Week 14 - in the Studio

This past week has been about finishing some work, I'm not sure why the latest in my Industrial shoreline series took so long to put the facings on...I just procrastinated too much!

It is smaller than recent work at 27" x 43", but the size seemed to work for the topic. It was a photo I had taken when we travelled to the north end of Vancouver Island and spent time around Port McNeill and Cormorant and Malcolm islands - a beautiful area I'd love to visit again. I was loving the linear aspects of a log booming area and took a few photos. 

The challenges of logging, clear cuts, forestry management and sustainable practises are part of my series - there are no right answers. I don't support clear cuts and tearing down old growth but we do need long term employment, especially for first nations in these remote areas, and properly managed, forestry can be part of this approach.

No title yet but it's 27" x 43"

I finished several collages that incorporate mark making and collage on vintage pages. I ordered packs of paper from Etsy and used them with white paint, acrylic inks, asemic text and marks...I love these! I'll be framing them soon and have them for sale - stay tuned!

Speaking of Etsy - I ordered some ultra suede labels from a vendor on Alberta - super quick service and very well made: Spotted Zebra and used them on my Art to Carry Textile Totes:

And I have a few available now HERE

I framed a little piece that my grand daughter had made a couple weeks ago:

And I took a monoprinting workshop today via Zoom, a different approach from what I have been doing but I learned several useful techniques that I can incorporate into my work. I'm taking a two day workshop on gel printing in June and looking forward to learning even more!

If you are yearning for an inperson workshop, have a look at the Gathering the Threads Conference in Cowichan Valley: https://gatheringthethreads.ecwid.com

Week 13 - in the Studio

I was thankful to get more time in the studio this week....I always feel that creative time lets me think life through in ways that I cannot in my home....some big thoughts, some little thoughts, some important and some not-so-much!

There was more gel printing - some landscape ideas that will need more work, or perhaps tearing them in strips for collage...hmmm. I've been watching some Youtube videos creating landscapes with gel printing - HERE 

But I did build a registration plate for printing which gives me a "fence" to lay my papers down for a more precise placement, the ones to buy are so pricey....do you think the grandkids will notice some of their Lego missing?

I was asked for a photo of me, making art for the 2022 Sea & Cedar Virtual Art Exhibition through the Vancouver Island Regional Libraries. You can see some of the exhibition here: https://my.nicheacademy.com/virl/course/31655

So sitting in my studio, I gave the phone to DH and he clicked away for me...I think its time to get some new headshots!

I'm finally finishing some of the works on vintage paper that I've shown before....still haven't come up with a name for the series but very happy with them. I wonder if I am moving to the dark side - paper only? Yikes! I'm taking a couple into town this week to see about framing...

These ones don't have all the pieces fastened down yet, but I love the shapes and movement that is happening...plus the indigo ink on some of them is right up my alley!

I spent a few hours in our local gallery and painted on some book pages, adding asemic text and a bit of colour - so enjoyable! I'll add a bit of collage and maybe some stitch - these are small and rather sweet!

In the midst of this, I finished a 3D group of vessels for "Food is Everything" a themed show at the Gallery. My work is three pieces titled "Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner" with paper collage, text, stenciling and button fasteners. Breakfast is yellow, with eggs as its focus, the text has every way that eggs can be prepared. Lunch is salad and is green with lots of "lettuce" words and then the large piece is Dinner with spaghetti words...

It was a fun experiment, but I am feeling its a bit too literal and not as refined as I had hoped. While I would like to explore the concept of "vessels" more fully and in far more depth, I wonder if this study is taking me further away from the focus in my art that I am striving for....I have a major solo exhibition this fall and I really need to work on more pieces for that (there is a part of the exhibition where I think vessels might play a minor role) so this experiment might (will) be shelved for the time being.

Thanks for being part of my creative journey...til next time!

Week 12 - in the Studio

 I missed a week in there somewhere, but with good reason! We took a trip to Tofino with our granddaughter during an unusually gloriously sunny week. I hadn't been there for about 15 years and we had a marvellous time, walking beaches and trails, enjoying seafood and just exploring!

Our granddaughter had a surfing lesson!

But then last week it was back in the studio....I spent one morning with a dear friend doing monoprints on a gel plate and channeling my "inner Rothko"! The simplicity of the lines and experimenting with layering and blending colours was so appealing...as a textile artist its harder to get those same effects on fabric but I've pulled out some linens that I would like to try with the idea of using them in collage.

