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.

Thursday Thoughts...

"Reading is one of the most individual things that happens. So every reader is going to read a piece in a slightly different way, sometimes a radically different way". 

Margaret Atwood

I have pondered thoughts like this before; but I love being reminded of just how individual we are as we read a book.

I think that for an author that must be incredibly tricky. Not only are we all bringing different things to the book; but as an individual I know I can read the same book in different ways depending on my age, circumstances and mood.

When reviewing or describing a book for friends, I am really conscious of how my personal experiences or circumstances might have influenced how I read the book and my level of annoyance or enjoyment of it.   Sometimes a book is just the third or fourth in a row we have read that has an annoying male character so we get cranky with it for that - whereas if it was the first book in ages with an annoying male character we may tolerate it better and see it as interesting. 

Sometimes our reading of a book is fragmented because we are time-poor and we never feel like we can really get into it; whereas if we have time to invest and can dive in deep for extended periods, we may enjoy a book more. So many things!

Just a lovely reminder that no two people ever read this me book.

We are off to hear the author talk about this book on Friday - I am yet to read it so it will be interesting to see if hearing about it before I read it changes my thoughts about it!

The Shape of Things - a catalogue

 I was thrilled a wee while ago when Annwyn asked if I would mind if she made a catalogue of our collaborative exchange of Artists' books "The Shape of Things", and of course I said 'yes!". It was such a great idea to have something tangible that held a record of our books and a bit of the story and background to it all. 

We have both documented the process and the individual outcomes; and I have pulled all the books together for a final gathering post here on the blog, but there is still something wonderful about being able to hold a book about it, in your hands. Rather than simply looking and clicking and linking.

And last week, the catalogue arrived in the mail. I simply love the cover. The muted tones, and the layering our papers in such an elegant and refined manner, accompanied by such fine stitching and detail.

I can see hints of some nest prints, some braille paper and the word 'home', all from my papers... partnering so well with Annwyn's own.

 

And the Japanese stab binding is intricate and delicate.

Inside each book has its own page, and there is an introductory page as well, explaining a bit of the back story.

Annwyn's Artist Statement followed by her first and last book.

My Artist Statement followed by my first and last books...

Annwyn also managed to use this fabulous paper on the inside of the front cover - stunning!

It is such a lovely thing in and of itself; but it is made even lovelier by the stories told within its covers, and the story of the collaboration that brought it into being. Thank you Annwyn.

More exhibition activity printing

 I had managed to fit the printing of the first 20 postcards from the 1st week of the exhibition activity back here; and then I had a day where I knew I could have a full run  at it, so I did!

I managed to print the second week's question onto 40 pages; then I re-set the type for week 3 and cut the 40 pages and printed, and then re-set for week 4 and cut the final pages and printed, and now they are all dried and ready to head to the exhibition.

Phew!

Week 2's question is: When I think of home, a word I think of is..."

Week 3 asks the question "If forced to leave, what three things would you take with you?" Which may have needed which rather than what, but I think most folk will get the gist of it.

I think Week 4's question "To make a home in a new place I would..." is interesting. It goes to the heart of what makes a home for an individual - perhaps an item, perhaps a ritual, perhaps creating a feeling...

And I have now packed each of the 'books-to-be' with their covers and their cards in a box, ready for transportation. They will be quite thick I think if folk complete all the cards!

I am really looking forward to seeing where people take this, and hoping that I am busy stitching books at the end of each week!

Thursday Thoughts...

“Silence is essential for deep transformation. It allows the practice of conscious breathing to become deep and effective. Like still water that reflects things as they are, the calming silence helps us to see things more clearly; to be in deeper contact with ourselves and those around us.” 

Thich Nhat Hanh

I was thinking about another one of my favourite quotes "Peace is every step" today (which is also by Thich Nhat Hanh) and then as I perused my collection of quotes for the theme of "Life" I came across this one which made me stop and ponder.

I really like quiet. I operate much better as a human when I am not caught up amongst much noise. Cacophony does not work for me. 

Silence can be different to quiet, and I love how he expresses the power of silence here.

