Guild Trip, it has been exciting!

I have been really thrilled and honoured to be selected as a Guild Trip Artisan, and if you have not taken a look a this wonderful website do take some time to wander and linger. I have not had time to update my blog for a while as have been so busy making sure all has been loaded up to my Guild Trip page!  Most of my art textile work can be purchased from this site and I hope to hear from collectors and people who are interested in my work. A few pieces lend themselves to being commissioned as personal works with stories and memories stitched into the layers.  an example of the work that can be done in this was is the piece I have pictured below. The day I began this I really needed to bring some joy into my mind. It was an exercse in pushing away sadness and losing myself in some small bits of happiness. 

 

Start of a Joyful Day

Start of a Joyful Day

I have used a base of heavy firm weave natural cotton and backed with two layers of cotton sheeting which then makes the process similar to working an art quilt. The background is painted using a textile medium and acrylic paint and small pieces of vintage fabrics, vintage lace curtain, some vintage embroidery cut from an old napkin, and strips cut from music sheets these are all layered under pale blue vintage tulle. The prices is then free motion embroidered, flowers and leaves added  to extend the vintage fabric scraps. Often these scarps are saved pieces of Liberty fabric and I treat these with respect as to me beautifully designed fabric deserves to be acknowledged. The delightful pieces of fine brushed cotton in the sky have a tiny bird print all over it and are remnants for the first baby angel top I made over 40 years ago. They contribute a feeling of birds flying in the sky which gives this illustration some movement. Once the free motion embroidery is completed I have cut away the tulle over the body of the bird as I wanted it to stand out to really look full of joy, make the work sing. This style is suited to adapting to a dog, cat, chicken, native animal such as a kangaroo or a wombat. It looks wonderful in a kitchen to remind you to be happy or in a children's room or baby's nursery. I could even see this on a laundry wall! It is mounted over stretched canvas and framed in a lime washed shadow box style wrapped timber frame ready to hang or stand up on a shelf. I loved making this it was such a change from my more serious work, everyone needs a fun day of work occasionally, a day to lighten up and just let the mind wander. It is a bit like spending the day with  one of those colouring books which have become so popular! This work was my day of having some fun, I hope you enjoy it too. I will try to keep my blog posts coming weekly, there is so much going on in the Old Vine Studio! Meanwhile if you want to see what I am doing in the studio I do post on my Face Book page most days. Love to meet more of you over there!