FABRICATION - open to view

Wow, was yesterday a busy day.  Fabrication my solo exhibition at the Mills Arts & Events Centre, Rayleigh, Essex is now up on display.

This is it, standing facing the entrance to the cafe.  None of the pieces have been shown here before, but there are some older items, some show only once before and some totally brand new - unfortunately with home circumstances thrown into disarray, I lost a lot of prep time. Having been here before I thought I knew what's what.  Unfortunately since last time there are less hangers available, so it meant a bit of jigging and swapping to get 3 hooks on one wire, and 2 on another, with the kind assistance of venue staff, and a ladder!!  Because the Centre is well used and there are often small children/pushchairs around this gallery corridor, pieces have to be out of reach of small hands.  Last time people "complained" to me that I'd hung the work too high - but there is a reason for why it is as it is.

After putting the work up, it was time for "breakfast" in the cafe - well toasted tea cake, and tea, very nice too.
Then back home to collect sewing machine and take it to be mended, and serviced.  It will be away about 10 days.  I have no spare, unless you count my gran's old hand Singer with the long shuttle bobbins.  So I will have to get on with design work - no bad thing I suspect.

Its mid afternoon before I get lunch, and I'm very tired, all this work and rush, and then boom, its done. Then the phone rings....local Council, ringing to get information for a Press Release for this exhibition.  As the venue comes under the remit of the council, in the Contract it states they will do the Press Release.  However, having been promoted in the Rayleigh Arts Festival brochure, I thought that was enough 'exposure' and generous.  So I had to answer questions totally out of the blue, and out of brain cells.  I've little idea now what I said, but I will get to proof it, before publication.  And.... another new experience to chalk up, never done a phone "interview" before!  The minute you take your art out of the home, be that in any form, teaching, exhibiting, publishing, entering events - there is so very much to learn, and to continue to learn, as nothing is ever exactly the same from one experience to another, or so I've found.
And now, as they say, I'm going to chillax for a day, but there is the task, of fitting things back into cupboards... may be.

New work, tasters...

Here are a couple of pics of new pieces I've recently made.  Stitching on paper, as I do a lot of.

The brown is a detail from "Strata", and the green from "Terre Verte".  This is the compromise I had to make, as my sewing machine broke when I was trying to make free machine 'flowers'.

So these pieces completed the work for Fabrication, my solo.

Next project is to make a piece of work for the ERTF Owen Jones inspired project.  After attending a study day on this, I said No to continuing with it, for varying reasons, not least looking back I think I was overwhelmed with all I had plans for plus the enforced difficulties of looking after a sick hubby.  But the opportunity came my way again, and after careful thought, life issues resolving, I changed my mind and said Yes.  So I will need to barely stop for breath before embarking on the next deadline.

Working hard....

I'm busy juggling here - its like being back studying City & Guilds Embroidery, bits and pieces everywhere, all 90% done, but nothing quite ready.  I will post some pics of the new work, when I actually get around to taking some!!!  Naming the last piece has been hard, I spend ages pouring over books and the internet, checking on things.  But I've found something which sums it up.  Its actually a celebration of green so of course it could have all sorts of natural themes - but the original  inspiration was just playing with greens so the name I've chosen is 'Terre Verte' - or earth green - its actually an artist colour,or a range of colours made from green earth pigments.  So seemed to fit in with all my thoughts.  I've checked, its all go ahead to set up FABRICATION on Monday, I've got my layout plan, so I know what is going where.  After which I plan to collapse in a heap, with a large supply of chocolate - or perhaps consume a large slice of cake from the Centre cafe.
But bad news, my workhorse Bernina is sick - in fact bits dropped off it.  It does work hard, and I do make it stitch through all sorts. It will have to go for repairs, and of course it would do this when I've only got about an hour's machining to do to finish, still the Plan B alternative might actually be a better mix.

Rayleigh Arts Festival & Fabrication

This week more paperwork has come my way.  I've received the publicity leaflet for the Rayleigh Arts Festival.  You can find mention of me in the diary pages... and a photo of my work.  Fabrication, my next solo exhibition will be on display over the period of the Festival 18th-24th Setpember.  You can find more information here.

In the meantime I'm working frantically to get everything done, as Fabrication set up day is just over a week away.  So I'm running to stand still at the moment!.

Chasing Words

Anyone who knows me will say that I have a love of words. I spend hours pouring over dictionaries and Thesaurus, hunting out word meanings, to give titles to my work or inspiration. Well in August 2010 I have my second solo exhibition, but it was way back in the Spring that I had to sign the Contract and give an exhibition title. I chose a very obscure word, not in present usage which meant "a kind of fabric". But its so obscure that it doesn't really give even a hint of what the exhibition is about. So decided to change it. Much pouring over the books, the internet, making up my own words combining real ones, trying to find something which sounds enticing, will give the lay person an idea. After all "stitch on paper, or fabric, collage or montage, or everything all at once, also with added twiddlly bits, by hand or machine, abstract, but could be based on realistic images" - isn't exactly catchy!
The word I've chosen, means "the act or process of making, creating, manufacture" and gives a subtle hint towards fibre and textiles. My second solo exhibition is entitled:

FABRICATION

My First Solo Exhibition

Well my very first solo exhibtion is up and running. It continues until 27th February 2009, (Monday-Saturday, 9.00am - 5.00pm). Its at The Mill Arts & Events Centre, Bellingham Lane, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7ED.

Its been a long while coming, both on a personal level, and also from confirmation of acceptance. Going solo has its pros and cons. Yes there is only me to please, BUT... there is also only me to do all the work, and more importantly, no-one to say, "have you remembered" "have you thought of" "what about". However, experience of exhibitng with others, and the experience of being an Exhibition Co-ordinator for a big event.. and an ever handy notebook helps!

This actually brings me to the title of this blog, my Etsy shop and my Exhibition. On receiving the Contract for the exhibition, I had to insert a title... mhmmm, what was suitable? As I like fabrics, threads, and all things stitchy, but also have a reputation for using the unusual, such as acrylic tubes, or metal chain and of course paper features heavily in my work - what would cover all of that as a concept? Suddenly it hit me, all of my work is a Reaction to how I view the various materials. Fibre can just as easily be fabric as it can paper... and thus Fibre Reaction was born.