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Musings of a New Zealand mixed media & textile artist
Working away in the studio getting ready for the Artisans' market on Nov 13th. Details available on the creativejourneys.co.nz website. I have made lots of little books in various styles. Have also made packs of gorgeous gift tags, vintage -inspired Xmas bird ornaments and some mounted collage artworks. These have turned out really well. They are ready to put straight into a frame, or wrap as a unique gift item. Affordable art .
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Sunday Nov 13th is the date set for the next Nelson Artisans Market. It is to be held in the Trafalgar St hall. I am having a stall selling paperworks. I have been making small books, cards, gift tags with a unique look. I have also used recycled sheet music as the basis for a small line of Xmas trees , stars and Birds. These have a vintage look to them. There will also be some collage packs for sale to inspire new art or supplement your stash.
Come along and see for yourself..... After a busy few weeks I am now looking ahead to the upcoming months. I am offering a one day class called 'Simple Books and Bindings", which is a great intro to people wanting to make their own books. (See the Upcoming Events page for more details.) Jo and I, as part of the Creative Journeys team are organising another Artisans' Market on November 13th in Nelson. I am making paper based items for this. I plan to have a selection of small books in various styles, gift cards and tags, and I am doing small collages which are mounted on card. These are A4 sized and ideal small artworks for gifts.
I have just completed the piece which will be my tutor piece for the Sew Marlborough mini Symposium starting this Thursday in Blenheim. It is called 'Lost'. I stitched the face from the back of the quilt using a heavier thread in the bobbin to give a sketchy look to the drawing. I have painted, stamped and stencilled on to the front and then done a lot of intensive stitching . I have used lots of different weights and colours of threads as I wanted a rich, painterly surface. I also cut out some shapes from the edges and stitched those on to the surface in places.
I have been reading a library book about life in Paris in the early 1920's. It has a rosy view I know, but it reminded me of many of the things I love about Paris. I have been lucky enough to have had four trips there. The first couple of times we did lots of touristy things such as the Louvre etc, but the last trip we simply enjoyed being there. We wandered around Montmartre, along the Seine and ate at cafes. We used our limited French whenever possible , received many laughs and raised eyebrows from the Parisians, but Paris wrapped itself around our hearts as it has done for many others before us. I did lots of little drawings and notes in my journal. This helps to keep it all fresh in my mind as we are in winter on the other side of the world.
It's a crisp , cold morning so a warm smile is needed. This is one of the paper mache figures I made a couple of months ago. It has a wire armature, paper pulp, a coating of plaster filler and PVA and then is painted and varnished. They were a lot of fun to make. Available for sale, so contact me if interested.
Today we are off to Ruby Bay in the Moutere to 'do' the Ruby Coast Arts trail. A lovely day to go looking at art. Colder weather has meant that there is a need for some warmer clothing. We were lured into a false sense of warmth by the long hot summer. For the past two years I have been doing a postcard swap with a friend in Australia, about once a month. The 'rule' is that each piece has to have some stitch on it. I usually make mine from scraps on my painting table, or offcuts from my journaling. This one uses paint, stencils and a cutout from an old catalogue. I have stitched little French knots on to her hat and neck ruffle. There is also some stitch around the edge. These have been such fun. Each one has become a little exercise and I often do them as a way of getting my head into a creative space when I go to the studio in the morning. The envelopes have now become part of it and I decorate them to link in with the theme of that particular card. Tide's out at Tahuna Beach. Gorgeous colours and a fresh nip in the air.
There is a hint of the new snow on the hills. I think there will be more tonight. I am working on my piece for the tutor exhibition at Sew Marlborough in July. ( more information is available www.info@sewmarlborough.co.nz) I am teaching an art journal class and two others involving stamps, stencils and other goodies. My tutor piece is called 'Loss' and is a machine stitched drawing on to a fabric I have painted and stamped, then stencilled. Sombre colours , but not black. Tuesday mornings are wonderful. I go to my painting class with David Ryan (www.creativejourneys.co.nz) His weekly class is so inspiring and informative. We always begin with a half hour talk about a particular aspect of art such as composition or the use of space in a work. I have seen a huge improvement in my painting, but more than that he has taught me to look in a different way. Not just with painting but with my own work as well. It is exciting to see the possibilities that lie ahead. I am finding I have more of a critical eye when working on a piece , and have learned to edit. Although I love the lusciousness of a richly textured surface I am working more simply now and allowing the rhthym of line and mark to find its own way. The photo is of my painting 'Lake Rotoiti , early morning' which I painted last year.
In July I am teaching some classes at Sew Marlborough, the NZ Quilters' mini Symposium. The ladies are working hard to make this an exciting few days for everyone. One of the classes I am teaching is called "make your Mark' and is about making your own stencils, stamps and print blocks. The photo shows a few of my simple stamps. This is always a fun class and students love the freedom of self expression that making your own gives them. I hope to find time to make a couple more of my own before then.
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