Steam Museum sketching Visit-the journey

Exhibition Journey for the Great Western Embroiderers:-

Destination - Final Artwork----,

Calling at all stations,--- Steam Museum, researching artefacts, drawing, sketching, textile techniques, sampling, meetings, workshops, advice, critique, final artwork.

Time of Arrival --September 2008----no delays envisaged.

Great Western Embroiderers had a great sketching day at the Steam Museum this Wednesday.

There were so many fascinating features to look at and sketch, we were spoilt for choice. I cannot wait to see everyone elses photos and sketches. I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff at the Museum, they were so kind and welcoming. Many of the volunteers at the Museum actually worked in the Railway sheds at Swindon so it was great to talk to them.

I do remember the last time the whistle blew at the Railway works.

Just a few of my photos and one of my sketching pages.

So where have I got to on my journey?

I have started the next stage of the design preparation... thinking and sketching about possible formats and for the finished pieces of art work which will go on display in September at the Museum. Its really exciting. I hope we can arrange a second day of sketching, as I realised I want to look at some things in more detail, now I have thought about my compositions. The museum has a good picture library too ... see here... so may use that for ideas too. Think I need to visit the local Library, as soon as my focus has narrowed a little. Sure to be loads of books on "Gods Wonderful Railway".

This is the stage of the research I enjoy... finding out more.... need to think about colour too.....

Progress-as promised

I have been working to some rather loud music......have a look at this chocolate advert for a clue.....here........be sure to turn the volume on your computer up as loud as it will go! Have to say I have no affiliation to the company..... just love the music they have chosen ....and I do like to eat their chocolate..yummy!!

So Phil Collins has been blasting out of the stereo... and the postcard for Susan is finished.



Here are the 2 of them together, before they are parted .......... I do hope Susan will like it.

Off to Steam Museum to do some sketching, this morning with members of the Great Western Embroiderers. Think we are going to have lots of fun.

Don't you just love the postman??

This arrived in the post yesterday... thank you so much Susan....all the way from America!

Susan is organising an incredible Cyber Fybre art exhibition.... go and have a look. Here.

My exchange will be on its way shortly.... just a little more machining to do. One of my tasks for today. Then mine will be winging its way to America to you Susan. Wish I could go with it!

Here were the sheep yesterday morning in the field .. covered in frost.......aaaaah..cute. They mistakenly thought I was going to feed them!

However swiftly got down to my learning work.... which was natural dyeing... onion skins and indigo. Great results and no mordants used. I also managed to ply my spinning and dyed one of the hanks indigo. Rather pleased with that. Of course I also took along some calico (USA -muslin)... such fun.

Here is a closer look at some of them.

By lunchtime yesterday , the sun was wonderful... but do not be deceived.. it was still very cold. If you click and enlarge the photo, you will see the sheep right down the bottom of the field.

So whats this then??? Another new craft to learn? My poor brain!

This is peg loom weaving, such fun........just lightly twist, washed and natural dyed fleece and weave.

Must go and do some stitching now... what coffee time already....?

Taking a breather.

Phew... busy times this week. There have been three birthday parties to celebrate, nine year old granddaughter and then her sisters first birthday, and not forgetting my youngest sons birthday as well. Also a host of baby sitting duties, due to illnesses.

The stitching this week has involved a wonderful meeting of the Great Western Embroiderers. I was showing them some of the stuff I do with the embellisher, and everyone had a go. Some great work was being done by the members.



Anna also demonstrated how to do embellishing by hand... think it is called needle felting when it is executed in this way. She is very good at it. I always end up spearing myself.. give me the machine every time!

Next week we are going into Steam Museum in Swindon, and will be sketching on site, in preparation for our exhibition with the Museum on their open weekend in September. Don't worry I will remind you nearer the time if you want to go and see the exhibition.

This week also saw the end of my teach the teacher sessions. We ended our series of sessions with one of my ex. students Fred, (Made me feel quite old) showing the teachers how to do cartooning and sequence drawing. He is a very natural teacher and we had a wonderful time.

