Decisions Decisions

Throughout this term of my studies I had continued to move along about 8 other dialogues out in the forest that I had established during the previous term. By the end of the winter term I decided my final degree exhibition would be about the tree cloths - a big decisions when I still had so much to resolve. This meant I needed to wrap another set of cloths around the trees and I needed to do it now to give the trees as much time as possible to get busy staining the cloth.

I liked the idea of pre-mordanting the cloth in sea water just a short distance away from where the trees are growing. Sampling had shown sea water to be an effective pre-mordant on cotton. A pre- mordant was likely to stimulate the staining process.

I made another decision too. The cloths would be bed sheets my 3 children slept on while growing up. 

I liked the idea of using the same nurturing cloths being used to express my need to get to know these trees.   

An important part of my work is to use textiles with an accumulated history. During a research module I had written a paper looking at how different artists worked with the human imprint on cloth.
While I soaked the sheets in the sea, 2 men  threw a ball for their dog and watched me. When I walked back towards them they said, 'We have to ask. Art or science?' I said, 'both.'

Eco-printing on Tree Cloths

After washing and ironing the eco-printed samples...

..i found them uninspiring.

 

This Cedar stem showed the most potential as a dye source.

I tore off pieces of the Cedar tree cloth and soaked them in a number of different pre-mordants,
sea water...

... almond milk and ash water. Each sample was coded with the different combinations of pre-mordants it had been soaked in. Sample cloths were left to dry slowly, outside on rocks in the garden.

Storm Watching

Last week Ron and I went over to the west coast to storm watch (and for our wedding anniversary).
We saw several 1sts, including surfers riding waves while it was snowing.
And we walked on a snow-covered beach for the 1st time.

But over all the weather was mild

At times it was sunny while it was snowing

So it was a surprise when we drove back home over 4 mountainous passes on icy, snowy roads to find the storm had happened across Canada, including Victoria (all schools were closed) while we had been in the mildest place in the country.

But last night a wind storm hit Victoria. We lost power twice, the 2nd time we decided to go down to the coast to see what was happening.

Birds had come in from the sea and all stood facing into the strong winds.

And, finally, we got to see how those massive logs were tossed high up on the beaches like toothpicks.

The breakwater at Ogden Point had waves breaking right over it.

While we were having hot drinks in a cafe to warm up, we phoned home and found the power was restored so we went home. Storm watching over.

Tree Cloths

I am wrapping my 4 trees again. This time I want to encourage more staining on the cloth so i soaked 4 bed sheets in almond milk and left them outside to dry. Then I took them down to the sea.

Two lots of different pre-mordants should encourage the staining.

While I was laying the sheets in the sea and trying not to get too wet myself, 2 men watched while their dog ran for a ball. As I walked back up the beach to the car and passed them, one said, "We have to ask."
I said,"What do you think I was doing?"
"It is either science or art", was the answer.
I told them it was both.

Look how the waves wrapped the sheet into a cinnamon bun bundle.

Driving in Maui

Driving in Maui is an adventure. Many of the roads follow the King's Pathway - a pre-European-contact foot path that circumnavigated the island with trails off it leading up to important sites. As a result, the narrow paved roads follow the line of least resistance rather than being engineered for safe vehicular travel.
However, there are lots and lots of helpful road signs, that even the cattle obey.

Traffic coming the other way is instructed to sound their horns as they come around this tight corner.
Those nets really do work.

We got caught in a downpour and the road became a river. We had heard stories of flash floods and cars being washed down into valleys and out to sea and we could see how that could happen.

After the down pour of rain we appreciated what 'Dip' could transform into - a river across the road!
There are lots of one lane bridges, narrow sections of road and no shoulders. When 2 cars are approaching 1 pulls over if possible to let the other pass. Where there is no space to pull off the road a little, 1 car backs up to the next scrap of a pull out.
People who love driving find this all very exciting. Nervous passengers are a wreck at the end of the trip.

Maui Shoreline

And across the Pacific, about halfway, are the Hawaiian Islands, that also have exciting shorelines.

Here are some images of our recent visit to Maui where we spent time exploring the shoreline of the island.

Steep volcanic cliffs, wild waves and unique vegetation kept us exploring even when the roads were narrow (one way in sections), winding, and rock strewn.

I collected a wide range of different coloured volcanic soil to stain paper.

Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick

While visiting the Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick at low tide, we came across some community/spontaneous/environmental art -don't really know what label to put on it, if it needs one.
Each day, after the tide has gone out enough to reveal the beach, the park ranger collects up stones into a form. Throughout the day, visitors to the beach contribute to the installation.

Some like the challenge of balance, building on the Inukshuk idea.

Others add decoration.

Some are challenged to go higher than those before them.
The tide rushed in, levelled it all and made its own arrangement. The park ranger returned in the morning to rearrange the elements again.
It reminded me of the rise and fall of civilisations throughout the history of man.

Lobster Season in the Maritimes

Everywhere we went around the shoreline in the Maritimes we saw people working with lobster 'pots'. We assumed they were getting them ready for the new season which begins sometime over October, depending on the location.

It was interesting to compare those made from wood and woven net with the ones made from high tech materials.

There were different shapes so some of these could be crab pots.

The pots are ready. Let the season begin.

Leaf Peepers and Inverness

Another activity we have been occupied with during our tour of the Maritimes has a name - Leaf Peeping. Each evening we check the internet for the Fall Foliage Report before we plan our next day's route.

We had a memorable stay in Inverness Harbour on Cape Breton Island. The fishermen traditionally name their boats after their daughters because they will always have their daughters but their wives may change.

The coastline has a wild beauty. The days were cloudy, rainy and foggy so I focused on gathering interesting close-up shots with my camera.