International Postcard Show 2014

Postcard: Drawing, print and stitch

Last year I took part in the International Postcard Show 2013 at Surface Gallery which I really enjoyed so I decided to enter a postcard again for this years show. I like this project because it is small enough that it doesn't feel to intimidating or overwhelming but at the same time it gives me an incentive to stop thinking about doing some work and actually get on and do it.

The original layers; cyanotype, lace print, drawing and stitch

I had some cyanotype prints I'd done last year of lace and buttons so I started off layering these prints up with lace prints I'd done on tracing paper. I also did some continuous line drawings of hands stitching on tracing paper and added one of these as another layer. Having stuck it all together and added some stitching I then decided I didn't like it so I peeled apart the layers, which left some bits stuck to my tracing paper drawings, and layered it on top of a different print made using bubbles. I liked this much better and was pleased with the traces left from the original layering so I added a bit of detached blanket stitch and packaged it up ready to post.

Detail of detached blanket stitch

Detail of drawing

Last year was a very exciting and busy one for me, I got to work on some great projects with some great people and I have been able to expand my freelance work greatly. The slight downside to this is that I haven't had much time for my own practice so as part of trying to get a good balance in my life this year I am hoping to be able to spend some more time creating my own art. I find little projects like this are a good way to kick start the process and help me build up my confidence and enthusiasm.

International Art

Flower designs inspired by Polish folk art

Last half term I did a couple of mornings at Pennine Way Primary School as part of their International week. Working with each class in Key Stage 1 we looked at patterns from their chosen country (each class chose a different country) and then used fabric pens and collage to each make an individual fabric patch.

We used fabric pens and collage

Ceramic tile designs from Portugal inspired another class

Each class also worked on a large group collage to do with their chosen country and I then took away all the pieces and sewed the individual patches around the group collages to create a hanging for each class. Because I've had so much other work on I've only just finished sewing all the bits together and I'm looking forward to taking them to the school this week. I've backed them all with a nice bright red cotton and put ribbon hanging loops in. I hope they'll be pleased!

The flag of the USA surrounded by individual designs

Some of the individual patches 

Working with nursery we looked at the USA and they did a group collage of the flag and then individual patches based on animals. We looked at native American art for inspiration.

Uluru was chosen for the group collage for Australia 

Animals of Australia 

This patch uses the colours of the Aboriginal flag 

A very happy kangaroo

A scary number of spiders!

Another class looked at Australia and so we looked at aboriginal dot paintings and most of the patches were based around the animals in Australia. The designs from this group were full of character and they were really imaginative.

This class collaged a map of Portugal

They based their designs on ceramic tiles

They were really good at using colour

They came up with some beautiful patterns

For the class who had chosen Portugal I found some images of beautiful patterned tiles. The children did a fantastic job of both copying some of the patterns and creating their own on their patches.

The Polish eagle formed the centre of this classes piece

Their individual patches were based on floral motifs

Floral designs

Lots of floral designs inspired by Polish folk art

One of the other countries we looked at was Poland. Again we looked at traditional folk art and noticed that there were a lot of floral motifs so the children made their patches very floral. I was very impressed with some of the lovely designs they came up with.

The Eiffel Tower was chosen to represent France

The patches were all based on France's national flower, the lily

Another lily design

France had also been chosen by one of the classes and the teacher had asked each of her students to draw a lily, the national flower of France, on their patches.

I really enjoyed working with the students and teachers at Pennine Way. It was interesting seeing how differently people approached things and how this affected the finished pieces. I learnt a lot from this project and hope that the school got a lot out of it too.