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!)

Making a start

Our previous visits to the cottage in Scotland have been very task-focused.  The first time we were on a whirlwind trip to identify possible cottages; the second trip we came to renovate and furnish inside and set up the internet and telephone etc; the third time we came to do outdoor work of drains and gravelling and clearing land; and this time we hope to have fewer tasks to do (altho of course we are still doing lots of weeding and trimming to bring the yard into shape again after a fruitful summer of warmth and rain).

That said, we are both keen to focus on our art lives whilst we are here as well, and that can pose a problem for a metal worker and letterpress printmaker.  Our materials and tools are too heavy and awkward to move around the world with us, so we ponder other things.

I tried to be a bit prepared this time and have some fabric and some threads and some notebooks.

I made 8 notebooks a while back thinking I might write in one a week.  I started off OK and used the Turkish fold book to capture the week of transit - flying, stopping in Edinburgh, researching the cottage at the National Library, going to a Fringe show, enjoying the madness of the city in full festival flight and the many arts and crafts opportunities that were also on. It continues the r=train trip to Inverness, overnighting there and then the final train trip north and arrival at the cottage.

I wasn't sure how I might use this folded book but have come to the view it is brilliant for capturing a week of odds and sods and lets you dump things down without feeling obliged to write a full page.  A very friendly approach to journalling is my assessment!

And then to the cottage - the other place we call home.

We stuck to our tried and true method of being super busy and then we woke up. We slowed back down into the rhythm of the place and my mind turned to making and creating again.

I had seen a great leather purse in Edinburgh - a triangle fold and one into which I could put coins. My new wallet doesn't really work for coins so I have to find an alternative and additional option. Why not try to make one I thought?

I found the folding pattern on line OK and thought how hard could that be?

First attempt at a paper template failed.  I needed to draw equilateral triangles and couldn't work out an easy way to do it. Googling identified the need for a compass - which is not something we have on hand here; but also offered up an option for tracing around a round thing.

A mug perchance?

The inaccuracies associated with drawing pencil lines on a mug and basically hoping, thwarted mea gain and yet I was sure there must be a way.

So I fiddled and I faddled and drew one by messing about with fold lines.

Once I had done this I measured the height of the triangle and wondered if there was a formula for the ratio and yee ha there was.  I can now create equilateral triangle of any size by calculation. I laughed at my glee haven't cracked that!

I made a few paper templates and wrote some notes and called it a day.  Making a purse can wait.

I had chosen this wee notebook to use as my thoughts and ideas jotting place whilst away and it turned out to be the perfect choice.

Inside it has this extra bit which is the hinge that allows the pages to stay in place; which was just the right spot to tuck my templates.

And then to thread.

Having happily solar dyed some threads form our garden at home, I had wanted to try and dye some here as well.

I met too many stinging nettles for my liking as I weeded, but that got me thinking if they might be put to good use.  So I harvested some stinging nettles and some red clover and some purple thistle flowers and thought I would give it  a go.

We shall see what happens.

When last here, my dad had planted some sweet peas with the hope that they might be flowering when we arrived; and they were, so the dead heads were next in the pot!

 

 And finally after all my flights winding cottons onto pegs here i my stash from home.  All so gentle and sympathetic I think.

Stitching fun awaits!

Memory Keepers...

In the end I called this book "Memory Keepers". It seemed a fitting title as within each envelope is a little artwork that captures some of my memories from our recent trip to NZ.

As I have mentioned previously I struggled with taking this work forward.  The theme and ideas were elusive - always just out of reach, slipping out of my visual field as soon as I thought I had sensed a response. In the end I really felt the need to build a coherent story, for me, and to try and bring the visually different, tho companionable and complementary, envelopes into a whole that was satisfying.

I promised myself I would think about what to do with the book whilst we were away. Our first night in Auckland we got to our room and it had a beautiful number on it and I thought I'll "photograph that and keep a record of all the numbers" with no real plan to link it to the book.  As I lay in bed that night I tried to work out how many places we were staying and how that matched up to envelopes, and I discovered that we were staying in 11 towns. We had 13 envelopes so I thought perhaps I could top and tail the trip with home, and use numbers as a theme. I had a plan.

I have never worked with numbers before and enjoyed them. I thought of all the different ways I could present them - braille, Roman numerals, morse code, sticks etc and was totally getting into it.  Each place we visited I recorded our room number and tried to note down the things I recalled or that had an impact. I figured this would all make sense when I got home.

Friday a week or so ago was the day I had to pull it all together and make 17 artworks.  I had decided we stayed in Auckland three nights, so I would pop three pieces into that envelope; two pieces went into Dunedin's and Queenstown's envelopes as well, covering the two nights we spent in each of those towns, hence 17.

601 appears twice - home is where we began and where we returned to.

The most significant and constant theme of our trip for me was rocks and pebbles so I knew I needed to incorporate these throughout the artworks.

As is often the case I start out one way and stop myself when I realise that it's not going to work. I tossed out the idea of using a variety of numbering styles and just chose to use my metal type numbers, somehow. I wasn't sure how I would use them but I decided I would!

