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Showing posts with label tea cloth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tea cloth. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

'Earth Repair' - 3 Years Later

2014
3 years 3 months after the emergency while living outside wrapped around the Indian plum I brought the 3 afternoon tea cloths inside. 
They were carefully washed, dried and ironed. I was hoping the laundering had stopped the decay processes.

There is much staining and decay and large holes had appeared.
How to preserve this cloth? The usual way to repair a cloth is to darn it but the whole cloth is in such a fragile state didn't think it would support darning. Another way to repair cloth is to add a patch. When I thought about it, adding patches is the way the soil is repaired each year. Leaves fall from plants and trees and cover the soil. Organic processes work on breaking down the leaves to return them to the soil.

I was thinking about this soil repair idea when while out on a walk I noticed the Tulip tree had a skirt of leaves reflecting the shape if its branches. It was using its leaves to replenish the soil it grows in.

I looked more closely at those fallen leaves and saw the majority had decayed in such a way that only the veins were left. They were leaf skeletons.

I collected them up and soaked them in water to remove the soil and pine needles.

I left them to dry.

They are quite lovely in their fragile state. I had this idea to repair the tea cloth with these fragile leaves. I hand stitched leaves directly onto the cloth over the holes. At the top of the cloth I stitched a row of eyelets, wove a jute string through them and inserted a stick I found near the Tulip Tree. 
The cloth hung on my design wall for the year, still too delicate to do anything with.

2015
When the Tulip tree was dropping its leaves again the next year made me look again at the still fragile afternoon tea cloth.
I wanted to add more leaves but I wanted to make the skeletons stronger while still appearing fragile. It was time to sample. I coated leaves with various mediums but they tended to fill the holes and look a bit shiny. I ironed on a fine fusible web. I liked the look.  

I added the bonded leaves but I couldn't iron them in place. I decided to machine sew them in place using the finest thread I had with the finest needle.  I liked what was happening and decided to add another layer of leaf skeletons next fall.

 
2016
I added another layer of bonded leaves using a combination of hand and machine stitching.
The cloth with its leaves was stronger looking but getting very dried out and brittle. I added a thin layer of liquid Min Wax. I thought this last effort had ruined the whole thing. It was shiny and stinky and ugly. I just left it hanging thinking I would throw it away when I got around to it.
But one day it caught my eye because it had taken on a transparent glow and the layers of leaves were more visible giving an interesting depth. And it wasn't stinky anymore. 
I was going to add yet another layer of leaves until it got accepted into the World of Threads Festival. Once our work is accepted we have to promise the work shipped will be exactly the same as the images we sent in with the application. 
I can add the next layer of leaves after it returns home.

PS This is what the Indian plum tree looks like fall 2016
Still alive...

...but the bark doesn't look very healthy where the deer ate it.

The fungus growth on the middle trunk indicates the tree is dying.
Maybe the deer knew the tree was old and on its way out.





Saturday, October 8, 2016

'Earth Repair' - the Beginings

'Earth Repair' began as a response to what I considered to be an emergency situation.
March 11, 2011 - quoting from my journal -
'Emergency. It has been a long winter here on the island. The deer are hungry. They are eating the bark on my precious Indian Plum. I need to care for this tree. The deer have free choice in the rest of the forest - even my emerging spring bulbs but my Indian Plum is not part of their buffet.

I am placing sacrificial tea cloths over the wounds to protect them. First, I lost my needle - I felt vulnerable and inadequate - I couldn't do what I needed to do because I had lost my valuable tool. Flashback to an earlier time when women depended on their needlework skills to survive. A lost needle was potentially a loss of livelihood translating to an increased risk of not being able to adequately care for her family.

I ran inside to get another needle after I had given up searching in the deep layers of moss and decaying leaves. When I returned with another needle I found my first one hanging by a thread - ties in with that vulnerable feeling again.

I was having trouble holding the cloth in place and sewing at the same time which had lead to the loss of the original needle. Then I heard a distant ambulance siren reminding me this is a triage situation.
Another run inside to get my wooden-based pin cushion, given to me by my mother. A reminder of how important life skills are passed from one generation to the next.
I was now performing the required surgery as I pushed a couple of pins into the bark to temporarily hold the edges of the cloth as I sutured it in place.'

The 'Earth Repair' cloth with embroidery wrought by and unknown hand.

Sutured in place around the wound to stop the deer from eating more of the bark. 
I have since read the Saanich First Nations people make a bark tea as a purgative and a spring tonic. Perhaps that is all the deer were doing because they had upset stomachs after having to eat plants not usually in their diet.

Continuing from my journal entry - 'The tea cloth continues to function - to protect wood and in doing so sacrifices itself to the elements - it was raining as I secured the cloths in place.
Inside the home, the cloth would be used to present food - outside it is now protecting the bark so the tree can get its food....
The cloth has been taken from the horizontal to the vertical plane. Does it still read as a table cloth? It has been taken from a smooth flat object to a wrinkled curved form. Does it still read as a cloth?'
These were musings for the development of work while I was studying for a BA (Hons) in Embroidered Textiles. After 6 years of study, my graduation exhibition work was related to my thoughts and actions on this Day of the Emergency.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

'Earth Repair' Makes it into the World of Threads Festival 2016

Lesley Turner, 'Earth Repair' 36" x 35"/92 x 89 cm, 2011 - ongoing, embroidered (anonymous) vintage cotton afternoon tea cloth, leaf skeletons, cotton & polyester thread, jute string, wooden branch, MinWax; tree staining, washing, ironing, hand & machine applique, waxing.

