Class at Victoria College of Art

We spent most of the morning examining our fabrics after tray dyeing.

There was such a variety of results.

We learnt so much from each other as each person show their fabrics and explained what they did to get the results.

An afternoon exercise involved working with lots of different fabrics that had a layer of automatic machine stitches added. We are all looking forward to seeing the results next week.

What have I been doing???

I haven't posted images of any of my work for such a long time. You must be thinking I have been lying around painting my nails or something.
I have been making stuff but I can't show it to you.
Articulation is exhibiting at the Whyte Museum, Banff Alberta in September this year and the curator, Michelle Lang, wants it all to be new work unseen by the public. As a result I am short on images to post here.
But here is something to make you smile and feel good.
A performance artist....a juggler.


Download  The Juggler. 

Tray Dyeing At VCA

The students in my Mark Making With Machine class yesterday worked on building up grounds to sample on.

Using Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn's tray dyeing method they each dyed about 4 meters of assorted fabrics in their chosen hue. Next week they will re-dye some of the fabric to add a second layer.

They also painted some gradations, a la Ruth Issett.

The students are doing a number of exercises to build up a personal palette in an analogous colour scheme.

Tray Dyeing

I have been dyeing using Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn's tray technique. I have decided it is an ideal way for a class to do some dyeing. So tray dyeing is on for the next lesson of Mark Making with Machine, at the Victoria College of Art.

I am building up some ground fabrics to use in my work for the BA module I started last week.

This is the first layer: washed, ironed and on my design wall so I can plan the next layer.

More of the same, I think, except to make the colours less intense. I like brights to peek out from behind.

Dissertation

 For my BA(Hons) studies I wrote my dissertation on my mother's 4 embroidered afternoon tea cloths.

...and one cloth I was given by her friend when I became engaged.
I learned so much. I am continuing to study the ideas raised in my next module of work, which started this week.
My holiday is over and I am back to work.
On Tuesday I had the first lesson for the 12 week 'Mark Making With Machine' course at Victoria College of Art. Except for losing light at one end of the studio after a power surge, the lesson went well. I had fun and all of the students worked hard at getting to know their sewing machines.

More Work in VCA Show

More Pics of the Show

Victoria College of Art Christmas Show

The show has been such a great success. On opening night 400 guests wandered in and out of the studios while they tucked into plates of steaming Christmas pudding and sauce, listened to live music and examined the art filled walls and tables.
Sales were brisk with 68 works going out the door with their new owners.

The 1st fine arts textiles class had a magnificent display of work in the lower studio. They had samples from their stitch dictionaries grouped by stitch on big boards.

It was hard to believe 12 students had produced so much in 6 weeks.

They spent the evening as docents talking about the work and demonstrating stitching and painting techniques.
The studio looked like a mosh pit at times.

Mark Making With Thread

The first Fine Arts Textiles course is nearly finished. We started with 2 basic hand stitches then spent 2 full days a week for 5 weeks exploring the qualities of many variables possible with these 2 stitches. And we barely scratched the surface.

Throughout the course different students often shared an area of expertise which added so much to the whole learning experience for everyone. Here Barbara Gilbert demonstrates to the class.

On Monday we spent time getting work 'hanging ready' then mounted samples and 2D projects on boards.....

... in preparation for the Victoria College of Art Christmas Show, www.vca.ca.
The last class is Friday. In the morning the students will work together to install an exhibition of their work and they will return in the evening in their role as docents while the college is full of guests invited to come and celebrate the students' work.
In the Textile Studio space there will also be demonstrations of stitching, fabric painting and felting.
The learning will continue for the students throughout the weekend as they practice talking about their work. They provide a personal connection with the work that many viewers look for.

Victoria College of Art Christmas Show

Last week Kate Cino visited us in the studio. She photographed and interviewed for a article on her Victoria Art Openings  website. 
Check this link to see what she found in the college. 


VCA Xmas Show

http://www.artopenings.ca/Art_Openings.ca/Welcome.html

This coming Friday, 17th she will visit again and do the same for the college's Christmas show.Check out the website for details of the event, vca.ca

Stained Table Cloth

The table cloth has been washed and ironed so now i can see the extent of the staining.
There are lots of pink and black areas.

...and a few holes. I like this area where there is a mended hole and now more holes beside it need repairing....

...or not.

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.