Things are getting real...

 

This morning I checked my emails and Fiona from Strathnaver Museum was asking what did I think of the poster she had designed? I replied all good  - and within 5 minutes it popped up in my FB feed! Things suddenly got really real.

It is really quite exciting and I am looking forward to installing the works next week. Barry has made all the plinths for me to cascade my seven scrolls for All That Was Lost down, I have laminated all the signs I need and printed all the catalogues. I have prepped for the workshop with the High School students, and broadly speaking I think we are on track!

Here are some images of The Emigrants (shown in the poster above) and I previously blogged about it here.

And here are some details of All That Was Lost. The last image shows the word kist in a rusty tin. Kist means a chest, that you store things in.

And here are the seven plinths lined up against the cottage wall. Next time you see them, they will be installed!

New work for the Open Studio Sale

The title says it, and in a quiet voice afterwards I say, I hope. 

As I sat at the sewing machine on the weekend I reached into a basket to get some good snips. I looked inside the basket and found 4 re-working projects waiting to be completed.

This work had originally been a scroll. Which I really loved, but didn't quite know what to with.

Anyhow, I had completely forgotten about them. I must have started the re-working before we headed to Scotland but had absolutely no recollection having done so. I was however rather pleased to see how much preparation I had done and achieved.  

The pieces were all cut, I had cut the lining for the insides and I had folded them each to the point at which they would close. And then I had held them each in position with a pin as well so I could simply pick them up again and get started.

So whilst my memory had failed, my good work in the lead up cheered me!

The reverse of each.

I did recall that it had been a bit tricky to ensure that the little red X appeared on the front of each. This one just snuck in.

I really like how they are each individual, yet still feel connected.

So today I have begun the blanket stitch around the edges of the first one. To be followed by a running stitch-like seam. And then the cord that will wrap it. Then repeat for three more!

You can see why I quietly whisper "I hope".

Alongside my burgeoning body of work about Home, I have completed these wee things called "Homecomings".

I had begun another project with the lovely timber stands, and gave it away as a bad looking thing. They were relegated to a box in the storage room at the studio.

I have ended up bringing them out again to play with these. I made more envelopes with my lovely rubbing papers; and then added into each envelop one of my small, embossed 'journeys' pieces. 

I think they are lovely, precious things and hope others might find them so as well. You could pop all manner of precious pieces and memories inside them...

They are all individual but range in width from 7cm wide to 14.5cm wide; and in height from 6cm high to 9.6cm high.

The supporting timber and magnet stands range from 7cm - 15cm in length.

They will be for sale at the Open Studio Sale on Saturday 19 November 2022, 10am - 4pm at Deckled Edge Press in Maleny. After that, I will pop them up on the websites (or I might do it earlier if I get time!)

Unknown title

 The third piece of work for Vessel - as yet unnamed. It has two working titles: Carried or Borne.

I can't decide if that is what I am really on about or not; and if either of those describes it well enough.

Envelopes are containers for thoughts and emotions. They carry and transport our feelings, our connections and our attachments to people and to places. Letters home. Letters to loved ones. All wing their way around the world in this humble vessel, the envelope. Envelopes are also places to store the thoughts and feelings of others. Their wishes, their hopes and their dreams. 

The handmade envelopes are presented in this vintage French cashbox. Precious items, protected.

Bundled together are four envelopes, each with a card with a verse from some poetic prose on it. There are three of these bundles, each with a different style of writing, different shapes, different papers, different string.

Displayed alongside them are more beautiful bundles of delicate envelopes, and the first verse of the poetic prose is found on a letter alongside.

Hopefully, it's name will work itself out soon.

The making of the third piece

 I am not sure if I have blogged about this piece at all!  It started out with the poetic prose I mentioned here; but has moved so far away from the image of hand set letterpress that I can barely recall that I was even ever thinking of that! Amazing transition.

But yes, this piece is about envelopes and how they hold our thoughts and feelings. How they move between places and how they are precious and treasured.

It began way back when I thought I would take some paper to Scotland and try to do some rubbings of the cottage. Which I did. On return, I also did some rubbings of the chair made by our dear friend Ken Munsie, which has greeted people at our front door for over a decade. Markings from our two homes.

So I had loads of lovely paper to play with and went about making envelopes.

Cottage papers.

Maleny papers.

 Both.

Seriously, the fun I had sewing papers together to make patchwork envelopes should be illegal.

I won't bore with you the multiplicity of trials I did to try and work out how to get writing onto the cards inside: colours, styles, legibility - so many trials! This is where I landed.

And then I started making even more beautiful bundles. Sigh.

Pulling this piece of work together has been a true labour of love - so many attempts to get the look and the feel just right. These photos show how much I have enjoyed it and it makes me smile to think this is where I got to - after many trips around the bold, the bright and the beautiful, I have landed here in my quiet, softly spoken palette.