Saturday 1 November 2008

The oomph is back

Thanks to all who commented on the sad news about Julia. I'll pass on the comments to Alex and I'm sure he will appreciate them. I do agree that Julia was such an inspiration, especially for tutorials. The funeral is on Wednesday and we are instructed to wear bright colours - a lovely idea and one that fits the bill for a very colourful person.


Thanks Heather for the comment on the free classes (details on d4daisy.com). I'm having a ball putting them together. The Yahoo group are very quiet - are you all busy?


You may have read on Anna's blog http://www.annanowicki.blogspot.com/ that she spent a day at Urchfont college with the Textiles 21 group. I have also joined the group and had a lovely two days at the college. It was cold and frosty - just the right conditions to appreciate the huge log fire and the wonderful food. It is starvation for me today, as anyone who has stayed there will know.


On the first evening we had a great loosening up design exercise from our mentor, Sue Dove. Here she is with one of her creations 'Clarice and her Bird'.










Those who subscribe to Workshop on the Web will know that she was our star interview in the latest issue. I have known Sue for some time and she's a fantastic teacher, very much from a fine art background. I feel that I shall gain so much from the tutorials. Here's a detail of Clarice.








In addition to Sue, we had a teaching session from Jane Wild (on casting and colouring paper) and it was amazing. A great privilege as she rarely teaches, which was why I persuaded her to write the Paper, Metal and Stitch book with me. I knew with Jane it would be a best seller. I've kept the pic small as I know she doesn't care for being photographed.








She had done so much work beforehand and had prepared lots of cast paper ready for us to colour. So while we were waiting for our own to dry, we could try some of her exciting techniques on the dry pieces.


Anna has a pic of this example in its natural state. It is paper with scrim trapped between the layers, cast over a softsculpt mould. I painted mine with Burnt Umber acrylics and then waxed it with gold Liberon metallic wax. I dried it overnight and used Golden fluid acrylics as a glaze over the top. I love it to bits.








We were able to get down to our own work, too. This is why I joined the group as I felt I had lost my oomph a bit and hadn't had a chance to do anything for me for ages. This is a detail of my piece for the cyber fyber exhibition, which I shall call 'Binary Humanity'. Pretentious, or what? All your comments will be included somewhere - I hope.





It is about the way that something as coldly electronic as a box of digital do-das on a desk can generate friendship, encouragement, empathy and all the best of human emotions. I hope it works - I'm quite excited, so far. I transferred some images (mostly Clive's html code for WoW) on to metal shim. They don't show much, but I know they are there.


Quelle Horreur! I had forgotten to take any black fabric to put between the metal and the craft Vilene. If you don't do this, the white shows through when you stitch. Necessity is the mother of all hissy fits and, in a moment of inspiration, I used a black plastic carrier bag. Worked fine. I liked it so much that I will let some show through.


Some of the cast paper faces were made by Jane so I will put it in as a joint piece.

14 comments:

Genie said...

Hi Maggie,
Glad you and Anna had a fun day at urchfont, Have just made a start on lesson 1 and lookinf forward to seeing how everyone else gets on.

Liz Plummer said...

I love the first lesson and can't wait to make a start on it!! In fact, I even have some motifs made some time ago which I've never used so I plan to use them on this...

Jackie said...

Oh I love love love Sue Dove.She had an exhibition in Kendal about 5 years ago and I fell in love with it then,even though I'd seen pictures before it wasn't until I saw the scale and the texture of the work in the flesh that I really appreciated it.

Heather said...

Your paper cast piece is gorgeous and Binary Humanity (brilliant title) looks wonderful - I look forward to seeing the finished piece. I haven't managed to get into the Yahoo group yet and am still a bit timid with my laptop. Every time my 'fount of all knowledge' is with me, we are busy nattering and I forget to ask her to show me what to do, but I will try again. Will be thinking of you all on Wednesday.

Aussie Jo said...

The cast paper pieces are wonderfully inspiring, thanks for sharing them.

Doreen G said...

I have some cast paper pieces that I did from Jane's workshop many moons ago on WOW so I will get them out.
It's funny what images you build up in your imagination as to how people look and your photo of Jane is not like I had in my head--I like the real Jane I must say.

Unknown said...

The pieces are wonderfull. Beautifull colours!! Looks like a great day.

maybird said...

Have just got back from a wonderful holiday in Venice and I am so saddened by the death of Julia.I purchased her book a couple of weeks ago and it is wonderful, she was so inspirational with her use of colour and I have happy memories of a workshop with her about 3 years ago.She will be missed greatly.
The paper casts look great and with with all my lovely photo's of Venice I feel a project coming on.

Robin Mac said...

Just love the colours in your binary humanity, will look forward to seeing more of it later.
I have started casting papers for lesson 1, and have practised with the glue and cotton wool, haven't painted it yet though, but looking okay so far. Will still order some TLC I think.

Julie said...

Your cyber fiber piece looks great, I love the colours and the stitching.

I hope Wednesday goes as well as these things can. We went to a funeral of a young at heart lady recently which was a great celebration, few tears and rousing jazz music as the mourners left. Moving but uplifting at the same time.

Wabbit said...

I know what you mean about feeling the need for some time for your own work. I've declared 2009 to be the year of ME and intend to be very selfish with my time. I want time to do things such as the Textile Translations lessons and other learning experiences.

I've made a start today on the lessons by making some paper casts of a shell and cutting out my shape templates.

Binary Humanity is brilliant. I'm sure that the piece for Cyber Fyber is going to be fabulous!

chrissythreads said...

The lessons to go along with the book are just a great idea maggie.I have checked the first one out and hope that I will be able to fit in some time to get going some time soon. It will provide a welcome break from my current OPUS BA module which is contextual. Almost had a disater yesterday though when husband came in saying he'd just binned something he thought the dog had dug up - it was my catalogue which has been decaying nicely for sometime! at least I could rescue it before the bin men came.

artisbliss said...

Looks like you had a great time. Your cast paper pieces are great.

I taught my long-awaited fiber workshop recently. I loved it, and so did the students.

Adele Thomas said...

I have to get your new book this minute! It looks like the workshops at Urchfont are fantastic, I have to find out more.

Now I have finished my diploma I have time to subscribe to the workshops on the web. I did that this minute also :D

Great stuff! Adele X