archaeology; Langdale Axe?

 I am becoming obsessed by Shadows.

 The Axe....we suspect is a Langdale Axe.

The display case at Wakefield Museum, with the axes.

If you look carefully, there is a pattern on the left hand one. It's almost like a processional way, leading to a Henge? This must have been a very prized possession; and I don't think it would have been lost. I think it was left as an offering; it's most certainly a beautiful work. And found in Wakefield. Though, we suspect, made in Langdale, in Cumbria, in the Lake District. The seat of the most prized Neolithic axes in northern Europe. Traded throughout northern Europe.



pomegranate

 Meantime.....in the pomegranate pot!

I'd left a piece of cotton in the dye, and forgotten all about it! It's been in there a couple of months, so it's taken quite well! Here is the whole piece.

 And here are some close-ups.

Lovely patterns; made with metal clamps, as I folded the fabric.

work in progress......

 Starting out!

 

 the stitched lines

 

The silk before stitches.

Dyed with pomegranate; I made it in a project with some young people at work. We did a project on Labyrinths, and plant dyeing.

The silk has been lying around, while I decided what to do with it. Then, looking through blogs, I found a reference to the native grasses of New Mexico; and how they (like all grasses) hold the soil together. An image came; and from that, I began stitching. This is very minimal, and with very neutral colours.   



Happy New Year - 2015

The Christmas Cactus came out on Christmas Day, so that was a good harbinger.
I spent a lovely xmas and New Year with family and friends.
And I'm still in the place of 'resting'.
Of letting things settle; of feeding my creative soul before I start the next artwork.
I am hoping to continue with my ideas of making collagraphy 'plates', and printing them in the mangle I was given in the summer. I've done one experimental print; below.

For speed I used acrylic paint, rather than printing inks. I just wanted a quick result, to see how the mangle would work.
I think it's worked quite well; and there's a lot of potential. My friend Berenice and I went to Spurn Point on the coast, earlier in the year (2014) and collected bags of found treasures! I hope to use these to make collography plates; and experiment with prints made from them. 
In the meantime, the stitching won't end. There'll just be a different direction. I'm looking forward to it. It feels like the recent past is wrapped up and boxed away. But things are different. My life is moving in another direction. So this is a good time to post this print.
And wish you all the best for 2015. X 

'The Infinite Contained'

 The fabric collages hanging in the space of Westgate Chapel

 'Portal'

 'For No-One'

 'Lucy'

 'My Family'

 'The Other Half of the Sky'

 'Holding (for PSM)'

 'My Garden'

Visitors to the exhibition

 

It was quite a scarey evening. The work is far more 'autobiographical' than any other I've ever made, so I felt very exposed, and 'on view'. The feedback was entirely positive though. Friends who knew the background to the work, came and expressed their delight. And even complete strangers came up to me and told me how much they liked it.

I have been taken aback by the comments.

And now; I'm spending the holidays having a proper break! No work (re; job) and not thinking about creating ANYTHING! I've decided I'm going to 'absorb' for a while. Spend time looking; at things around me, and at other artists.

Ideas are ghosts in my mind; I want to use the mangle for printing with, so that's one thing I'll experiment with....later. And I want to do some more weaving...that I can then print onto. For now; rest. It's been a very intense few years; and now is the time for consolidation, and resting.



'the Source: Nornes; Urd, Verdandi, & Skuld'

This is the weaving, completed; attached to hawthorn, and beautifully framed up by Carl Hardwick, based at Westgate Studios.
The thread that creates the pattern is hand dyed.
It's ready for the exhibition on Wednesday.
More than I am!
Stitches to complete yet!

spring and autumn silk

Silk, coloured by honeysuckle berries, blackberries, amongst others. The silk folded, with the berries amongst the fabric, then hammered into pulp!
VERY therapeutic!

A close up view. I left it for ages; just sitting there folded. Then put it on top of a pan I was boiling pomegranates in. Steamed the silk. I'll iron it, to try and retain the colour, though it may prove fugitive?

The silk before the hammered berry process. In spring I picked bluebells and random blue flowers, and folded them into the fabric. Then steamed them. Left it all for months, before adding the berries. The blue had faded some.