Silence really allows you to go deep, to become more aware and for things to become clearer.  The imagery of stilled water and its reflections is perfect. Perhaps silence allows other things to fall away, perhaps it allows us to focus better because we aren't being distracted or startled.

I wondered if the silence needed to be purposeful - that we chose the silence; or would it work similarly if we were to find ourselves somewhere, surrounded by silence.  I imagine it works both ways. Pondering it all has made me think that choosing to find, and be, in moments or periods of silence is probably really, really healthy, if not perhaps essential, for some of us.

Still water reflection in the Highlands...

A very old book

Quite a few years ago now, a fellow came into the studio and asked if I might like this book. He had carried it with him for decades I think, and as he was clearing up the house he felt that perhaps I could use it in some artwork. Because of its absolute glory, I said yes. 

After several years of having it sit there quietly, I thought to myself I really don't think I can bring myself to tear these pages out or to cut it up. I felt that perhaps it belonged back where it had come from.

So I have begun the enquiries and we are going this way and that with emails and trying to find the best location for it. The area it references has had some serious level flooding in the past months and has been well and truly cut off; so I expect they have more important things on their minds. But I have captured some photos of it here before it heads wherever its next home is.

I find it an extraordinary window into the life of a bank manager in remote North Queensland from the late 1890s.

It is indexed alphabetically, with each person or family listed and the page on which they appear noted.

The book goes on to record the date of visit, their name and occupation. All very innocuous thus far.

It is the next part I find most fascinating, where the bank manager writes their impressions of the person, their character, their wealth and their reliability. 

In this top entry here - "he seems to be of a migratory disposition" and the bank advises caution in dealing with him.

Some folk were identified a steady and hardworking, but being of no means. Others were unsteady and extravagant, yet hitherto had always kept their word.

Some folk began to drink heavily...

Others were of excellent character, straight forward and capable business men.

I enjoyed the differing handwriting, and one of the managers had this lovely way with capitals every now and again, nestling the word within it.

Fingers crossed it finds its way home...

Taking a deep breath and beginning

 One of the main pieces for Scotland involves seven bobbins with seven hand stitched scrolls. As ever, a lot of preparation has happened to get to this point where a needle goes near fabric.

Firstly I had to try and find seven wooden bobbins. We were lucky to come across a stash in a nearby antique shop so we snaffled them and brought them home. I was trying to work out the descending measurements and B kindly cut the bobbins that needed reduction, and we glued them back together so there are now 3 pairs of different sizes, and one large central bobbin.

Another step involved having seven sort of matching rusty tins, so I painstakingly went through my rusty tin stash and tried to pull together seven tins that were siblings and might be able to go together. 

I learned how to hand stitch run and fell seams to create the seven scrolls (after all the fussing that went into measuring and choosing fabric).

I bought a bunch of embroidery threads that I thought might suit the work, and which complemented my own threads which I had chosen.

I had created a very long list of words - a bit like a shopping list but different - and then transferred some of them onto the fine fabric.

And started stitching.

I am very conscious that there is a lot of stitching to do, and I am still strangely anxious about overdoing it and damaging my hand again, so I am going slowly.

But the first scroll is done!

Cautiously, and slowly, onwards.

Thursday Thoughts...

"(…) we find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates. A phosphorescent jewel gives off its glow and color in the dark and loses its beauty in the light of day. Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty". 

Junichirô Tanizaki, “In Praise Of Shadows”

A good friend gifted me this book  many years ago, and at the time I did not think of it much. It was only later as I began to explore my art-life that I realised how important it really is; the manner in which it thinks about the unseen, the hidden, and the illuminated, and how this thing here makes that thing there come to life.

I came to understand especially that gold leaf, glows in the shadows. It can seem dull or flat or indeed over done in the light, depending, button the shadows it finds an inner light. Shadows add such dimensionality to work, they enable you to see it as a different piece by virtue of where they lead your eye. 

It's probably a good guide to life - don't just look at the obvious thing. Look to the side, look behind, look elsewhere to see what else is happening... 

GOMA December 2023, apologies for inaccurate reference to artist. I think Taloi Havini...