Scorched Earth sold!

I went to pick up my 2 pieces from the Minnawarra Art Awards this morning and found out the quilt (above) was sold. I'm very happy someone liked it enough to buy it, but I know I underpriced it. I was in such a rush getting my entry in and had to price it before actually making it. I had carefully stitched it to a stretched canvas with the idea I could remove it later, add a sleeve, and enter it into a future quilt show. Now it's gone, I'll have to get some more finished!

We went to the exhibition opening which was very nice, live music, good food, lots of people and prize giving. The work looked great, well presented and a very good standard - mostly paintings, but some sculpture, textiles, etc. They also produced an attractive catalogue with artist statements and a
colour photo of each piece. I hope to enter again next year.

Bromeliad flower

This is the first time a Bromeliad has flowered in our garden but there is another one on the way now. They were given to us by Jennie Abbott, well known WA textile artist. I had no idea the flowers would be so gorgeous.

I have been rather busy helping out my parents and looking after my DH who is having chemo therapy for Lymphoma, which is the reason I've been neglecting my blog and not reading other blogs as much either. Thanks to my readers for continuing to read and especially for commenting. I do appreciate feedback and those who follow my blog.

I've just done a new post on the Designing Women blog - hope you'll have time to look here.

I was pleased to get my piece finished for the Minnawarra art award which officially opens tomorrow and continues until the weekend in the Armadale town hall.
I'm also continuing with some teaching - had a great time a few weeks ago teaching a free machine embroidery workshop at home for 2 lovely women. I have another workshop coming up on June 1st at the Stirling Art Centre in Bunbury. Its all about thermofax printing. You can print some fabric for yourself using my screens or you could order a screen with your own design to use. This is not necessary for the workshop which is a good opportunity to learn about it and try it before ordering.
We will be printing with textile printing inks as well as trying some discharge printing and the class still has some places available.
My Thursday morning textiles class at Canning Vale is continuing too.

 

Fugitive media & more

This is a chalky pastel drawing on fabric made permanent by a layer of clear printing ink over the top which is the heat set when dry. Below: sample pieces of the same process. The flower was thermofax printed then coloured with the pastels.

2 new thermofax screen designs, printed in my sketchbook below.

Below is a detail of a new piece I made for the Minnawarra Art Prize called 'Scorched Earth'

It began as a breakdown print to which I've added thermofax printing, stitch,etc.

Sculpture by the Sea 2013

Its finished now, but here are some photos I took at Sculpture by the Sea at Cottesloe beach. Its always worth going to see and this year was a bit cooler than usual so it was lovely to have a walk around the sculptures. If you want information on the exhibiting artists, go to the website

peoples choice award above.

The crocheted 'Tokyo Crows' was the winning entry by Mikaela Castledine.

I may not be blogging as much as usual for a while due to family commitments but will post when I can so I hope you'll check back sometimes.
I did manage to get my 12 x 12 quilt for the SAQA auction done and sent off. There will be a Oceania Group blog hop later during the auction to see the quilts and making process.

2 new print blocks

The blocks were made from purchased children's erasers which were glued onto wooden blocks using double sided carpet tape. The above print was done in white textile paint over another print.

the 2 blocks and some test prints

 

I like the detail I've got in the top right sample. click on the pic to see.



more cotton pad & facial wipe embellishments

 

I did fabric paper making with my Thursday textile class, this is my demo sample piece.

Below: 2 pieces using scraps in progress.

 

 



Journal cover

 

I've been experimenting with techniques from Sherrill Kahn's book 'Creative Mixed Media'. The round embellishment on the right side of the embroidery is made from a painted cotton makeup pad. The yarns are glued on with matte medium.

Front cover

 

Inside cover

 

Hair gel resist printed

 

 

brushed, cotton under-layer left, silk right.

Below: painted facial wipe (left) torn and glued with matte medim, yarns added. Right: more painted cotton pads.

 

Last sunflower pics.



Bits & Pieces

My niece is having her kitchen tea tomorrow - I printed a card for her (not finished yet) and thought I would print some matching wrapping paper - above. I made the lino blocks years ago so it was nice to get them out to use again.

While in print mode, I added some colour to my sketchbook - above and below -which I'm trying to use more. This book was started when I did my degree. Since then, I've repurposed it by painting over some pages tearing out pictures and adding things. I find it very difficult to consistantly keep a sketchbook or journal.

 

I've also starting teaching my Thursday craft classes again but this year I've changed it from machine embroidery to general textile techniques. We've been doing various print and paint techniqes so far, incuding bock printing, sun printing and shiva oil sticks.

sun printing

 

Shiva rubbing on a printed quilt fabric.

 

The above piece is a canvas covered with various papers, fabrics etc. the embroidery was stitched on after. It's not quite finished - just needs a little more I think and I'll varnish over the collaged background.

My sunflower with nearly all the seeds exposed.

 

 

New thermofax prints

This design was done with a chisel point marker pen which I found worked well to make a thermofax screen. I like the design - can see it will be useful. I think I'll make another one at a different scale to use with it. The artwork for the flower screen below was drawn with the same pen.

 

I printed these in my family room today because this week we're having temperatures around 40C (well over 100F). I had 2 of the WAQA community quilt organisers coming today to see how to use the thermofax sceens to make their quilt labels - I was going to do the demo in my studio but as it was so hot I set up a table inside the house - thought I may as well keep it there for a while!

 

Haven't checked on my sunflower for a couple of days - this is the last pic.

I've just done the Febuary post for the Designing Women blog - there is some great show and tell and name badges. Hope you'll have a look here.

Not much art happening here

I like to do some craft projects over summer - decided to make this piece into a cushion after finding a cushion insert while sorting out my store room.
The wall quilt below came about because I wanted to use the embroidery unit on my machine. It hadn't been used for more than a year. I bought it with ideas of digitizing my own designs but found it too complicated to pick up only occasionally.
I'm going to give the quilt to a relative who has a baby boy.

This has acquired a border since the photo was taken - I'll post another pic when its finished.

I'm still continuing with my sunflower series - you can see the black seeds starting to appear as the flower dies off. Not sure what I'm going to do with these, although I have already made a thermofax screen of the sunflower.

The life of a sunflower

The sunflower appeared in our garden so I've been taking a series of photos of it's progress.

 

Procion MX Dyeing

When it's been cool enough to work in my studio, I've been doing some dyeing. I enrolled in Jane Dunnewold's Craftsy course (and some other classes) when they were $9.99 over the Christmas period. I would recommend her course - it's very comprehensive and although I was familiar with most of the information, I was intrigued with the texture dyeing, where textured items are rolled up or clamped with the fabric before dyeing. The above piece was printed then overdyed - you can see the texture from bubble wrap on the right side of the pic. Normally I dye first, then add print as I find that is easier but overdyeing definitely improved this.

Below: 2 pieces textured with bubble wrap - these were clamped between squares of perspex.

This fabric was pleated then rolled, with elastic bands inside the roll.

 

 4 fat 1/4s scrunched and layered in a jar with 4 different colours of dye.