Delicate Stitches: ideas

Sunday, 4 June 2017

Feather Sketchbook

Sample detail from Feather sketchbook

I recently posted about the folding sketchbooks I like to make and following on from this I thought I'd share one of my finished sketchbooks with you. I worked on this book early this year and it's an exploration of feathers.

Work in progress

Words associated with feathers

Paper cutting experiment

Like most of my sketchbooks there is a combination of drawing, sampling and writing, both about ideas and about feathers directly. The sketches are mixes of observational drawings and ideas of pieces of work I'd like to make or am thinking about making.

Partially opened up sketchbook

Front cover (cyanotype and stitch)

Front cover (detail)

Working in a sketchbook allows me to collect all my thoughts and ideas together and to try things out. A lot of the textile processes I use are very labour intensive and time consuming. Testing out ideas on a small scale in my sketchbook can often mean that I can work out whether an idea will work and whether it's likely to be worth investing the time and energy or not!

Page details

I'm not generally precious about my sketchbooks, this means that I tend to be willing to try things out and not worry too much. Working in this low pressure way can often mean that new ideas pop up which I then have the option to explore or record and come back to.

Sketchbook Pages

Friday, 14 March 2014

A day in the studio

Mixed media drawing

I got a rare opportunity this week, a chance to spend a day in my studio doing my own art work rather than getting organised and doing prep for workshops and projects. I am very lucky to be doing the job I do and I really love it. I get to work with so many great people, get involved in exciting projects, have the chance to make a difference to peoples lives and I get to work in lots of different settings but I do sometimes find that I don't have time for my own art which is important to me too.

Work in progress

As with most things in life it can be hard to get the balance right; I need and want to do the workshops and projects because that's how I pay the bills and I find it very inspiring. However, I sometimes feel I'm so busy I don't get much chance to make my own work and that my personal practice is slipping a little. So, it was great to have some time to just work on some ideas and have a bit of a play. I went to Bombay Stores at the weekend with three artist friends and I was really inspired by one of them in particular to just get on and make some work. So, I worked really hard to get all my workshops prepared so that I could have a day to devote to my work.

I decided the crow was too small (A2) so I started an A1 size magpie

I did a bit of writing, getting all the bits of ideas that are bouncing round my head onto paper and then I did a couple of collaged drawings. I'm not especially enamoured of the finished drawings but they're a really good starting point for some textile pieces that I want to make. I'm a big believer in Ruskin's 'head, heart, hand' mantra (basically, good art should involve thought, feeling and bear the mark of the artist/maker) and I often find that the hardest bit is getting started; once I'm working different possibilities and ideas present themselves and help me move the work forwards.

I added a background, but didn't like it so I cut the magpie out

I also started on a small piece of work for an open submission; more on that if I get it finished in time! Overall, I had a great day. I feel enthused and excited about my work again and keen to keep going. Hopefully I can continue to make time for my own work and strike towards getting that elusive balance right.

Cut out mixed media magpie

Detail