Transparent envelopes reflect mistiness or fog, a bookmark might remind me there was absolutely nothing to do there but read, whilst delicate paper reminded me of the fragility of healing after earthquakes. It wasn't until I was halfway thru that I worked out I needed to add words, because I am a word person.

I hadn't planned to do much to the outside of the envelopes - but in the end I decided to unify them with a metal type number and am so glad I did! Practical too - if the artworks come detached from their envelope; they can be put back together.

Barry and I chatted about them when I was almost done and I said I was thinking about running a little journey line along the back flap of the envelope - again to unify - and he suggested I put 13 dots on the line, one each for the places I reflected on, and then hint at which one this envelope related to. So I did and I love that bit too.

In the end it is a very personal travel memoir, yet I think it offers the viewer a chance to enjoy the journey as well.

Collaboration get together

Well, in amongst the madness that is the end of the year, Susan and I and our books got together on Wednesday, but we both knew there wouldn't be an opportunity to post until Friday so here we are; better late than never!

It was once again a wonderful get together, and a fascinating experience as we explored each other's books.

It was quite interesting to discover how intriguing the books were, even tho we were both familiar with the envelopes given that they were exactly the same. We had also had a glimpse of where the other was headed last Friday; but wow - it was totally different to experience the completed books.

For now, they are bundled together using some of Jennifer's Habu thread that made its way across the world to us here and which is a perfect addition to the work. It plays a role and brings Jennifer into play  with our books as well! We are finalising thoughts for the final presentation - soft or hard? box or pouch? see-thru or opaque? We shall see...

Anyhow, both books tell their stories in unique and individual ways, and both books still appear harmonious and complementary, despite our different approaches to finishing the envelopes and making the artworks within.

We thought we might photograph a few of the envelopes with matching artworks just to share; each of us will no doubt tell our own stories on another post...

These pre-made craft paper envelopes were where it all began and they sparked Susan's imagination. Who would have thought this humble envelope would have led us on such a fabulous adventure?

I think we are both still going thru a bit of as crush-phase with tracing paper.  We were both so happy that we included a couple of transparent envelopes - they added so much interest and softened things, hinted at but didn't disclose...

One of my favourites was this soft grey envelope. I also love what we both put inside it, and what Susan did to the outside of it.

One of the things I have noticed about this collaboration is that we are both acutely aware of the process, and the experience we are both having. At times, we seem to step back and observe ourselves and comment on it and talk about. This time we were both surprised by how intrigued we were with the work; how we felt a sense of excitement, inquiry and discovery as we sat in front of the envelopes and began to explore. I let out little sighs of "ohhh..." and squeals of delight when something beautiful or unexpected was revealed.

Despite the early challenges, this has been another wonderful book to make together, thanks Susan!

Coast to coast...

We are making our way home now – leaving NZ behind to get into the hurly burly of Christmas preparations and celebrations at home. Yesterday we made our way from the west coast across the massive mountain ranges in between to the east coast. Even tho it is officially summer here now, we left a misty, foggy, grey Hokitika – grey to match the rocks, stones and pebbles that we collected each time we walked the rivers and the beaches.

 As we passed through the mountains, the sky lightened and the sun shone and we stopped at Springfield to check out the best Big thing I’d ever seen – the Big Donut!

Over on the east coast we headed to a beach at Woodend to see the sea again. We found a brilliant blue sea and sky, sand not rocks, but just as much wind. This fabulous temporary sculpture or installation was just waiting for us…

And we spent today in Christchurch, observing the damage and the recovery. A beautiful and vibrant city.

NZ wanderings continue...

We are currently on the wild west coast of NZ - lots of wilderness and no mobile signals or wifi in many places. Laugh - funny how we come to expect the internet wherever we go!  Hence the only occasional reply to comments and the only very occasional comment on others' posts. I promise on return I'll do a fine catch up!

We left Te Anau, and headed for Milford Sound which was lovely, then had a couple of days r&r in Queenstown which is the adventure capital of the world. Barry and Fiona failed to engage in any adventure activities and in fact I ended up getting a haircut!

We stopped by Wanaka on the way out, and I fell in love with the area...

And here is a photo of my favourite man in Wanaka...

We moved onto Haast another wild and empty place and went for plenty of bush and beach walks - we are sleeping well at night.  I have fallen in love even more with the rocks and the stones.  They are ancient and they are wonderful, and they are everywhere...

We stopped off at Jackson's Bay - way beyond Haast and the harbour is framed by the mountains.

Of course, we find the most interesting marks on the boardwalks where we walk...

Then it was up to the two glaciers - Fox and Franz-Joseph.  A few more lengthy walks and again an early night.

And just in case you want to know a funny fact about Fiona - I really don't do bridges. I am not at all fond of walking across them, I get the weirdest sensations and impulses, and I managed to do TWO suspension bridges in a day - quite the feat!

The countryside is magnificent. I am particularly fond of the lakes (or sea) with snow-capped mountains. For an Australian, the idea of the sea, a coastal rainforest and the snow all begin so close together really does my head in! Our rain forests are tropical and in the far north and our snow is well inland and very south.

We head a wee bit further north now, then cut across again to the east coast, ready to make our way home. I promise more art on return!