at home. It was also lovely to see family groups sit and work together, supporting and encouraging each other and creating memories as well as exploring them.

Workshop results

Summery Summaries: Part Three: The Heathlands Project

Pieces for the Stitch a Tree Project

Because I'm at The Heathlands Project every week I often forget to blog about the projects we get up to. I've been at Heathlands for over 8 years now and I still love working here, I love the sense of community and also the opportunity to get involved in all sorts of projects and the freedom I have to try all sorts of things with my groups. I always like to get my Art and Textiles groups involved in projects as it provides a great opportunity to get their work out there and challenge people's perceptions about what they can achieve.

Stitch a Tree

Materials

Designing a tree

Earlier in the year we got involved with the excellent Stitch a Tree project. The project aim was to connect people around the UK to show support for displaced people across the world. Artist Alice Kettle then collected all the trees and has joined them together to create a ‘forest.’ I really liked this project because it was simple and achievable but also touched on some very important topics. I also like working on projects where lots of small pieces come together to create a unified whole. 

Work in progress

I thought this was a lovely project to be involved with. I also worked on this project with my Tullie Textiles groups so between them and my Heathlands crew I was able to send at least a copse worth of trees down!

Tree details

Tree detail

Bugs Quilt

Bugs! The Heathlands Project 2018 Quilt

Every year with my Textiles groups at The Heathlands Project I make a quilt and usually we send it down to The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. Although it's quite stressful getting it all finished in time and I always end up giving up a day of my free time to get it completed I do like working on a big project like this. I made the first quilt with them in 2011 so this is our 8th quilt.

Designing our bugs

Tie dye patches

It's a really good opportunity to introduce and experiment with a whole range of techniques and it also gives some of the now more experienced participants a chance to develop their skills further and show them off. This year we re-visited tie-dyeing and also experimented with embroidery, applique, and needle felting. Each person's patch is unique and beautiful and I love the way their personalities shine through. Using the same materials and equipment each person produces something so different but when put all together they all work so well.

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress

This year we chose the theme of 'Bugs!' as we'd won a roll of beautiful organic jersey from the lovely folks at Pigeon Organics printed with bugs. I devised an unnecessarily elaborate but entertaining system of joining it all together involving elastic loops and felted balls. We got some lovely feedback from the judges and we're already planning next years quilt!

Details

Details

Details

In addition to our group quilt this year I also sent down two individual quilts that members of my Textiles groups had made. Both of the individuals had worked so hard to create their pieces and we're so proud to have their work included in the show. Getting it all organised was hard work but well worth it for the sense of achievement they both got.

Feedback for our Bugs quilt

One of the individual quilts entered

OCN Courses

Group rag rug

As well as our internal groups we've also been running an Open College Network course in Environmental Arts. For this course Adult Education provide us with a tutor who comes along and delivers the accredited course. It's a great opportunity for us as it means we get a new person with new ideas coming in and the guys gain a qualification. Over the length of the course we've tried things such as paper making, rag-rugging and weaving. The course is continuing this term in the form of 'Seasonal Crafts.'

Paper making

Weaving with plastic bags

Rag rug hedgehogs