Month: September 2018

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‘What You Have To Do’ 2: contd…

Thinking about end of life options – a little research about private burials inspired by the fact that a poem has begun to take shape in my mind while I’ve been driving to and fro from home to college and back.


The Natural Death Centre. http://naturaldeath.org.uk http://www.naturaldeath.org.uk/index.php?page=home-burial

It interests me that a ‘home’ or private (as it is called) burial is not beyond the realms of possibility. An important option for me to consider as I am so connected to ‘my’ land. Digging it, shaping it, growing in it, eating from it, keeping it fertile, loving its beauty in the changing seasons … fighting for it – these are entwined in the fabric of my raison d’etre.

Stobart, J. (2011) Extraordinary Sketchbooks, London, Bloomsbury Visual Arts. A collection of examples discussed. Many are traditional ‘explore and store’ type sketch books but some are ‘resolved pieces’ – works of art in themselves. I have particularly enjoyed studying the William Kentridge section. Again, the theme of overlaying – images with layers that variously expose-obscure information is interesting – the palimpsest idea again.

Overlays. Palimpsest ideas.

De Vires Sokol, D. (2008) 1000 Artist Journal Pages. Massachusetts, Quarry Books. A classification and exposition of artists’ journal approaches: sketched, doodled, mixed-media, fabric based, collaborative, graphic, digital etc. A dizzying array of wonderful examples and rationales!

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Workshop: Ceramics 20th -21st September 2018

Workshop collection.

Day One: A little underwhelming from the ceramics point of view perhaps as I was familiar with the techniques we explored, but, none-the-less, enjoyable for the chance to get to know the group members better. Also nice to be working and making in a different context – out of the college studio. Caz’s ceramic studio is a lovely, relaxed and welcoming place.

Home
http://caroline-nash.co.uk/

Day Two: A chance to develop pieces that may be included in my book project. Book closure ideas – buttons, buckles, clasps – worked around Dad’s blue flowers theme. Dad also much in mind because he was after all – primarily, a potter. Caz, much amused at the pictures of the potters wheel Dad made himself (which I now own and frustratingly never seem to get round to restoring ….. one day!)

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‘What You Have To Do’. 2

‘Research the theme of scrapbook, art journal, memory album, mini book, and think about the event you want to record. …. You must show a wide range of primary research in a range of materials.’

Eldon, D. (1997) “The Journey Is The Destination”. London, Booth Clibborn Editions. A posthumous collection of Scrap/sketch books by Dan Eldon – war photographer, stoned to death in Somalia 1993 aged 22, edited by his mother. Dan’s mother writes about how some pages have dark papers pasted on top of previous entries which are scratched or torn away. This seems to connect with the palimpsest idea that has intrigued me from the vocabulary mind-mapping research I began with.

Technical Book vocabulary research. Studying bindings and signatures. The joy of Ephemera’s Vintage Garden Youtube channel!.

Wasserman, K. (2007). “The Book As Art”. New York, Princeton Architectural Press. Essays relating to the book as art – esp. from feminist/women’s perspective plus images and interpretation referencing the collection of books in the National Collection of Women in the arts.

Studying Krystyna Wasserman, M.L. Van Nice, Kazuko Watanabe.
Studying essays by Johanna Drucker & K. Wasserman and book examples by Julie Chen and Brenda Watson.

  • Watson. Comment Attirer Les Oiseaux
  • Chen. Bon Bon Mots
  • Nice. Swiss Army Book
  • Watanabe. The Diary of A sparrow.

Also, following on from the textile workshops, and knowing that I want to develop pieces begun here further, I have been thinking about my late Grandma and her experience as a WI sewing instructor…… this has led to reading about the history of Denman College.
https://www.denman.org.uk/

Meech, S. (2009) Connecting Art To Stitch. London, Anova Books Company Ltd. Analyses and explores the relationship between fine art methodologies and textile techniques.

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Workshop: Textiles – 14th-15th September.

Delighted to kick off my workshop experience with the textile rotation. Wow! What excellent machines – I want one….. free sewing is such fun! Not that I don’t appreciate my sturdy little Singer that I got in exchange for an enormous number of Tiger Tokens way back in the late 80’s! Forgive me a little nostalgia here….. they looked like this.

Image result for esso vouchers

Workshops began with the instruction to ‘bring images relating to the theme for your brief’ – we would use them to develop pieces using applied fabric techniques. With my ‘ars moriendi’ theme in mind, I took images of poppies that had been worked in textiles … they have a remembrance connotation but more importantly, reference my late father and a poem about poppies and blue flowers that he wrote back in 1975. My idea has been to combine significant fabrics (e.g. remnants from my wedding dresses) with the poppies and blue flowers ideas to make a 3D embroidery piece – perhaps a scrap-book cover or fabric page – to commemorate the loved ones left at death …. or perhaps … loved ones lost, with whom to be re-acquainted.

Initial ideas – textile workshop.