Another day of being Inspired by India

A mix of machine and handwork today.

The highly embellished background now has images sewn into place.    

The machining was a short break from sitting here in my studio working at the frame.  (104 hours to date).  Note the two lamps to give enough light, it feels as if summer has well and truly gone from Northumberland - along with the best light after midday.

Tomorrow is the last push before it all gets framed ready to ship to London on Monday. 

The work will be on display at the Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday night at a special Indian event hosted by Cox & Kings, a travel company who run luxury holidays and escorted tours to wonderfully exotic places. 
You can still buy tickets for the evening from here.

Goldwork Paisleys

Well the last few days, today and tomorrow will be more of this;

Cut and pin.

Tack into place.

Stitch the edging.

Fill with chippings.

Stretch your back (think Waterhouse here).

John William Waterhouse

1916

Or maybe Millais

Sir John Everett Millais

1851

Of course this is how I look when I’m working; young, thin, sexy, wearing a beautiful medieval dress, in a castle, waiting for my Knight.
I was born in the wrong age - I’ve known that since I was about 5yrs old.

With 79 hours of work to date the end is in sight, it should all get put together on Sunday and the courier is booked for Monday to arrive in London on Tuesday morning.

I love a deadline.

Oh and I must tell you that I’ve been listening to the British History Podcast for the last few days. 

Its free, fantastic and informative. 

So far the Romans have been and gone and I’m into the Dark Ages. The podcast is one of the best (if not the best) on history that I’ve listened too. 
This guy can tell a story.

Archaeology Results!

In all the excitement about Inspired by India I forgot to tell you about the course results.

Do you remember I was studying Archaeological Theory as a bridging module towards acceptance on the MA?  Well I found it really hard going at first, so many new concepts and ideas and –isms! 
Totally alien to someone who has never before studied social theory / philosophy / a humanities based subject.

The whole summer seemed to pass in a blur of exhibition work, birthdays, visitors and highlighter pens.

Well, I passed!  With distinction.

Now I could enrol on the MA straight away, except I can’t as I need to save some money first.  Not sure where I’m going to save it from though!
A problem to contemplate.

The University suggested I apply for a bursary which I intend to do and hopefully I’ll soon be a postgraduate student of Archaeology and Heritage.

Reflections

I thought that it would be interesting to blog the journey in more detail than usual and with such a short deadline it will be a fast journey!

Of course it is my fault that I have set myself so much to do. 
I honestly think, that this time, I’ve outpaced / excelled / idiotically challenged myself with ambition!

Yes, this is far above and beyond the necessary artwork required for a blogger challenge.  BUT I realised I really wanted to make an Indian inspired work for myself, and had wanted to do this for a long time.

What better to combine the two?

Hence the concentration of 2 months work into two weeks.  The last few days I’ve been working for five hours in the studio and another two in the evenings.  For the next five days I need to work around 10 hours a day. 

I started at 10.30am this morning, after getting DS off to school, having a shower, sorting the washing and setting the machine off… doing the dishes, having breakfast..sorting some post.  I dare not look at emails on the laptop, so if you have written to me in the last week or so please forgive me, but its going to be Monday before I reply.

I stopped at 4.30pm to cook an early dinner for DS who has football practise, I’m just about to drop him off and then head back to the studio for another hour or so before my own supper.

So this is what I’ve been doing today.

If I tell you that this section below represents somewhere in the region of 1/30 of the goldwork to complete, well, you might understand my ambition.

Golden India

Time for a change of scene from pinks to gold.

By tweaking the top tension I was able to produce a lovely raised texture with a hint of gold.  Madeira gold thread (size 12) in the top and cotton in the bobbin.

How wonderful it is to be back following patterns using FME. 

55 hours to date.

Inspired by India gets started

Finally able to start stitching in silks, all the drafting, tacking and marking out is finished. 
So many things have conspired against me, its almost funny. 
This is the part I’ve been working on today. 
Woven silks in fuchsia (what else for India?) 
Printed using a carved block (also from India).

A sick child at home for three days has seriously rearranged my timetable.
And my place of work.  Back to the kitchen table.

You can just see the beautiful orchid in the background.
It was a lovely present (thanks Paula if you are reading!) and its the most stunning flower I’ve ever seen.
The colours are perfect for being Inspired by India!

In later posts you’ll see how the orchid is even more perfect.  White/cream and copper colours coming soon!

If you are wondering about the deadline and details the piece is being created for a challenge by the luxury travel agents Cox & Kings and will be on display at the Royal Geographical Society, London on 10th October during an Indian themed evening.

Feeling insignificant

View from the garden

Indian Inspiration

Well, did I think September was going to be a restful month?

As well as starting the commissions from the Open Studio a wonderful opportunity has come my way.

I couldn't say no.

The travel company Cox & Kings, who run luxury holidays, invited me to join a small group of artist/bloggers to be “Inspired by India.”  Cox & Kings run group holidays to several destinations, but I am so glad they chose India for this challenge!! 

Its been a while since I’ve created work that’s taken inspiration from India….. but it feels SO good to be back with paisleys, shisha mirrors and glitz!  I’ve missed it.

The deadline for the piece is tight – it needs to be on display in London on the 10th October.  Eek!  The destination is the Royal Geographical Society where it will be displayed during an Indian themed evening, if you are lucky enough to live close by you can get tickets here.

After a while thinking….. 

I set to choosing some threads.

Drafting a pattern…..

And choosing one of the fabrics.

The work is to be A2 sized and, of course, I’ll be making life easy for myself with all machine stitching and just one or two beads.

I can hear you laughing from the depths of Northumberland.

Driving lesson

Took DS out driving Daisy – in a big field with nothing to hit!

