Sticking at it......

I often feel like this, like my work isnt as good as I want it to be but this video is so inspiring and it echos what my soul always tells me.....to keep going!

Success without Stress

Four Ways of Letting Go

Four Ways of Letting Go

How to quiet the mind and live a happier more fulfilled life!

Intuitive Drawing Class

Right brain business planning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t8x_kCpzK4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Exciting new project...... "Cornish Storms"

I am so excited to be taking part in a local exhibition in mid December here in Porthleven at the Lifeboat House Gallery. This exhibition is with a collective of artists from all over Cornwall who have been brought together by Mid-Summer-Nights.

This is a brilliant opportunity for me to work to a set brief and really get creative again. For far too long I have felt like I am so busy thinking about product and business that I have lost my creative side, or at least it has been repressed lately!

I am focusing on storms around Porthleven. They are wild and the waves often come up over the pier and across the road.

My statement of intent is:

To capture the power of a storm and its huge crashing waves; the motion, movement and energy in the creation of a piece of textile art.

Art and Design, by definition

I sometimes get lost in my work and in my direction and I then feel that it is helpful to come right back to the beginning and remind myself of obvious basis. For this purpose here are the definitions of art and design as a way of defining how I work and what path I am on:

ART:

noun

• 1 [mass noun] the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power

DESIGN:

Noun A plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made.

Verb Decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), typically by making a detailed drawing of it.

My Design Process- Colour Palette: Reds and Blues

This image is so striking and bold, I usually wouldn't choose a colour palette with two dominant colours but I think this one really works. The few scattered pale barnicles really adds a beautiful highlight to the overall image and draws your eye in.

(To purchase this print please visit my etsy shop: TactileCoast!)

My Design Process- Color palette: pastles and navy

This colour palette is of beautiful pastels with a deep navy blue, I love the gentle feel it gives, very elegant and subtle.

To purchase this print please visit my etsy shop!

My Design Process- Colour Palette: Monochrome and pink

So I want to have a little play around with colour ideas before I start my experiments and fabric sampling so I have an idea of the colours that I will be using together and I can also experient with the proportion and develop my colour palette as I develop my textile art ideas.

 

Monochromes and pink

 

To purchase this beautiful abstract print of a rock face from my etsy shop visit: TactileCoast

The Design Process: Drawing part1

I thought I would share afew pages from my sketchbook which demonstrate some of my initial inspiration drawings and paintings. These are already a development from my original photographs of textures along the coastline (see Tactile Coast for more on this) This is the first step to starting a project, I get an idea (creating textured textiles inspired by the Cornish coast) then its time to gather and collect images, drawings and paintings of my subject before I even get anywhere near a piece of fabric!

My Design Process

Since finishing my degree 3 years sgo it has taken me until now to realise that the most important part of the design process is the development stage. This might sound obvious but over the last 3 years I have always been working towards the next show and with deadlines looming I have always had an idea of what I want my work to look like and have just concentrated on producing final pieces ready for each show.  This has resulted in my work always seeming to lack something special and I'm always slightly dissapointed with what I have produced. Now I realise that I need to make time for the development stage ss this is where the magic happens, the test an idea then recreate then reinvent it, layer it up, disect it until eventually I reach an exciting result, , something wonderful amazing snd unique! Development is the key to creating outstanding textiles (or any creative work really! )

Examples of Fabric manipulation

 

This montage of fabric manipulation is a stunning example of how to create form within a fabric surface. A very inspirational image that demonstrates that pleating is not the only option when it comes to creating 3D forms in fabric and with some imagination and experimentation it is possible to create something a little more intricate and interesting.

 

How Chelsea flower show 2013 has inspired my work...

I have really enjoyed this years Chelsea Flower Show coverage on the BBC. I have never really watched it before or indeed taken much of an interest at all but this year I have seen florals in a completely different light and it has really captured my imagination. Up until now I have never featured florals in my textile work but after following this years Chelsea Flower Show daily I have seen florals in a refreshing new light.

There are 3 elements which have really inspired me and from now on I am going to intigrate into my textile work. These 3 ideas are:

1. COLOUR
2. STRUCTURE/ FORM
3. BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN)

 

 

COLOUR

One of the most obvious things about flowers is the amazing variety of colours they produce. Sometimes subtle and elegant, othe times bold and bright but always a huge spectrum to chose from so there will always be a beautiful colour palette to select from.

 

 

 

STRUCTURE/FORM

Florals also have a beautiful structure and are almost like organic sculptures in their own right.  They are something that I have always considered to be quite delicate and fragile but actually flowers can have a really solid structure. They are quite strong enough to stand alone and hold their shape and hold their heads up to the skys. Here are some examples of their sculptural, 3D qualities:

 

 

 

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN)

This element is the one I am most excited about. I love the concept of having some sort of structure or layers to my textile pieces which reveals the most beautful and intricate part of my work either inside or underneath. The images below show how this happens in a flower and how the intricate details of patterning are revealed from within. This concept will also help to give my textile pieces a 3D or sculptural element.

 

 

 

GARDEN SCULPTURES

I also love the garden sculptures, they are such a lovely feature that breaks up the plants and adds an extra element to a garden. They reminds me of the stunning work by Barbara Hepworth which I have always loved and find their large simple curved forms really elegant and beautiful.

 

 

(To find out more about the Chelsea Flower Show scultures check out the website:http://www.thesculpturewebsite.co.uk/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-21st-to-25th-may-2013-c696.html)

 

 

All these factors have given me a whole new and refreshed view on florals and flowers which has really fired up my imagination. I feel like I have a floral collection brewing inside me but for now I can definitly apply these few simple principles to my work which has completely been inspired by this years Chelsea Flower Show:

 

3 Elements that have inspired my work

COLOUR

STRUCTURE/ FORM

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN

To find out more about the show check out the website:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show/2013

Researching displays for show stands

With my forthcoming show at the Cornwall Design Fair in August I have been having a good think about how I want to display my work. Over the years I have tried all sorts of different methods of display including:

Using wooden rails to hang long textile pieces....

to shelving for cushions....

to using small metal hooks for scarves and just a hammer and nail to hang pictures....

or even just a floor plinth to diplay antique chairs.

My currently collection is mainly scarves and purses so I am looking for some simple yet effect (and relatively cheap) methods of display that really shows off my work to its full potential.

I'm mainly thinking of using wooden knobs to display each scarf and some wooden crates to act as shelving for the purses. Here's some good ideas I have come across:

 

 

(I will update this once I have done the show to demonstate how my stand looked in the end and what methods of display I decided to use)