"I begin with an idea ... and then it becomes something else"
~ Picasso

Sunday 26 March 2017

first day of spring and precious snippets

the clocks sprung forward last night
it has felt like the first day of spring ... chilly ... but sunny, bright and inspiring

my studio looks out over the garden at the back of the house
and I sit looking at blue skies, a sea of grape hyacinths and ripening bluebells
a positive haze of blue

on my desk I am surrounded by little piles of inspiration
and it got me thinking about how much I do  love  snippets of things ... 
tiny little pieces ... nostalgic little gatherings and accumulations


I have little collections of things all around my studio
pots and jars and boxes of shells, feathers, fabrics and beads
threads and found things, beach string and seaweed
vintage photos, old books and words ... I like to collect words ...


most of it is from nature/creation and connected to being near the sea
the  feeling  of being near the sea and memories of long ago holidays
of beachcombing days, fresh salty sea breezes, paddling in beach streams
sand dunes and sand castles


snippets inspire and inform my work as much as anything else does


the tiny valuable pieces left over, rescued and saved from larger pieces of work
inform how all of my work comes together


I use the snippets on the seaside hearts I love to stitch
and I remember where every piece comes from


as I stitch I reflect on …
a walk on the beach gathering shells …
how I discovered a new way of working while experimenting …
where that button came from ...


the button thing comes from my Mum
I adored her tin of buttons when I was a child

the cards I've been making are inspired by rock pools


 below - some of my textured hand stitched beach and rock pool cards


I'm enjoying working through the processes in The Surface Treatment Workshop book
especially as it has helped me tremendously to get back into a rhythm in my studio

I am finding that the initial focus is to follow as many of the prompts as I can
then my "what iffing" side takes over as I try this and that ...

by the time it comes to sticking my samples in my sketchbook
I find I'm considering ways to improve, enhance
making discoveries all the while

and one thing leads to another ...


sometimes it may just need a button ...




sometimes it needs a bit more layering

perhaps I'll add some silk and scrim ... then iron on some gold foil


perhaps as I iron on the foil it will melt a layer of the waxy gel medium on the photograph
smoothing it and erasing the brush strokes ... a happy (and useful) discovery indeed


I think gold foil and rust work very well together


this little sample featured more of the rusted waxed tissue paper
but I felt I needed to put something in the space
so I blanket stitched around a Dorset button ring in ochre gold thread


and added buttons and stitch to the last couple of samples


running stitches and a snippet of orange melted textile
just finished off the little cottage sample


I have another couple of new collages almost completed but will share another day
thanks so much (always) for visiting me here x

6 comments:

Tanya Rogers said...

Just lovely - I have a real thing for textures, so your post is a real treat! xx

DILOU said...

Merci pour ces partages!! c'est toujours un plaisir de voir vos réalisations, elles me font rêver!!
Un petit bonjours de Paris

Unknown said...

Oh my, I can just imagine the lovely view overlooking your garden. I have so enjoyed these beautiful pictures of beachy color & texture & your seaside hearts, just wonderful. And I adore the "buttons" as well. I truly cherish my Moms button collection & shells we gathered together long ago.So much inspiration, Your art truly stirs my soul, Thank you.

jo said...

Le regard que tu portes sur les choses, les couleurs, la poésie qui se dégage de tes photos sont un vrai bonheur ! Même l'air marin vient jusqu'à nous... Merci de m'enchanter !

PS: je suis de cours d'anglais pour enfin pouvoir te lire !

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I do love how your mind works and seeing your process. I giggled when I read about the family buttons - I guess you could say I collect them. I have (are you ready for this??)...fourteen large jars filled with buttons....as well as two shoeboxes full. I inherited the ones my grandmother and mother had and now people just give me their buttons. I can't say no. What makes matters worse is that I hate to use them!! I want to look at them and fondle them but don't want to 'waste' them in projects. Yeah, I need to get a life....

WendyK said...

Fabulous samples Carolyn, I just love all your seaside themes. Will email you later.
Hugs Wendy