He did really well, had the start sorted by the fourth attempt, stopped perfectly without stalling. 
All he needs to do now is stop chatting and look where he’s going!

And what a beautiful view too.  Never fails to inspire me.
”Land of the Far Horizons” indeed.

I know this is out of focus (it was very windy) but I just love the colours. The deep violet/purple with the red/magenta and the limey greens.

Can we replay summer please?  I think I blinked and missed it.

The next exhibition

 

Next week I’m delivering work to Old Gala House in Galashiels for the final exhibition of 2012. 

What a whirlwind year its been, Fashion & Embroidery Show, Loch Lomond Quilt Show, Baliffgate Museum, Open Studio @ the High St and finally Old Gala House.
Also work in the Embroiderers Guild exhibition, Pins & Needles, Festival of Quilts and (next weekend) the Tree of Life at the Scottish Quilt Championships in Edinburgh.

Here is the invite for Gala – I LOVE the graphics don’t you?
(Created by the Scottish Borders Council team).

Please do come along if you can make it.  I’ll be at the preview evening.

And something I’ll tell you more about on Monday – I’ve been invited to create a piece of artwork to be displayed in the Royal Geographical Society, London.  The theme is “India”, tight deadline but impossible to refuse.

Did I think I was going to have a rest during September?

Interview

Hello!  If you came to see me at the Open Studio – a big thank you!

We all had a great three days.

I met so many lovely and interesting people and it was wonderful to have my work appreciated.

This month I have been interviewed by Sewing World Magazine. Lovely to be featured in a magazine again.

Open Studio Pop-up Gallery

 

Photos from the iPhone – keep forgetting to take “proper” pictures (I am nattering too much!).

Having a wonderful time, open tomorrow (Sunday 2nd) from 10am-5pm.

Last chance to see!

A reminder…

…about the pop-up gallery in Wooler.

We open on Friday at 10am.

Am so excited – please come and say hello!

London–Part five

Benin Bronzes - they form one of my favourite pieces in the museum. 
I have a lot of African Fabrics to use up (the pile is becoming embarrassingly large), so here I was looking for African links and inspiration. 

I wanted to stay for another day just wandering around being amazed but I had to run for a taxi and jump on my train.
Back in the Autumn to see the V&A Ballgowns exhibition (and back to the BM too).

London–Part Four

British Museum

Shakespeare; Staging the World – a wonderful, wonderful exhibition.  No photos allowed unfortunately.  I saw some truly amazing pieces from the Tudor era and beyond. 

Afterwards I only had time to visit the African Galleries, which were almost empty.  I thought London was supposed to be heaving with tourists in the summer?

London - Part Three

 

Courtauld Gallery.

I was so hot when I arrived here I headed straight for the cafe and a glass of cold elderflower.  Then, after almost cooling down, I headed inside to see a notice telling me the aircon was broken!  It was throwing out hot air.

Oh boy, was it HOT in there.

Advantage – hardly any other visitors, disadvantage – fairly obvious. 
I got to the point where I had to leave before I fainted.

The drawings exhibition on the top floor was well worth a visit, sometime I love drawings more than the finished paintings.  You can see much more “life”, the gestures, marks, the thoughts of the artist.

London - Part two

A lovely, but VERY HOT walk across London from the Tate Modern to the Courtauld Gallery.

I love walking London, so many exciting things to see;  the Globe Theatre, gothic door of a Theology Library, Middle Temple, the Shard, Millennium Bridge, the Royal poster and the Olympic Rings.  I was really proud to see those rings!

London–Part one

Tate Modern – my favourites (absolutely favourite of the whole gallery?  Rothko, I surprised myself)

and a bookshop to spend an eternity in…..

Festival of Quilts 2012

 

Yesterday I had a great day out at Festival of Quilts, spent much of the time with my mum which was wonderful.  I met up with lots of friends (including Carol of Textile Tales) and saw some inspiring work.

Though I did plan to go back today I have decided not to (I’m sitting in my hotel room supposedly writing essays in peace and quiet, not blogging *shush*).  Why am I not going back?  Because I saw everything I wanted to see….. (and I don’t want to spend anymore money).  There seems fewer quilts on display (not surprised with the cost of transporting them – bring back the local collection points please).

There were some really fantastic exhibitions, for me the European Quilt Art always wins approval, Cas Holmes was inspiring (though my machine stitch could never be that “messy”) and a new discovery in the graduate showcase Alice Fox.

Today I’m wandering over to meet a friend for lunch and as I write I wonder if I will pay the £14 to go back and have a look at a few exhibitions again?  I will see how it feels, as I really DO need get to 7 essays completed by Monday so I can play with my son! (two are complete, two need checking and three need writing).

Here are my pieces in the show.  Never easy to get a good picture.

They didn’t win anything of course, I’m not “quilty” enough for that and that's fine with me.  I like to be me.  Know what I mean?

Tree Of Life, hand dyed cotton, beading, machine and hand embroidery (see I didn’t say “quilting”, that says it all!)  Very difficult to see the intricate work on the centre panel,

Coastal Tower inspired by Bamburgh Beach.  Silks, hand and machine stitch and beading.  The second tower I’ve displayed at FoQ.

Flight of the Swallows.  Acrylic paint on canvas.”Quilt as you go”.  Suspect the judges will not know how to mark this against their criteria and there will be lots of “fails”! Its my favourite of the three works and it does not fail in anyway to me.  Its a pictorial quilt; three layers held together with stitch. 

Time to get ready to meet a wonderful friend, unfortunately I will miss this friend and this one as they are visiting Saturday and Sunday.

The next exhibition

Along with two other artists I’m opening a “pop-up” gallery in Wooler (rather than opening the studio).

Do come and say hello.

Poster / leaflet design by moi – am very pleased with the results – most enjoyable way to spend a few hours.