This work has been accepted into the World of Threads Festival 2016 in the 'Late in the Season' exhibit in the display area of the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre in Oakville, Ontario, from Saturday, October 29 to Sunday, November 27th, 2016.
Whippee!

I spent most of the day following the instructions in several emails explaining exactly how to get the work ready for hanging and how to box it up.
I made a box so the work will fit snugly and not move around much while in transit. I made the box with a reuseable cap so it can be reused to return the work. 
The work can not be folded or even rolled because of the many layers of delicate, dried, leaf skeletons stitched to the cloth. 
Inside the box, I made a suspension system to hang the work from the top. 
I sewed together pieces of bubble wrap to make a snug bag to pad the work while it is in the box.
Then there was all of the documentation required. Make a label with details of name and title and secure it to the back of the work. Type up hanging instructions with images. Put my name and email on every piece of packaging and both parts of the box. Include a spare set of hanging devices - just in case. Phew!
Now to wait until the right day to mail the box so it arrives between the 2 dates set for the arrival of work in Oakville. 

Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate are the organisers, curators, festival originators and all of the other jobs it takes to mount such a large exhibition of work from around the world - 134 artists from 24 different countries. You can see why I am very pleased to have work selected again for this festival.

Dawn and Gareth curate the exhibitions with a system I think is unique to their festival. They put out an international call for artists' most recent work and wait to see what comes in. They look at images of the work while identifying some common themes. Work is selected that fits the chosen themes. That's how I think they work.
Next post I'll tell you why this unassuming work has taken 5 years to make - so far.



Friday, January 1, 2016

Embroiderers Guild of Victoria 45th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

45th Anniversary Afternoon Tea

The Tea Wagon/Trolly

Barbara Gilbert's embroidered tea cosies covering teapots

Special tiered cake stands

Fresh scones were served with strawberry jam and clotted cream

Cake Stands

Cake stands made from vintage plates and crystal/cut glass dishes and vases


Silver, porcelain and ceramic teapots with milk jugs and sugar bowls.
The anniversary was celebrated in style.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

'Edge of the Forest' Opens

The first exhibition of the Canadian Surface Design Association's 'Edge of the Forest' opens in the 

 Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Richmond Hill

 It is up for all of March. There is an opening reception on March 11th.

Here is the rest of the schedule, to date: 

April 20-May 4th, 2015 –  Art Square Gallery Toronto

June 4-July 9, 2015 – Exhibition at Parrot Gallery Belleville, ON

August 15  – October 18, 2015 prior to & during Fibre Arts 2015 Conference, Woody Point, NL


The aim of this juried fibre exhibition is to present a survey of work currently being done by Canadian members of the Surface Design Association

Here is my entry.

'Forest Reliquary' 2014 

Materials: Vintage cotton table cloth, earth pigments, cotton thread, leaf skeletons, deer bones, maple tree samaras, fern spores

Techniques: Earth dyeing, spore printing, hand stitching (furrowing, whipped double running stitch, attachment).



Currently, I am using domestic linens and earth pigments as I explore the biological processes in the Pacific North West rainforest. 

I will be teaching a 2-day, weekend workshop on using earth pigments at the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts 2015 MISSA June 27 - 28 this summer. Do come and join us if you are interested in learning about working with eco-friendly earth pigments and need a little MISSA Magic in your life MISSA


Monday, December 5, 2011

Art at the Whyte


Lesley Turner 'Valuing Women's Work' 81" x 62", composted, hand stitching; cotton
An afternoon tea cloth was left under a maple tree during fall to be incorporated into the decay cycle. After many hours of washing, ironing and stitching the work goes largely unnoticed as the restored cloth is sacrificed again to protect furniture while the hostess serves tea to her guests. This installation is a metaphor for much of women's work not accounted for in our national accounts system.



Mary Shaffer's jacket...



...was the inspiration for a number of works placed around it.



Likewise, Catherine Whyte's engagement dress, shoes and portrait  inspired Ingrid Lincoln's panel. The artist statement reads: 'This is a homage to Catherine Whyte. A strong personality in a soft guise.'


The curators Michale Lang and Mary-Beth Laviolette did a very good job pairing and arranging artifacts from the Whyte collection with Articulation's art works.

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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Eco-Printing Unwrapped but Not Wrapt


Progress on my 'Red' series of panels
There are the result of research done in the Bay of Fundy



Finally the results of an eco-printing session, after waiting patiently for 2 weeks before peeking
I am testing native flora in my back yard
Results from the Big-leaf maple...




...are limited



Douglas-fir....



...had minimal effect
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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Dyeing the Tree Cloths

I like the distinctive individual stained patterns on each of the Tree Cloths but I don't like the overall greyness. They don't look attractive.
Perhaps dyeing will help.
I torn off a sample from each Tree Cloth and scrumpled it in a tray, a la Claire Benn-Leslie Morgan dyeing technique.

Using Procion MX, I put in a layer of green brights.

2nd layer was green neutrals. Looking more interesting but not yet full of life.

I have also added to the dye batch 2 table cloths and some napkins to be able to compare results on a white base.
This is 1 of the table cloths with 2 layers.
I think they all now need an over dye. But what colour would tie all of that texture together?
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