Can you guess what I have been doing today? These should be a clue, aren't they beautiful. Aparently they are a Dutch breed of sheep. Zwartbles. If you want to know more about the breed.. click here

If you have not guessed what I have been doing this should help.......

Got it ? No ......!

Ok this is the final photo.

Yes I have been learning to use a spinning wheel. Great Fun. I was allowed to borrow a spinning wheel as I do not have one. I have never used one before, and the teacher said I should get one straight away as I am a natural. Praise indeed! I was really chuffed. So I suppose I had better start saving my pennies.

I have one full bobbin of Zwartbles wool and another full bobbin of white fleece ( from Jeremy.. the sheeps name!). They just have to be plyed together now. The sheep reside on the nearby farm and their wool is fantastic to spin... each sheep gives an enormous amount of wool too. The farmers wife sells it at a very reasonable price ... but I have no wheel!

Wanderer returns

I have been away for a few days at Urchfont Manor working at the Embroidery masterclass. I was rather pleased with myself as I achieved quite a bit. Resolving designs and getting to a point with work, so that I can take it to the next stage. However my work did not stop me from appreciating the wonderful grounds in the sunny weather this weekend. - and of course the food!



Onr of the groups I exhibit with -Losing the Thread-have an exhibition shortly in Bridport. I will give details about the venue, nearer the time in case you can visit it starts on March the 4th.

So that has taken over my thinking at the moment, as well as my Great Western Embroiderers meeting tomorrow ( information click here) where I shall be demonstrating and showing some of my work completed on the embellisher. Busy day and week ahead of me, but great fun.

TIF February Challenge- Ist posting.

I have been thinking around the February Challenge.



My first response was to the colours. I felt I wanted to work with these, but the concept of past came into my thoughts too.

Sharon said "So this month stop and think what are you old enough to remember" I have been thinking , and came to the realisation that what I experience is only a product of experiences others have had in times past.

Where I live , the culture I live in, the artefacts I use, the civilisation I take for granted..... these facets have evolved over time, in fact since the Roman invaded this area of England. My experiences are but an extension of what has emerged before, in time, in space and conceptually.

I have decided to research deeper into Roman culture by investigating the area where I live. There are the Roman Baths in Bath click here:- Chedworth Villa- click here:- and Cirencester Museum click here:-



Here is my first set of research ideas in my sketchbook... and some Bridget Riley colour schemes:- click here You may like to listen to what she has to say about colour. I found it fascinating and may use some of those ideas in my work too.

As always if you click on my photos they will enlarge. I am really thinking about mosaics and hypercausts at the moment.

Anothe source of Mosaics I have visited is on my visits to Trier in Germany. The mosaics there are fantastic, so fine and so detailed. Click here:-

So back to the sketchbook.......

Oxford - a nostalgic day

A fellow artist invited me to her Private View at Wolfson College today. Click here and have a look at the Virtual tour, can you see the Marble staircase... incredible. The building is modern and light, built in 1966, and the exhibition space is brilliant.. overlooking the River Cherwell. Her artwork was presented well in the setting. So the day started with some modern textiles. No photos sorry and she does not have a web presence.



Of course Oxford is known for the number of bicycles!

We then decided to do the nostalgic tour of Oxford... many years ago I worked there for the University, and my Aunt still lives there. It was a bitterly cold day and very windy. It was wonderful as many sightseerers decided not to venture out. The roads were fairly empty, we managed to park the car very easily and for free and wondered around. We walked down the Banbury Road into St Giles and stopped to photograph the Taylorian Institute

and the

Randolf Hotel.

We wandered down Broad Street towards the Bodlian Library. My most favourite place. Investigate their website, its worth clicking around, there are some real treasures to be seen (click here).. the manuscripts are unbelievable.

I was lucky enough to be able to see many of them in the flesh when I was younger. No chance now, they are deemed too valuable. However their website is comprehensive and with excellent images.

They were shut today, being Sunday.

We wandered to the end of Broad Street, and resisted the temptation to go into The large Art bookshop for a warm up and spend up.

We then strolled in the bitter cold wind, down The Parks Road, until we found ourselves outside the Pitts Rivers Museum (click here).

