Thursday Thoughts...

"The truth was a mirror in the hands of God. It fell, and broke into pieces. Everybody took a piece of it, and they looked at it and thought they had the truth." 

Rumi

I only collected these words in the past month or so, and despite how long ago they must have been written (Rumi being a 13th century poet), how apt they feel in the time we live in.

Part of me is sad that the mirror had to break - but perhaps that adds meaning to the words - the truth is somehow broken now.  Did the internet and social media break the truth?

I often think about our various perspectives in a less broken way - as if through facets on a cut gemstone. each facet offers its own little window onto something and a unique view or perspective of the same thing. Yet the stone remains whole.

The broken mirror is slightly tougher as it suggests to me that what you hold in your hand is partly the truth - and that the truth itself is broken and that is why you only have a fragment of it. It certainly feels less hopeful; that in some ways we can never put the truth back together again.

At the very least, I  hope we can find ways to mend and heal our broken world.

Detail of artwork by Zhao Zhao, seen in Singapore 2019.

Lovely letters

 Sometimes it's the random things that catch your eye; that you act on, that you get delivered, that you vaguely recall what you had in mind, that you then pack away and then later on recall, and then get excited about all over again!

And so it was with these silicone moulds for concrete letters.

We had purchased three sets a while back and finally got around to playing with them during this resting down time. And such fun it was.

With no real idea of how to do it, we gathered some tools for general concrete use and a bowl for mixing our small bag of concrete and headed off.

We filled the moulds, and tamped out as many bubbles as we could. 

We were generous in our filling.

We managed to do two full alphabets, and a few more in the third from a single small bag.

It was quite detailed and time consuming in its own wee way - trying to gently fill each letter, tamp it down, top it up wipe off the excess etc.

I am sure we will be better at it next time around - the tools were a tad too large for the job  and we think we could make the mix a bit runnier, but that's what happens isn't it? You learn.

And then because the colour complements so well... we discovered this gin over Christmas. The name ink seemed perfect for printmakers right?

Plus the colour. So perfectly purple.

Until you add tonic - then sweet pea pink it becomes!

I am easily entertained...

Marking time

As last year drew to a close I wondered if I could somehow be prepared, be organised.  I knew in my heart that the switch would not flick at midnight on 31 December to some magical clear bright future.  This time around we knew the year would be a year of change and wouldn't it be good to have some way of marking it?

A record of some sort, a gathering and noting of things from 1/1 to 31/12.

As fortune or connection would have it, I had been pondering some handkerchiefs that had belonged to my mum.  Dad had passed them all to me a while ago and as we packed up the house I held them, thought about them and wondered what I could do with them.

And so it came to pass that I thought I might stitch on them, keeping a record of the Covid year (here was me thinking that would be the main thing to keep track of!).

As I sorted them I realised I had 10 of mum's and an eleventh from a cousin.  So I am missing a 12th, but my sense is that I may accrue that one through the year somehow - I am happy to set forth with my 11.

So I washed them and ironed as I got ready to go. All lined up on the back of a couch.

Layers and details.

Edges.

Trying to work out a sequence for the months.

And in the end I randomly selected one to begin with!

Thursday Thoughts...

“Making art can be a subversive act, an act of resistance against the deadening lure of consumption, an act of unbridled peacemaking disguised as a poem or a song, or an abstract rendering of an aspen leaf swirling in a stream”. 

Mirabai Starr

Of all the days to ponder art as being a subversive act.  We remain awake as America tries to sleep and the Senate and House continue.

All I think I want to say about this quote is that good heavens, if only the artists were more subversive. If only subversive art was the most dangerous thing we faced, rather than thugs and fiends trying to overthrow the seat of democracy in a free country and getting away with it.

It feels to me as if we are called to action now more than ever.  To make art that subverts the system in whatever way we can.  Sometimes it might be loud and provocative; sometimes it will be quiet and barely noticeable yet have immense power in it.  Sometimes it will be a peaceful protest when all around is chaos.

Somehow today has fired me up to create more subversive acts of art.  

They might be acts of love and compassion and peace and hope - but I feel more strongly than ever that artists need to subvert this system we now face.

Barry and Fiona, New York City 2013 - a piece of the Berlin Wall behind us.

As our friend Anna Mavromatis says: Resist. Persist.

2020 in review

 As is now a tradition of sorts on my blog, I spend time at the end of the year; or early in the new one , looking back over my favourite works of the year.  Sometimes I labour long and hard to find completed works; sometimes I have an abundance to select from.

This year my expectations were low.  I really did not have that feeling that I had completed much work. 2020 felt like the year of fiddling when one couldn't focus; of going across things not deeply into them. And yet.

I managed to discover 10 pieces that made me smile; that made me happy to think I had brought them into the world and that reflected the year that was.

As ever, they are in no order, except alphabetical.

1. A Place Among the Clouds

A beautiful book that emerged in response to some gecko poo on some paper.  I love looking through this book and sharing it with people. There is ritual in the opening and turning of the pages...

2. Circles

These little cards were definitely a pandemic piece of work.  They are simple, and the graphic details let you know what they say. They have been shared with many folk for whom they are a touchstone.

3. 54321

More pandemic inspired work - the theme around anxiety is strong! I loved these little cards, and whilst I haven't need to use the technique for awhile, it helped me a lot along the way. Let me know if you think I should print more and if you'd like some...

4. For James

In amongst it all we had  a lovely commission for a lovely man. Etched aluminium calligraphy. A gentle marker for some good friends.

5. Kindness mini posters

To mark our new studio, our first project was a rainbow of kindness. Barry printed four mini posters and I printed three. His are kinder than mine I think!

