I have been very quiet on both here and my own blog of late .... I find when I am working flat out, I tend to carry on until it is too late to do anything else except collapse with a gin and an episode of Lewis. I clearly lack discipline - I am goiung to ask Linda to train me! Mind - I think it is that time of year ... FOQ approaches and I suspect we are all working for those deadlines. So I thought it was about time I piped up. I have not started my next Oriental Pot yet, but have been busy with this peice 'Asters 2' (another off the wall title) which is indeed for Festival. It is relatively big - about 60" x 40" and is here being blocked after alot of quilting and machine embroidry. It is almost inpossible to see on here, but there machine embroidered asters and leaves in the background ..... I will post more images on my website to show the progress. The top asters are ironed on and await stitching ... which will be a mixture of machine and hand. I think asters might actually hail from the Orient, so perhaps it is relelvant here too!
and I have kept up, more or less with my 15 minute drawings each day ...... here are a couple more favourites....
I would love to have these as thermofax screens, and as I have a BIG birthday approaching, am considering getting a thermofax printer as a very special present ... never a girl to do things by halves. I have been enjoying the drawing so much, and it would be such a great way of using them in my work ..... you see? - just makes sense doesn't it?! - Hilary x
Golly - a thermofax of your very own!! I feel more gadget envy coming on!
ReplyDeleteGosh, that's a fab present. Are they large? Also interested in how other people block their quilts. I was reading recently about someone who uses enormously thick sheets of polysterene (about 3 inches) from the building trade. They are very large and she puts them together if she needs to do something huge. I don't block quilts often but it does give a lovely finish, and I would like to do it all the time but have recently got rid of all my carpets so am a bit stuck. Also, small house. Any ideas welcome!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment on my blog Hilary; I think you have a wonderful way of putting everything together that I couldn't even try to emulate! I love the asters - such delicate colouring, and of course I love old big nose......specially the last sketch; you've got the "what's going on here then, is that a bit of pizza I can smell?" look perfectly.
Lovely drawings Hil and a brilliant idea to use them as screens. I think new materials or equipment can bring in new developments in your work. Of course it can also go the other way; I'm thinking of my unused and I confess unloved embellisher here, but the thermofax would be perfect for you, I can feel it in my bone collection.
ReplyDeleteI agree LTWWTL - a thermofax would indeed be a machine to invoke a smidge of envy! They are not very large Annabel - much like a printer really ..... that was a key consideration as I keep running out of space. I'm a bit like you Steph - I do sense things in my bones (I assume that is what they are - not actually felt one for a long time) ... and I keep coming back to this one. It sems a bit extreme, but I think I would use it a lot and it would indeed move things in different directions for me. Birthday not until September - so still time to change my mind!
ReplyDeleteI think I block everything Annabel because I started out with embroidery, which is nearly always blocked before mounting. It is indeed a challenge with big quilts, but mine just do not hang right at all unless I block them properly. I have done a biggy on a lino floor and I have a wall in the studio covered in cork tiles, which is good too. Most of the time though I use an office screen divider. It is about 5 ft high by I guess 6ft wide and stands against the wall most of the time, so takes up barely any space. It is fantastic as a design wall and also for pinning into for blocking. When not in use for thst, I cover it in exciting bits to inspire me.
Old big nose was indeed sniffing in that sketch - his daddy had just dumped a huge salmon on the ground and Dixter was understandably very interested. That is my favourite sketch too - it does seem to capture the moment. I have found that by repeatedly drawing the same subject, I am bit by bit getting to understand my subject better and hope that is coming through in my sketches. You must have found that with your lovely life model Annabel? - Hilary x
Oh, the thermofax machines are quite a lot smaller than I imagined then; I don't think I've ever seen one for sale. I understand the temptation though - if I had one I'd use it quite a bit I think, but it'd be on a long list of wishes; I'm still trying to decide whether or not to buy a printing press. (It's quite a big step to take both on the finances front and the storage space needed - although, if you're name is Graham, and we're closely related, "I have plenty of room to hide one away and it wouldn't be in the way at all and I can get one for next to nothing on eBay"!
ReplyDeleteI do have two large screens I had made for exhibitions. They have wooden frames and I suppose I could adapt them in some way but it's never occured to me before. Gold star to Hilary for geni-osity.
I confess there are times when I miss our old smelly lurcher. Patting people on the head just isn't the same. I miss the loyalty of some living thing who would do just about anything for a biscuit - a need I shared at times.
And, yes I am getting the hang of both the models who have posed for me, though the action shot ones need to be done from photos as no one can hold a pose long enough for me (I'm quite slow) I have a couple more poses in the bag for future additions to the Life Stories series, but I really could do with finding a new model. If anyone knows of someone, let me know!!
ReplyDeleteA big outraged woof tells me that Dixter is objecting to the word 'smelly' used in conjunction the word'lurcher' ..... he wants you to know that he takes his grooming very seriously, in line with all modern young men and smells sweet as a daisy ... hmmmmmm. But lurchers are both gorgeous and addictive - and in Dix case it's not so much a biscuit as a cashew nut, or his absolute favourite thing - kick the sheep (toy) round the garden. Like a baby he can play this for hours and would and will do anything to tempt you into a game. Often I am woken by Shaun (the sheep) nudging my nose, ready to go and with a massively hopeful lurcher just behind him.
ReplyDeleteNow - a printing press ... what an idea Annabel - and I definitely second Grahams view of the whole thing - what a very wise man he sounds. Oooh - I would love one of those too - what joy. Shall we make a deal - you cam come and play with my thermofax any time you like as long as I can come and play with your press? I just love the combination of prints (screen or press) with much less structured elements. Am getting excited again! - Hilary x
Apologies to Dixter. When I said smelly, I meant fragrant. Of course I did. Ah, Eau de Soggy Doggy, £1 a gallon from any good local garage!!
ReplyDeleteNow, Hilary, you are LeadingMeAstray. I'm teetering on the brink here (never was any good in stilettos) and the thought of such joy is bound to push me over. What splendid ideas you have!! A xx
Annabel, in fear of pushing you over the edge you could look at http://www.gunningarts.co.uk/ That's where we got our press from a few years ago and conveniently for us, they're just down the road in Ironbridge. We also did a workshop with Jenny Gunning to help us get to grips with the techniques. Loads of fun, but a massive distraction - we really don't get time to use the press as much as we'd like. You ought to come over for a day to play to see if you like it.
ReplyDeleteOh heck and crikey. That's just the job really isn't it? Perhaps a little expensive, as just like you, I'm a little uncertain I'd have enough time to do it justice, but it's a thought and a great temtation to come and play with yours!! Thank you, and it'll definitely go on my wish list, if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteNo they're not cheap, but the theory is that we share it between two (and any friends!) and that it'll outlast both of us and be passed on! I did lots of research first and found that some of the cheaper ones are a bit lightweight and flimsy. A friend of ours has a proper big studio press like the ones I used to use during my degree and so we can blame her for tempting us to a smaller version! We really ought to do some more prints to sell to try to recoup the cost!
ReplyDeleteBe honest Laura - you are a sucker for a nice big machine aren't you? - I mean .... look at your fabric printer! But I think it is good to invest (wisely and with thought) in yourself and your art - it means you are taking yourslef seriously, which matters - Hilary
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