We decided to go in for to warm up. A good move as I found the Exhibition I had wanted to see (Treasured Textiles) is still running. I was so pleased.

If your in Oxford at any time it is running until June 2008.

Returning back the the car, it seemed to be getting colder, and the view of Oxford became very wintery. We were glad to be going home after a very enjoyable textiley day.

Footsteps into February

(So have you guessed who these footsteps belong to?)

I am taking some tentative footsteps into the new month, with some careful planning I may achieve my goals. I have promised myself that I will bring lots of different projects to a conclusion, whilst maintaining enthusiasm for new ventures.

Time will tell.

The start to this quest was accomplished this morning.... I have been re-photographing lots of my art work. and I have decided that for the month of February, I am going to share the close-up photos with you all on my other blog...Maggies365photo blog . I have been practising using the macro facility on the camera, and just for once the light today has been very good.

Now must apply myself to the new TIF challenge set by Sharon for February... already had a few ideas. Will share those when I have got some visuals together for you to see. Have also realised will have to move a bit on this month .... there are less days than in January.

TIF3

Here is my third and final posting of the TIF challenge for January, as set by Sharon.



You may recall, I really admire the work of August Macke and created a lot of sketchbook pages in celebration of his use of colour. I have enjoyed working in this very free and liberating way with colour, and the work has eveolved into a very abstract piece, a collaged mixture of digital imagery taken from the sketchbook and enhanced with free machine embroidery. I look forward to February's challenge now.

Teaching the teachers 2

I had another session teaching the teachers today, difference this time --I was the invited artist. We had a great time. I showed them a number of different routines using the image editing programme Gimp. Such fun. The work they developed on their computers was amazing.

Here is one of my finished pieces that I completed .

I am very impatient to see the projects they complete with their students. I feel sure the youngsters will develop the imagery into inventive realms we cannot even imagine.

The ICT consultant to the Education department attended too. I am pleased to say she now has a few new tricks up her sleeve as a result of the class. It was a steep learning curve for some of the attending teachers, but they were fantastic in their dedication and interest. A big thank you to them, if they are reading this blog, for being such great students.

Just for Potter fans

No,this is not for the Harry fans but the Beatrix fans. Went to Gloucester today , not to meet Dr Foster, but Gill, of Elegant Sufficiency fame. Had a great time looking at some new toys.

Click here for the nursery rhyme.

Could not believe it but did not need to wear my wellies, as it did not rain. Anyone familiar with the nursery rhyme will know that he did not go there again because he stood in a puddle....... I would like to return ot Gloucester and have a more leisurely look at the Cathedral.

Great place. They also had some colourful mosiacs on the pavements.... forgot to take a photo....maybe next time.

Go over to my photo a day blog to see a brilliant door -click here.

Caught in the act!

We had a really good night out with friends last night .... they imbibed quite a bit of the golden nectar, the dinner was delicious too. Traditional English fare and on Australia Day . I was a good girl - no alcohol - as I did the driving.

After a leisurely start to the morning I started to do some stitching on my TIF challenge.... feeling very pleased with it, I must say. I could really have done with out the help on offer, I have spent a lot of time re winding threads! I wonder why?

Sorry for the blurry quality of the photo, but he moved like grease lightening, tapping the reels onto the floor and then running off with them in his mouth. I told him .. I will put him up for adoption if he keeps this up.

Full Steam ahead

On behalf of the Textile group Great Western Embroiderers Kath and I had a meeting with officials at Steam Museum in Swindon.

Click here to see details about the Museum. This used to be a railway town in the Victorian era, and it was built by Brunel as a tea stop for the passengers to the West Country and a Engineering centre for the engines and rolling stock. The town had existed long before as a country market town.

We are planning to put together an exhibition of textiles, based on the artefact's and nostalgia in the Museum... we are very excited about this. We have arranged our first sketching session at the start of next month, with a view to a small exhibition during their Festival in September 2008. We would like to develop closer links with the Museum, and create a more substantial exhibition next year based on our sketched at the Museum. I think this could be very exciting. So watch this space I will keep you informed as it progresses.

