Just add content ...

There's been a lot of cleansing and cleaning happening this weekend. Planning for Open Studios at the end of May has intersected with a happy state of self reflection. Everything needed to create good art is here - in the physical and every other sense. It really is time and never too late to become mindful - and make good art - or the best art possible.  A clear focus on content and an uncluttered space to create is my most pressing need to explore emerging and persistent ideas. Making room to play within the boundaries I set means digging deep and letting go ... of my accumulated "stuff". So ... all the "stuff" that is taking up the physical and mental space I need to create is being cleared out, donated, sold, gifted or relocated to the rubbish tip.  That which remains has been sorted, remembered, deliberated over and retained - for all the right reasons.

Living Change @ The State Library Gallery

A surreal and almost indescribable afternoon at the State Library of Queensland yesterday with the official opening of "Living Change" exhibition as it begins a year long tour of Queensland regional centres. To have a quilt included in this amazing collection of artists was overwhelming. To have my father present ... there will never be the right words. Congratulations to all  the artists - sculptors, painters, weavers, potters and and textile genres - such talent and so humbled to share this space with them. It was a day of exquisite company, unexpected friends, an emotional roller-coaster and a day that I hope will never fade from memory. Family is everything. Many thanks to Janet de Boer and TAFTA, Flying Arts Alliance and the generosity of sponsors of this annual event.

Journal covers in blue

Keeping art journals is something that brings me great joy. Sometimes it's the ideas or images that pop into thoughts ... other times it is a way of working through or exploring a concept and sometimes it provides a place to start when absolutely nothing inspirational seems to be happening. I made ten journal covers from a stash of indigo dyed and printed fabrics - getting ready for Open studios at the end of May!
You might enjoy  ten minutes with  Paulos Berensohn  who has spent more than sixty years teaching and making journals.

Jacobs Ladder, TED and Charles.

An afternoon finishing Jacobs Ladder, listening to TED lectures on psychology, brains and compassion followed by a lot of seam pressing and the first two chapters (audio book) of "A Tale of Two Cities". It's the best of times ...

Developing grounds

In recent weeks I've managed to make quite a few grounds - from different papers and non-fabric materials while developing ideas inspired by Gwen Hedley's  Drawn to Stitch  (from The Thread Studio). Romance novels offer so much creative opportunity and we've played with the pages at my local art quilt group. For these ground  random pages have been torn out, crumpled, softened and woven to create a different story. The brown papers used in the second piece are a mushroom bag and the inner core of a toilet roll - crumpled and crushed and unfolded so many times until they resembled chamois - woven with more of the romance novel,  fused then hand stitched. All experiments and test pieces for a "bigger picture".

Dyeing and dinner

The rain chased us into one of the old sheds yesterday afternoon and WMBM built a small fire while I gathered the copper and the ingredients required for dyeing with onion skins. This time we used two metres of muslin and a very sheer cotton curtain dropped into the mix after the thicker fabrics had been in for an hour. It's hard to believe the transformation.  After an hour and a half of simmering away, the copper was removed and our evening meal cooked over the coals.  This morning the sun has returned. Did I mention our neighbours grow onions .... about 40,000 tons of them this season!

Jacob's Ladder and a wedding

The quilt top is taking shape. After scanning the soon-to-be-newly-weds invitation, RSVP and wishing well cards, several fabrics were created through Spoonflower. The colours used in the invitation documents formed the basis of colour choices for the quilt top. Combined with some "safe stalking" on social media, each fabric is linked in some way to the happy couple. Incorporating text and a request for yellow has required some rethinking and design changes. Even Riley the dog managed to make an appearance or two. Once completed, this quilt top is heading over to Barb Cowan at The Quilt Connection for a Barb's magic touch and professional finish.