Dialogue with a Maple Tree

Several months ago, just as the autumn leaves began to fall, i placed a table cloth under a maple tree.
I watched as it became covered with fallen leaves and disappeared.

Yesterday i decided it was time to find it and take it inside.

As I brushed the leaves away i found lots of black and pink! staining.

This horned animal skull shaped motif on the corners of this tablecloth is one i have been researching for my dissertation. The shape is known as a bucranium.
I will now gently wash the cloth. I'll show you the results when it is dry and ironed.

Self Applique

The students in the 'Mark Making with Stitch' class at Victoria College of Art may have looked and sounded as though they were just playing with a pile of textiles but they were in fact working.

They assembled a collection of different fabrics with potential for the Self Applique technique.
They collected samples of shot weave....

... considered the reverse side....

...and experimented with patterns.
Then they made samples using their own painted cotton.
They all decided it was a technique with great potential.

Snow and Cloth

During a break in a snow storm I ventured outside to check on how my art projects were fairing.
The cloths wrapped around the 4 trees were quite wet. If they are still damp during the next warm spell some interesting marks may emerge.

I am amazed at how well the men's suit jacket is surviving. It has been outside for 13 months now. It is made from newspaper bonded to a light cotton.

The cedar wrapped in cloth is in the forest where it is dark. There is lots of evidence of animals running over it and rearranging the loose ends.

Textile Arts Library

Here are more books for the Textile Arts section of the Victoria College of Art library.
These classics were donated by Marny and Barbara and are a great addition.
Thank you both.

Donations To Victoria College of Art

Students in the Mark Making with Thread course have been most generous in donating different things to the class sessions and the Textile Arts section of the college library.
Barbara donated this delightful collection of threads in an old Velveeta box. They look as though they have been treasured for many decades and now the students will put the threads to good use.

Barbara also donated this classic counted thread book, which still has much to offer the present day student.

Jo Ann donated another valuable classic - a Canadian edition of the Anchor Thread publication. Its clear drawings and well thought out collection of stitches make it a useful portable reference to carry in a stitching bag.

Jo Ann also donated 2 laminated, quick reference stitch charts that will handle being referred to by many students over the coming years.
Thank you both for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
I'll post about more donations later.

Exploring Negative Space

More explorations of opening up the textile with stitch from Victoria College of Art students.

VCA Mark Making With Thread

The students in the Victoria College of Art Mark Making With Thread, Textile Arts course are producing some exciting samples.
A selection of their colour studies in various stages of progress.

Exploring ways to open up the ground cloth to create negative spaces.

Colour Studies

In the Mark Making With Thread course at Victoria College of Art last week we spent time doing colour studies.

Students at Victoria College of Art

Here are the early twentieth century students in the Bank Street school . . .

Here are the twenty first century students in the school on Bank Street, 100 years later.

The 3 windows you can see . . .

. . . are the 3 lowest ones on the side of the school, in front of the girls' steps.

Studio is Ready

Sunday evening Ron and I cleaned all of the furniture, windows, mirrors and hand basins.

Here i am practicing sitting in my tutorial chair.

This is the ironing station and the cutting station.
The 3 big print tables will get wheels so they can be rolled out into the centre of the room when needed.
The room needs another row of floor tiles because even though the freshly painted blue floor looks nice, i think it will get very cold underfoot come winter.

Finally, the studio is ready enough for students who will arrive in 12 hours.

Final Studio Preparations

On Saturday Ryan was hired to do some of the remaining jobs to get the studio ready before the course started on Monday.
He sanded and scraped 3 large tables that were covered in cement blobs, plaster splatter and an assortment of other lumpy stuff. He then painted the tables and converted them to work tables where we can do dying, painting, collaging .....
He stayed late to paint the vestibule area.

On Sunday Ryan was there again to move the furniture into the studio. I think he went home.

He brought his friend Joel in to help. Between them they had all of the furniture in place, cork board bolted in place and shelving moved in no time. Then they moved up stairs to work on the Animation studio which is also under renovation.

Meanwhile, Ron and I continued cleaning furniture, polishing glass table tops and putting equipment in place.