Such excitement.. cannot wait to start...... where are those sketchbooks?

Herr Schnauzer is sulking again- accusing me of favouritism on my previous blog postings towards his furry play mates.

So here he is, looking very hairy, I really must remenber to make an appointment for his haircut !

Busy hands

I have had the most wonderful day today working on the project I am managing, which involves in service Art training for Key Stage 2 and 3 teachers. I invited the artist Philip Cox to come and work with us. check his work here. This must be the ultimate in recycling.

All right we were also using hot glue guns... and my goodness I wish I had asbestos fingertips. It is so easy to burn the fingertips. I discovered you also need quite strong fingers to manipulate the cardboard.

We folded, cut, moulded and cajoled the cardboard into these wonderful "people". We placed them all together at the end .... it was quite frightening, as these characters had so much attitude.

Meanwhile back home , our elderly moggy, decided she would steal the limelight today.

Thsi is her normal day and at 17 and a half years old... we generally let her enjoy her peace, especially as she is totally deaf... so never hears us either.

Today she proved there is nothing wrong with her other senses. I had thought the local vermin were safe, however today she caught a mouse! So despite her elderly years, she has lost none of her most important skills, so there is hope for me yet!! What a clever girl she is.

Having fun with photos

I have been playing a lot this last week with my computer with a programme called - gimp... I just love it! Such fun.

Yawn!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words......... I will just add.... what no stitching tonight?

Awake and working on TIF Challenge

Mr Siamese has been a just trifle miffed with me after my previous blog post , and wants me to assure you he is my most wakeful, helpful and trusted artistic assistant..... so whilst he was posing on my sewing machine waiting for lunch, I was busy getting my images from my sketchbook onto my fabric for the Take it Further Challenge.

Think I will be doing some heavy FME next..... but may change my mind yet.

Quiet Day

Quiet day --- For some any way, Siamese decided to have a duvet day, whilst the rest of us toiled away at our work. Its all right for some! Have to add, this is not the first time he has been known to have one of his special days. It is becoming something of a habit. Are we jealous? You bet!

The planned stitchery and design work did not happen again over the last 2 days, yesterday was a mad dash to A & E when eldest son put the electric drill bit through his finger. I indulged in some name calling, and interestingly his sister used exactly the same expression! There's a united family for you. Pleased to say not too much damage, lost the nerve in his right ring finger between the knuckle and the finger tip and a slighlty chipped bone..... just pleased it was his right hand as he is a south paw!

Today I had the delight of looking after 2 of the other grandchildren whilst daughter in law visited her mother in hospital. We had great fun on the computer using the programm Kid Pix.. they loved it. ( so did I) . Then bangers and mash ( sausages and creamed potatoes ) for dinner, with ice cream to follow. Truly childrens food - great!

So this evening I have looked longingly at a sketchbook that is prepared and waiting for me, I have an exhibition later this year and had thought I would use this, and display it at the exhibition too. Only trouble is I am too tired now to make a start. Have to confess I am also fed up with going to the local hospital -- 5 times since Saturday -more than enough for me. Good thing I am healthy!

Take it further challenge

My sketchbook has been working hard over the last couple of evenings, some of the sketches/ideas are just like the workings of my brain muddly, darting about and pretty dire..... so I made the decision to cull some of my more pertinent ideas into a digital sketchbook, so that I could see the wood for the trees.

In my humble opinion a good decision, as suddenly I can see a little more clearly what I would like to reveal, in my quest of understanding Mackes work and how to express my admiration in a little more detail. More importantly perhaps, how my own work could evolve. I decided that I also had to look at the Expressionists a little more closely, as the key figures of this movement helped him to develop his art.

If you click on the image hopefully it will enlarge for you.

I have now printed this page out and stuck it into my sketchbook.... I feel I wish to re-create a piece of work in textiles from these ideas.... So I wonder where this part of the journey will take me? Am I ready to start some textile work? ... or should I look at my source in even more detail? What key features should I develop from my initial imagery and thoughts? Lots of questions... no answers at the moment.