Sunday was wet and miserable, and I didn't get any choccy eggs (just as well!) so I was at a loose end. As I get older I get less and less able to just sit and do nothing; I twitch and get irritable, and need to be doing!
So I just had a play with some Chinese artefact photos that Hilary kindly sent me a couple of months ago, following a museum visit she made. They are simply copied onto fabric and appliqued to cream silk, and stitched. It was very satisfying working on something small, but I don't know what I'll do with it!
I also had another attempt at the red teapot on the tiled floor with bamboo, but to be honest, it was so ghastly I couldn't look at it anymore and put it in the bin!! :))
These pieces and the others on your blog look great. You must be working like a maniac at the moment. Can't believe you've binned the teapot piece. Hope you've not given up on the whole idea - I really liked it!
ReplyDeleteCheers Laura! No, it just didn't do it for me so in the bin it went; I think it was the red/gold floor tiles. I'll look for a simpler, lighter, cleaner way of doing this and get back to you! It felt overworked :)
ReplyDeleteAnnabel, these are so simple and refreshing, I love the colours and the space they support.
ReplyDeleteBless you Marie; they do look better irl I think, but thank you.
ReplyDeleteI've had a day away from the sewing machine and went to Compton Verney to see the Impressionist exhibition which is there for another few weeks. It's alongside another exhibition of Gainsborough's landscapes. It made me really want to paint again (oils); I haven't done any for ages.
What I need is a chum that will join me in a spot of en plein air; some like minded company to inspire and share the journey. I've decided to drop the third quilt exhibition I was planning for this summer as I just couldn't work fast enough to get the work together (another 3/4 large pieces I think) so I have a little spare time to think about it. It would be really nice to have a regular drawing or painting challenge of some kind.
My friend, Dawn Berry (one of the founder members of SiX), and I challenged each other to a drawing a day for a year, we got together about every two months, still do, in fact, to share what we did and though we didn't do this, we could have met up somewhere that we could use as inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess that I gave up but Dawn went on to do the 365 and made a book to put it in, very impressive.
Anyway, am I suggesting we do that? Not sure but it might work for some of us.
Crikey, that was quite a commitment. For myself, I don't think I could manage something quite so intense, but would happily join in with something if you or anyone else was game!
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I failed to complete the year....it was a huge committment and I found that I wasn't enjoying it. However, once every two months might not be bad, what do any of you think? I am not good at concentrating when I'm out of the studio so I'm not expecting miracles...
ReplyDeleteA drawing challenge sounds goof un Annabel and Marie, I'm in! Obviously meeting up isn't possible but the drawing part would be. Maybe one a week? on the theme? or?
ReplyDeleteoops that should say a drawing challenge sounds good fun! must be time for bed...
ReplyDeleteHiya Catherine, I like the sound of having "goof un" much better than good fun!! Shall we have a go and see what happens? Perhaps we could start with one a fortnight though as I'm a bit of a slow draw-er-er. I've just started another Life quilt, and they tend to take over a bit, but I could fit in a bit of drawing around that and maybe we could speed up when we see how it goes?? Perhaps we could post here??? (if no one minds)
ReplyDeleteI'm game to start, not quite the same as getting together but still a prod to do something. Once a fortnight isn't too onerous. Shall we have a theme or just draw what we see...How does every one feel about the idea of posting on the blog, we could make it really informal and anyone of us could post without having to commit, or is that a let out!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone,
ReplyDeletePosting drawings to the blog is a great idea. I have grand plans for some drawing, but unfortunately not the time to match, but I'll join in when I can.
Well, hows about we just start with a challenge of some kind and post when we can sometime in the next fortnight? Nothing too heavy just a chance to focus the pencil and rise to a small challenge. Do you want to take it in turns to choose a theme or would you prefer to do your own thing?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound a let out to me Marie, but a very sensible idea! Time does slip away so fast.... once every few weeks it is then. Posting is a great idea and it looks like that's OK with everyone else, hopefully others will jump in when time permits.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of challenge do you have in mind Annabel? I am happy to work within the existing Orientation theme if that suits but am open to challenges of any kind- well most kinds.
Hi all - coming in very late on this one ... but I too am keen to increase the amount of drawing I do. I am certain it makes a big difference to work somehow, but it is so very easy to sideline it when you are busy. I've just been listenning to an artist who draws daily, but only for 15 minutes.... so a bit like Marie, but perhaps not such an onerous committment. I realise you other girls are heading down a more spaced out, but serious drawing, drawing challenge (does that make gramatical sense?)- but I am very drawn(ho ho) to this idea. I would love to improve my ability to quickly capture a subject, and feel timewise, 15 minutes daily sounds achievable to me. So I think that is what I will do, but if it is OK and of interest, I will also try and post the drawings on here. I think I might end up with a very useful resource sketch book and hopefully some very much increased observation skills. So if anyone fancies a more little and often approach, they could join in too .... if not, I will just happily and as ever, be awkward! - Hilary x Oh yes, and I also think goof un is what we should definitely be aiming for! x
ReplyDeleteOh well now I'm going to feel really left out if you're all drawing. I won't sulk and will try to join in with it when I can. I desperately need to do some prep drawing for my remaining pieces for the exhibition so it'll be a good nudge to get on with it.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we just try one challenge and see how we get on, and then we can alter it all when we've seen the amount of time and effort we've each got to spend? Maybe we'll find we can do more than we think, and want to go faster!! A fortnight today is 1st May; (doesn't time fly by?) so I'm tentatively suggesting we could go for that?? Do we want a theme? (suggestions?) or to do your own thing? I'm here with m'pencil poised!
ReplyDeleteShould we stipulate drawing only from real life? Or does that go without saying? I can always get cosy with a photo to draw from, I'm much more uncomfortable with what is in front of me.I would love for the theme be landscape but that means I'd have to get out there, that's probably not going to happen, shall we leave it for individuals to choose their own theme?
ReplyDeleteWell because I'm absolutely useless at landscapes and have never drawn one and only had 1 attempt at painting one, I think that's a good idea!!! Having just seen a couple of landscape exhibitions I'm up for giving it a go at any rate. (I guess we could go on writing comments forever, so how about starting and picking the bones as we go along, rather than waiting?) Or am I being too pushy as usual :)
ReplyDeleteSo, how about Maries suggestion of Landscape; perhaps by 1st May, but what about widening the challenge to include other media as you think fit. That way if someone wants to do a 15 minute drawing each day, or spend 2 hours en plein air, or 2 weeks crosshatching, we'll all have a theme but will be able to spend as much time on it as we want to give???
Well, I've just started one, it's my landscape/ still life, the bird bath in our garden! I'm happy using whatever takes my fancy at the time, lets be relaxed about this, anything that gets us drawing must be good.
ReplyDelete