ammonites

Some public sculpture in Wakefield.
Carvings, with the identifiable spirals of ammonites cut into the stone. I couldn't resist photographing these, being interested in geology. The marks on the stone made by the cutters are lovely, too. Don't know if these were hand or machine cut. But the marks are a connection to the person who made the sculptures, and I like that. Almost as if it's a thumbprint from that artist; a mason's mark. Something of that person, left behind.
I quite fancy going along and making a rubbing of these. Collect those marks onto paper. As I'm using the Labyrinth spiral for my textile course, this sculpture seems to resonate with me. Hard stone; soft fabric. Echo back, amplified.

Ammonite

From Whitby museum; a massive Ammonite fossil. I'm doing lots of research into fossils at the moment. All part of this fascination with geology I currently have. I'm creating some drawings using thread and fabric. Hand sewing onto a sheer white fabric, almost organza fabric, images based on the trees, Lepidodendren which once grew on the planet. It was these plants which millennia later, gave us the coal which was mined in the Yorkshire area.

I'm continuing to dye some fabrics; and machine sewing the results. It's still very exciting, and interesting. And using my machine remains a thrill!

As we've been having such gorgeous weather recently, I've taken advantage of it, and taken my beech carving outside to use the surform, and rasps on it. Although I began this way back in August, and it's still not finished, I am carrying on with it, I'm pleased to say. Slowly, slowly, the beechwood is shedding it's pockmarked surface, and becoming smoothed. The beautiful grain of the beech is showing through, and the creamy white surface makes me want to run my hands across it. Very tactile, wood!