6. Mabel's Scrub

One of the few exhibitions I took part in this year! It was called Eco Women and was held here in Maleny. My print about Mabel Thynne with an embossed forest was on display there.  I love the texture of the forest in the background and the way the text fits within...

7. On joy

A beautiful book that emerged from a challenge to ourselves, and using the words of a friend. Playing with feather-like papers here was a delight.

8. On joy (mini)

When one beautiful book leads to another...this wee one was the result of testing registration of the printing for the book above; but it led me somewhere lovely as well.

9. Open

My first attempt at printing my own words in an edition of sorts. This is the cover sleeve for the poem. Printing into the counter must be becoming a thing!

10. Remembering

One of the greatest honours of work this year was to help make beautiful things to remember folk by.  This one has beautiful words and is so elegant in its simplicity.

And yet again, it was not until I had written this post and popped all the photos in that I realised what an avalanche of white there is.  I never think about it consciously, yet there it is - my stories are nearly always told in the softness of white; with white on white; with flimsy and light papers, with little or no adornment.  It's just who I am I guess..

Thanks for coming along on the ride looking back over the year that was. It helped me remember that there were beautiful things and moments of magic and that there will be again. Go well.

New Year

Here we are.

Well and truly ensconced in 2021 already.

And today we finished writing our new year cards, popping stamps on them and getting them packed and ready to post tomorrow. So hopefully they can begin winging their way towards new homes carrying message of hope for us all for the year ahead.

This is a cropped close up of a glossy yellow one; that ink is just glistening!

But here is the card I chose to make. I used our beautiful Amelia wood type (from Italy) at the 25 cicero size.  I wanted it to bleed over the edge; and it does, but I think you can still read its message. I let them dry and went back with a blue print of 2021 using Empire 36 point.

I had no idea how or where I was going to print the year; and originally intended to use larger figures, but when I realised I could print into the counter I thought I should have a go for sure!

Colour wise I was also a bit stumped for the second print and tried out some close to yellow oranges, apricots, deeper reds and then went for quite a bright blue. It stands out.

I quite liked the idea of softer prints as well; so as I went along, I printed hope three times before re-inking.  It has created a lovely blend of prints and a bit of a random selection.

Delectable!

But possibly not as delectable as this cake my niece made for our after Christmas gathering - mango and sublime! And of course, the colour matched so here it is in all its glory.

And this was the dining room table today as we finished writing and stamping cards.

And a quiet corner on the kitchen bench - the last of some agapanthus buds.

The beginnings of a brighter and better year we hope.

Thursday Thoughts...

“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” 

Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

As the year draws to a close, and we reflect on so many things, my ponderings cycle back around to books.

And libraries, but also to learning and to minds that investigate, explore and enquire. 

For I imagine these are the minds Ms Woolf has in mind.  It seems to me that learning through reading and exploring the world gives us breadth, gives us empathy and gives us understanding.  The capacity to think for ourselves, to consider and weigh differences and information that runs counter to our understanding holds us in good stead; and so much of that capacity comes from reading. And books.

As we face whatever 2021 has in store for us, and no doubt there will be more of what we are facing and have faced, we hope there will also be good news, progress, healing, improvement and change. 

To all my blogging friends and reading friends, best wishes as the new year dawns. Be safe, be well and go well.

Detail, Bet Low "In the Hoy Hills, Orkney"

Getting ready

 As we wind down 2020 we began to think about our new year cards for 2021.  Our tradition of sending new year cards rather than Christmas cards began way way back (15 years ago?) when we found ourselves just too busy at work in the lead up to get organised enough to buy, write and post cards.  So we gave ourselves a break, and said let's do them in the down time between Christmas and New Year and make them NY cards and so we did.

This week we went to the studio and quickly got going on our cards - inked and printed and now they are drying.

Here are a few glimpses of mine. Partly because they aren't ready to show just yet; partly because I just love all the side glimpse imagery!

I went for a sunny yellow this year - just figured we could all do with some cheering up and there is no doubt that yellow is cheery.

Because I was inking, I was wearing one of my aprons and looked down and thought you know, these things become artworks in themselves.  I love the way the apron marks the passage of time and of the various prints made...

And one of the pockets is looking particularly fine.

And to finish with - a magnificent shot of our Scottish Highlands Village - Armadale.  What a cold but sunny day it must have been (taken just this week).  I love that we can see our wee cottage and it makes me wish to be there. I know we can't be; and I don't know when we can be; but the place sings to my heart and my heart replies...

Right in the middle is our wee cottage, facing the road, opposite the frosty field.

An end of year theme emerges

 It is true to say I think I have found my end of year theme! Not that I was looking for one, but there you go, one has emerged nonetheless.

No real surprises here, but it is small, tick-offable tasks of tidying and other accomplishments.

Today I present - sorting my embroidery threads.

As I have been stitching more of late, it has become clear that I had a few boxes with threads in them; the odd plastic bag; some dodgy paper bags; some wrapped; some still in their little holders. Fundamentally all over the shop as we say.

So I gathered them together and began to pop the little circles out of my cardboard thread holders, and took the paper tags off the threads and began to wind.

I didn't do a true before shot, these are more work-in-progress shots.

A couple of the boxes mid-review.

Deciding if this goes with that.

A bundle of greens. The collective noun for greens I wonder? 

Quite the fun grouping!

A close up of corals.

Ta da! A place for everything and everything in its place.

For how long, we do not know; but for the moment, order has been restored.

And my Christmas flowers with fairy lights.

Hoping that all have had some quiet days, some days of joy, some days of gathering and sharing and some days of renewal.