Many years ago I used to teach monoprinting and haven't touched the gel plates for quite some time. Back then it was all about using stencils and creating "pictures" but the ideas have developed and ideas of layering and using just small sections as well as for backgrounds and landscapes have been really pushed the boundaries! One artist I follow on YouTube has done some very interesting work that shows how subtle the ideas can be... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLevLGxPAwoAvcAzb-u9CbKOX9JkOz8CY

I've also signed up for a monoprinting online workshop with the Vancouver Island School of Art: https://www.vancouverislandschoolart.com/workshops_wi22det.html#MMEDw182-3

Here's the Rothko work: 

I find these oddly appealing - simple and yet there's more complexity than I expected....then I had the idea to cut slits into the back and add some weaving with narrow strips. That wasn't as simple as I had expected but I think this show some promise as I consider how I might show shapes on the front. I'm thinking of circles or crescents ...

I started the slits too low down on this one, they could be closer together.

This one is my favourite, I was trying for a circle but realized that it was more effort than I had time for that day.

I like that the shapes seem to float on the surface. I am wondering if I can use my Scan n Cut for cutting  the slits and I found its easier to work from the back for the cutting. And I need to work on the registration of the prints...I have some ideas about that!

And I got the lines stitched down for the boom on my new piece. The front is all finished and I have cut and pressed the facing strips ready for sewing down this week. I am happy with the size of this one, more manageable and still visually effective. I'll have a final, frontal image soon!

Week 11 - in the Studio

 More steps forward and a couple of surprises! I had a bit of a "little plan making" as one of the challenges is having too many projects on the go at any time and going down some rabbit holes any time they appear!

So I've made a list of "Focus on Four"....I am limiting myself to a total of four projects at any one time. Once I finish one, I can move onto another - but no more than four....let's see how it goes!

Project One Update:

I am quilting the most recent Industrial Shoreline piece, it's not my favourite part of the process, so taking it in small chunks...but I had a little mishap along the way - did you ever see a needle bend this this? No injuries were inflicted...

Project Two:

I'm continuing to work carefully and thoughtfully on my vintage paper pieces...in January I bought a Brother Scan n Cut and it stayed in the box until last week. I finally figured out some images I wanted to design and cut - 

Do I have enough? I had one particular design that I felt worked well on the paper pieces, nothing is glued down yet as I audition placement and repetition.

This will continue to evolve as I work on placement, additions and subtractions....and then learning how best to frame and display.

Project Three:

I admit to a bit of a sideways movement in my focus (but it counts as 1/4)  I pulled out some black paper and interference paints - making some marks and then monoprinting with the papers... loved the sheen of the colours and after taking pictures I set them up in an app. It was a fun distraction....

Isn't this cool?

These are the paints I used.

Project Four:

Not so much a project as a way to develop/discover/create an image to use in my vintage paper series...its about hand and brain connection and practising a movement to use. A simple "swoop" doesn't just happen - so heres a video showing the marks I made in the sketchbook to get to that point. Just click on the link below....

Trying for a Simple Mark

Not a Project - just a cool photo of a rock formation:

So that was my week - how about yours?

Week 10 - in the Studio

I was dragging my butt to get several totes and sketchbooks finished to send to my retailers - I need quite a few and it seemed like I was climbing up a long, tall mountain. But I got them all done and my, they do look nice! I'll be making more for my Etsy Shop and finally figured out how to dye a good range of colours for the linings....

I spent a few hours working on the publicity for Gathering the Threads Conference, an SDA-Vancouver Island/BC+Yukon event planned for the Cowichan Valley, June 15-18th, 2022. You can find more information here: https://gatheringthethreads.ecwid.com

We're still clearing out boxes of old photos and documents - I bought some decorative totes for each of our kids and they'll get everything from school records and their baby books - no more room in our house! 

And I discovered some luscious old vintage pages from a scrapbook, a soft velvety feel to them and I love how the edges are slightly browned. I've started making some marks on them, I have one page set aside as the "test" page to trial ideas...these are so precious! BUT, I am determined to use them, not saving them for some unknown day in the future...that will probably never come!

My "test" piece with white acrylic paint and indigo acrylic ink

I love the rich yellows in the paper...

I mixed the paint and ink together - love the blues

Still lots to do on each page but I'm working carefully and slowly, planning each step....an unusual process for me. I often rush through and then the results are haphazard. This time I will go forward with more planning and purpose....I wonder if it will work?

And I had a studio visitor this week, she didn't hang around very long!