Ready to Fly

Ready to Fly, 2017

I wrote in my last post that my aims for this year included prioritising creativity. To that end I have started the year off with a small submission project. I have taken part in Surface Gallery's International Postcard Show three times before (2013,14 and 15) but didn't take part last year for reasons I can't really recall. I really like this project as it is small enough to fit in around even a busy schedule but there is still the satisfaction of making a piece of work and knowing it will be on show.

Ready to stitch

Layering Fabrics

Last year I really enjoyed working on my feather and textile pieces so I decided to continue working in this way for my postcard. I feel like I'm starting to really develop a personal vocabulary working in this way, with particular colours, stitches and fabrics signifying specific things. It doesn't matter whether or not this vocabulary is understood by other people, it is part of my creative process and way of exploring my ideas.

Detail

Detail

In my recent work birds (and feathers) have become a symbol of transcendence, a belief found in many cultural systems across the world due to their ability to fly into the heavens. In this piece and in other recent pieces the blues represent the sky and freedom, the feather symbolises the soul and the red symbolises life. For me this piece is about spreading your wings and rising up to meet life's challenges.

Detail

Detail

I used a piece of felted wool blanket as a base and layered it up with pieces of silk organza. All the fabrics I used were ones that I'd dyed with indigo. I used a combination of fly stitch, running stitch, seeding stitch and beading to hold the layers together. I love the way the stitches sink into the felted wool, creating another layer of texture. I'm pleased with how this piece has worked out and it has got my new year off to a creative and positive start. If you're in Nottingham the show is on from 14th January to 11th February.

Detail

Postcard Art

Pencil drawing

Whilst avoiding doing any work by looking for work (thus bypassing the need to feel guilty, so the theory goes) I came across The International Postcard Show being run by Surface Gallery in Nottingham. The basic premise is you do a postcard sized piece of artwork, send it to them and they will display it in their exhibition. The postcards are for sale and any not sold are sent to another participating artist. It sounded like a fun idea and a good excuse to get myself working so I thought I'd have a go. The postcards have to be there by this Friday so I've been working on mine today, ready to post off on Monday.

The finished postcard

I started off by preparing some paper with paint, newspaper and lace (to make a pattern in the paint surface.) When the paint was dry I used pencil to draw hands stitching. The paint gives a really smooth surface so the graphite slides along really easily making nice smudgy effects. I used red pencil for the thread to add a bit of contrast and stitched around the edge of the postcard with blanket stitch. I then mounted my drawing onto a fabriano postcard to make it a bit stiffer and postcard like.

Detail

Detail

Small projects like this I think are great because they get the creative juices flowing and get me working without the fear of committing to a large piece of work or feeling overwhelmed. Also, it's a nice thought that people are going to see what I've done and someone else is going to end up with it.

Back of the postcard

So, if you find yourself in Nottingham between 16th January and February go along and see what people around the world have sent in.