I have been, however, completing lots of textile pieces for my Paris project. In fact, rather a lot with many waiting to be photographed. They have been in dispersed with other work.
The last of the refurbishments were completed in January with a beautiful new patio and terracing down to the pond. We have also managed to do the replanting which I hope will be completed tomorrow - weather permitting - when we errect the hanging basket pole and hang the newly planted baskets.
The other distraction from the Paris project is my forthcoming exhibition at the Scottish Textile Museum in Hawick, Scotland. This will take place between July and September. I will also be giving two workshops during that time. I have been busy dealing with the choice of pieces to be exhibited and making samples and preparing information for the two workshops.
That being said, on with this blog.
My first piece is a booklet. It used the distorted text of the name Paris.
The booklet is made using pelmet Vilene and the distorted Paris text is cut from the same Vilene and glued in place. The whole booklet was then dyed and painted with purple and crimson metallic paint.
Next is a collection of Paris bag tags using various different techniques. Most of you will recognise the techniques from the images.
Cut out and mounted motifs, stencilled motifs, embossing powders, metallic transfer paper, stamping, printed transfer paper and canvass stitching - can you see which is which?
The next piece was inspired by the fabulous sculpture of a blue head which was outside one of the office blocks in La Défence in Paris. It is huge and very impressive. It took a while to decide on how to interpret this piece. I eventually decided on using a goldwork technique.
I stitched a pattern of the head onto blue fabric and then couched the gold Japanese thread using blue thread. The main defining lines were couched using blue cord.
The next piece used the central flower design of the carved squares on the Arc de Triumph.
I used the traditional canvaswork technique to make a clover for a book. I kept to the colour palette of the carved panel as much as possible.
I stamped more white paint motifs on the inside of the pelmet Vilene lining.
I created some pieces which were not for the Paris project. I have a beautiful new conservatory and wanted a couple of textile pieces for one of the walls. The first one was an abstract piece based on squares. I used many different open weave mediums such as canvas, scrim and mesh. They were glued onto a canvas fabric in a design then painted and highlighted with gilding wax. It is 50x50cm in size.
There was a circle to contrast the design.
The final piece was stretched over a box frame. The second piece was one that I had been intending to make for some time and this was the perfect place for it. Some years ago on a visit to Thorpe Perrow arboretum, I took an image up through the branches of a horsechestnut tree of some leaves which were back lit by the sun. In the computer, I applied a special effect which gave me the design I used for this piece. It was printed onto fabric then sandwiched up for free art quilting. Once the stitching was completed, I added some sponged highlighting in gold. The final piece was stretched over a box frame. The piece is 50x50cm in size.
Before I tackled this larger piece, I made a small test piece - something I do not usually do.
The difference in colour is down to the photography conditions. They should both look the same.
Well, this is it for this post.
Hopefully it will not be as long to the next one.
Until then, cheers everyone.
