Next steps for a book & pebbles!

 I am pushing a couple of things forward at the same time - the wee book for Narratives, and the second Book of Silences. Both are in fact pretty big projects; but the deadlines for both are only a few weeks away for me (given we have plans to return to Scotland. I say plans, because as we have all observed, the planet is a risky place right now).

So the stitching is happening on the pages of the Nest book. I am varying the placement and length of lines of stitching, but have decided on three lines of stitching for each. 

One thing I am missing from the larger public studio space is the light for photographing things. I used to put things on the concrete floor, in an area without direct light and the colours were always pretty true. I am yet to find my happy place for photographs here at home, but over time I hope I will. I think this last photo is the truest to the colour of the pages.

So that work continues, and I have also added some of my calligraphic pebbles to the shop. I was trying hard to work out a way for people to select their own word and I had a few tricks up my sleeve; but without adding 26 letters of the alphabet as items and have people choose 1 x P + 2 x E + 1 x A = 1 x C to create PEACE I couldn't make it work. I thought having 26 items on top of other things in there (like jewellery and book-ets) would just make it look way too messy and be a bit too fussy for folk. So I selected a few phrases and words and priced them; and offer folk the opportunity to email me with requests.

I did work out how to let folk choose if they wanted upper case or lower case so that felt like a win!

The pebbles are $2.00 each; and if any locals want to buy them, there is no postage.  Well depending on how I go manipulating the website, there might be postage, but it will be swiftly refunded!

So many things...

Inspiration in so many ways

 It's a funny old time at the moment, with the exhibition just sitting over the horizon, still taking up space in my brain and with my mind only allowed to go a'wandering alongside lovely things to do and play with once time has been freed up.

There have been plenty of little moments of inspiration around me; especially some lovely textures, worn timber and rust.

A worn out nest tucked inside...

Beautiful stone dykes everywhere, covered in lichen.

And always flowers. They are my creative outlet when I can't be doing much else...

And a final moment of creativity. Barry is looking for wonderful old buildings to paint so as we drive around we pull over when we can, to get some photos. He had hopped out of the car to take a shot or two here when I glanced in the side rear view mirror and thought that looks pretty cool!

Pebbles, Stones & Rocks opens soon...

 Our lovely wee showing "Pebbles, Stones & Rocks" opens next Saturday and runs until Sunday 12 May, open Friday-Sunday, 10am - 4pm.

This weekend has been very much about cleaning up and clearing out the studio space to make it lovely for the work as it arrives and as we begin to hang and display it. Once again I am showing with my three friends - Tory Richards, Susan Bowers and Stephanie McLennan. Together we did the Red Thread exhibition back in 2021.

For this showing I pondered pebbles and stones, and explored how grief has so many connections to them. The way grief feels heavy and burden to be carried; how its rough and raw edges can cut nad tear; and how over time the edges are smoothes, and the weight becomes bearable.

I also celebrated the beauty of pebbles and their role as memory holders, part of our collections of travel and place, and the joy that is sparked when we hold them in our hands and remember. My first steps in silver jewellery making have been taken, with the series of pebble-inspired pendants and earrings called "recollections".

Today I will show my jewellery selection and on Tuesday I will show the final grief work. I have been working on this series since returning from Scotland, and learning much and finessing my skills over time.

The silver jewellery comes in lovely boxes with a wrap and a tag which on the underneath side shows the jewellery inside.

The earrings sit nestled in a black insert. All of the shapes are pebble-like, nothing perfect, nothing fully circular, all allowing a little bit of movement and play. I like the layering of the pebbles and the movement; and also the delicacy and lightness.

The pendants come in the same boxes, just larger, and again have layers of pebbles forms and differing finishes.

I also created silver stud earrings for folk and placed them in some lovely old tins, alongside a pebble for memory, and some words on warm beeswax-infused paper. There are 6 pairs of studs, and one single stud - seven tins all up.

Because I am a collector of pebbles of all sorts, I rummaged through the collections and tried to find seven matching pairs, which I thought could become tactile and warm pebble studs. Set with sterling silver findings, here they are in their smart black boxes!

And then I wondered about having real pebbles as drops, and with some help from B to drill the tiniest of holes and set the findings in; these are what I am calling sibling stone earrings - where the pebbles are not perfectly matched (or twinned) but rather are definitely related...

I have made a few pairs as clip ons, and all the silver earrings can also be turned into clip ons. The studs not so much!

I really do love the pebble form and have been thrilled to have the opportunity to develop work and develop my skills in this new way.

Grief is a Stone in sandstone

 I have had two of my Grief is a Stone metal calligraphy pieces cut into Corten steel, which should weather and rust.

My plan is for them to be outdoor sculptures that might sit in a garden, tucked away and folk might come upon them quietly.

So I have popped them outside to get the rusting action happening a bit more quickly - we have had a fair bit of rain! I got one of each style cut.

And they are beginning to rust nicely on the front.

But I have had to turn them over to get a bit more happening on the back.

 Barry cut the groove for me in a couple of small pieces of sandstone we had set aside for another project.

Broadly speaking, I think they are going to work well, they just need little bit more time weathering.

Prepping fabrics

 I have two exhibitions next year and they each involve a lot of work, so I am starting as early as I can on both of them. I am trying to push each piece forward a bit at a time so I feel as if I haven't forgotten any single piece. At some point that will change and I will be head down, bum up finishing specific works, but for now, I am a bit of this and a bit of that and a bit more of that over there.

This week was all about prepping fabrics for use in a large piece. I combed through my back catalogue of fabrics and found a bunch that worked well together.

I need a number of long lengths so thought I might also need to dye/stain a few more. Out came some pins.

I folded up the fabric with the pins in, and popped it in a brew of strong black tea.

Which stained it well and the metal made some interesting marks.

It might have been toooo strong a brew so I went again with a slighter weaker mix and random pin placement. Even tho of course it was random in quite an orderly fashion.

 

And here it is hanging in the sunshine in the peace magnolia tree

I started to measure and tear the lengths I might need for the work. And this is how our lounge looks for the time being.

Each one measured and labelled!

I will need to stitch lengths together so that part will be fun.

A collaborative column

 Both Barry and I are a bit focused on using up things we have around the place, rather than purchasing new materials for new projects.

With that in mind he set out to use up some solid timbers that he had in his wood pile.  He cut and routed a number of small cubes which are great for popping into gardens; and we decided that together we would create a tall post for the garden below us.

He routed and inked the meandering line around the four sides of the post, and then together we worked on adding rusty bits to each face. These are photos of B in action.

And of me in action!

I had hammered all these nails in, and we were about to fold the metal over onto the other face. Barry did the lovely folded edge on the left.

I learnt how to attach washers that had a big hole - by added smaller ones on top. Love the look!

It was a very iterative process. We would add an element, review, consider the space that was left, select something to fit or to balance. A really responsive approach.

I loved the cap plate on top of the post. Again the trick of attaching washers with large holes came in very handy...

Earlier in the day we had elevated the post-bench so that it was easier to get down to, and up from. And then with the help of our friend Faith, we positioned the post. 

The view as you walk down through the garden.

The view as you approach from the road below.

And unexpectedly, the view from our back deck! We love how it pops its head over the greenery.

And here is one of those garden cubes - used here near Dad's orchids and one of our garden sculptures. Dad requested it so that when he take the garden hose up that way to water the other orchids we planted around the corner, the hose doesn't damage the orchids or the sculpture. Form AND function.

If you also follow Barry's blog you will get a double dose of the post I think.