Coming Up - 2

As you can see The Material Girls are working towards their next Exhibition in October at Craft Arena.  Lots of exciting and innovative ideas to be revealed.
And keep this in mind, as we will back at Rainham Hall in February 2020.
Meantime at Rainham Hall, the Denney Exhibition has opened, with The Material Girls making three floor cushions which can be seen in the reconstructed Library.

So you can see, between the last post and this, I've lots to keep me occupied.

2018 Already!!

Happy New Year

Here we are already good way through first week in January.

Last year was quite full on, lots achieved and done, but not always to my personal satisfaction.  Record keeping of all sorts has gone amiss, inc in blogland.

I won't say its a Resolution to write more, but let's just say the intent to do is there.

2017 saw

The Material Girls with FOUR Exhibitions

John Harle at second venue

Essex Environment shown at two venues

and a very successful Exhibition Goodnight Children Everywhere

My Embroiderers' Guild Branch

held a very successful Exhibition

then there was the National Day of Stitch

which was packed out all day

and I received a Certificate for being a Member for

25 years.

On a personal level

Once again had work in Rochford Art Trail

September, October and November

saw attendance at Workshops

Art Van Go

Seth Apter

Dali Graham

Phew, a lot there,

2018 may be a quieter year as lots of organisations seem

to be taking a break.

I do have plans and commitments to things, and await notifications of

any new opportunities.

Tales and Textiles Exhibition

The Material Girls current Exhibition is now open.  Tales and Textiles at Craft Arena, Billericay, Essex, - poster in righthand margin.

Because I've been asked, I will give the background information to my work on display.

Tales and Textiles is the theme.  Each Member of the group chose a style of decorative textile pertinent to a country, alongside which they found a Tale to compliment.  This may have been a myth, legend, poem, song, something passed on via verbal history.  The ideas and inspiration make for a diverse approach.

For my work, I chose English Samplers, I saw many examples of Sampler through the ages, inc to the present day.  To me, Samplers record a moment in time, not just the sewing skills, but names, ages, dates, family history, and with many constructed by young girls, it didn't seem a big step to associate the rhyme 'Monday's Child' - known as a fortune telling verse.

I found in my research variations of the same stitch patterns over many years.  Blocks of stitches, patterns, motifs.  To fit in with my personal way of working, I used a paper base to set out blocks and filled each with a variety of stitches.  Monday's Child in its entirety was printed onto specialist inkjet watercolour paper, and the words from each day were also stitched into the blocks.  The colour of each day's Sampler was driven by further research finding that days are associated with particular colours and meanings.

Update of pieces as of 14th January 2015

Here are my pieces, with the title Exemplum, Latin for example.

Exemplum 1

(Monday = White = Purity, Wholesomeness)

Exemplum 2 - SOLD

(Tuesday = Red pink = Sacrifice)

Exemplum 3 - SOLD

(Wednesday = Green = Renewal, Wealth)

Exemplum 4

(Thursday = Violet = Creativity)

Exemplum 5

(Friday = Blue = Nobility, Tranquility)

Exemplum 6 - SOLD

(Saturday = Dark Blue  = Power)

Exemplum 7

(Sunday = Orange = Adventure, Change)

Each of the group were also asked to make a 'book' - in the broadest of terms.  I chose to continue the moment in time record, making a book of the year I was born.  It has a page for every day, month divisions and a gold page for my birthday.  I'll give you a clue, it was a Leap Year, and the book is entitled "Thursday's Child".  So 379 pages individually added in coptic stitch, it measures approx 65cms wide, making it very flexible to display.

There are some mini stitched canvases for sale, as part of The Material Girls shop.  Monday's Child is printed on the background, with a coloured heart motif, a symbol to mean, love, friendship.  Each comes with its own display easel (not shown in this image) and option to add a day of the week to the canvas.

10cm sq  Mini Canvas

Pink and White - SOLD

As the Exhibition has now finished, contact me direct for information on pieces.

All of the items can currently be seen at the Exhibition, any sales transactions to be dealt with via Craft Arena, as such I will not personally know of availability of any pieces.
Do look at The Material Girls blog for photos from the Exhibition.  You will find huge talent and variation in interpretation of the theme, well worth a look, and may be, an ideal Christmas present?

Walrus has Spoken

The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:

Well I can't believe so much time has passed since my last posting, so lots of little stuff to catch up with.  I'm not going to reveal why... but the next two lines are also apt in my textile world at the moment.  Sooooo think on......

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--

Of cabbages--and kings--

I had a day out at a textile Conference with the Eastern Region Textile Forum.  Very nice to have a meeting in the same county as where I live.  And the next one is too, so for a change not leaving at some unknown time of the morning.  Amongst the things I found out about - Vedic Number patterns.  Its also really nice to meet up with people who have other textile interests to your own, especially as now its easy going to catch up and chat like you've never been apart, even though conferences are only twice a year. 

At our local Embroiderers' Guild Branch we had a lovely talk re millinery.  I didn't think I'd enjoy it, but it was a very good slide presentation to include history of hats and very accessible information about the modern bespoke hat maker.

Just this week a couple of things have happened.

~ received the application forms for the Burnham Art Trail which is due to take place 20th-28th June 2015  so I will be sending in my submission for that one.

~ also confirmation of the dates for the Rochford Art Trail, not due until much later in the year, 17th-26th September.  It will be a while before the applications open for that, but good to know the when.

Oh and excitement, I've won a prize from a blog.  Its a stencil and comes from Carolyn Dube in the US, this is the lady who I did the Gelli Plate course with.

Now, I do read blogs and Facebook posts, but I tend to only comment on things when I genuinely like something, having been brought up with the "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all" attitude.  I do hate the gushing "you're sooo wonderful darhlink" posts some people always write on comments. There has been a bit of tongue biting this week, having seen plaudits for something which is misleading... can only hope it comes around and bites.  But, people are people, sigh.

I've also got my bag packed.  No, not holidays.  The bag full of goodies for this:

The Material Girls next exhibtion opens on Tuesday at Craft Arena in Billericay, Essex.  Click on our link to take you to our blog, and also take a look at our Facebook page and please like us.  As well as the exhibition pieces forming Tales and Textiles, we will have gift items for sale, so pay a visit for that artisan made Christmas present.

Please also take a look at my own Facebook page.  I've been posting a Sunday Share, with a weekly pic of a piece of my textile art.  Oh and guess what, its published on....... Sundays!!!

Hopefully I will be back, with somehting pretty to show, ideas not a problem, just need staff.

Tales & Textiles Exhibition 2.12.14/11. 1.15

The Material Girls are bringing their recent exhibition to Essex.  So if you missed the opportunity to view at Cottenham, Cambs, come along to Craft Arena, Barleylands, Billericay, for a chance to see the diversity of work.
Art will be for sale, and there will be artist made gift items available.
Please tell your friends, and come along.

Primarily Colour: 20thSept/2nd Oct

Further information: Craft Arena Gallery, Barleylands Craft Village, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex. CM11 2UD telephone 01268 523780; Opening Hours 10am-5pm (closed Mondays)

There will be an opportunity to attend a workshop at Craft Arena run by Diane Kelsey, for more details contact Denise Gannon at Craft Arena, 01268 523780