Celebrating friendship, creativity and blue sky days 😊
PART TWO
We set up a creative space @shapwickmoornaturereserve@avalonmarshes
In a wooded grove by the Bronze Age sweet track.
I just couldn’t resist trying the replica for myself and then capturing the essence of these ancient tracks through the peat marshes.
I rubbed a sprinkle of the peat into the paper before getting out my trusty ink pads to add some depth and structure before adding an interpretation of the Sweet Track and Silver Birch trees using pencil and pen.
We were serenaded by a Chiffchaff, Wren, Willow Tit, Robin, Goldcrest and a Blackbird, having spent the morning listening to a Cuckoo while we sketched and printed by the water. 🪶😊✍️
#sketchbook #drawing #nature #natureinspired #creativity
Creative time with friends 😊
@shapwickmoornaturereserve
Part One.
Celebrating the fine weather and creativity with friends, taking our sketchbooks, paints and printing materials to the @avalonmarshes for a day of creative fun.
The yellow of the Hedge Mustard and the lime greens of the new Oak leaves positively ‘sung’ under a blue blue sky.
How to capture an essence of that??? My trusty ink pads came to the rescue. 😊🌼🌀
Adding detail with watercolour paints, and a drawing pen.
Scroll to see a short reel of my finished sketch. 🌞🌀🎨
What to make with a pair of unwanted much darned wool gloves???
I always try to reuse and repurpose so when a pair of unwanted, very holey and darned woollen gloves came my way I was determined to find a use for them.
Inspiration came from a wintery walk along the River Tale where a flock of sheep had left their tracks along the riverbank and handfuls of rovings on low hanging branches.
There’s something kind of wonderful watching a sheep enjoy a good back scratch on favoured trees.😊🐑
Having recently sold a wool and burdock vessel I decided to make another using one of the gloves.
This vessel is crisscrossed with stitched tracks and ridges, a visual reminder of my riverside walk and celebrates all things woolly.
Now to find a use for the other glove!!!😊. #fibreart #textile #natureart #vessel #3dartwork
On the hottest day of the year so far, my daughter and her beautiful babies joined me @cowslipworkshops to see the #smallbeginningsgreatexpectations exhibition @curtainstocouture
My dress ‘Fledgling’ holds within its ancient fibres the hand and footprints of my grand babies. So it was a very special moment to show them the dress and the beautiful and poignant work of over 60 textile artists.
One of my favourites was the dress made by Hesta@bodkinscreates .
There is a wide range of stitching styles and interpretations and some very poignant pieces. The exhibition is well worth a visit.
A special thank you to @vintage_dahling for offering to take a family photo of my famalam 🙏and a big thank you to the whole team for a great exhibition 🙏🙏 #textileart #sewingismytherapy #mindfulmaking #textileexhibition
We are moving….
We arrived at Brooklands almost 4 years ago with all our worldly possessions in 3 carrier bags following a house fire.
We are leaving with rather more bags and an armful of experience, learning and memories all peppered with a little wisdom.
I’m not going to say it’s been easy but I believe the curve balls life throws are there to be caught and learnt from… I just hope I’ve learnt!!!
Brooklands and the surrounding fields and hedgerows have gently held us as we grieved.
Now a new pathway has revealed itself and we are off to a home of our own! 🌀#traumarecovery #hope #naturetherapy🌿 #mindfulness #pathways
To celebrate the arrival of Spring 🌼and the Spring Equinox🌱🌀
Fledgling. A tiny nest on a driftwood twig.
Free style macrame, cotton yarn, foraged bailing twine (couldn’t believe I’d found lilac twine😊), and the chest feathers from a Rook.
Look closely and you will see only a tiny feather remains in the nest. 🪶
My inspiration came from having a few feathers left over from making my altered christening dress, Fledgling, soon to be exhibited @cowslipworkshops with the @curtainstocouture exhibition #smallbeginnings
I wanted to both honour the life of the Rook and continue to explore working with the theme of the fledgling state. #natureart #fibreart #fibreartist #rook
Windy…. A totem/dream catcher for the emerging spring.
Made from Ash twigs, linen thread, Oak gall, Barn Owl feathers, hag stone, shale, limpet shell, glass and wooden beads, driftwood. All materials found, thrifted or foraged! 🌀#totem #natureart #fibre #foraged #dreamcatcher
Windy… a totem of the emerging spring
Ash twig. linen thread. Barn-owl feathers, Oak gall, hag stone, shale, driftwood, glass and wooden beads. #totem #natureartist #fibre #dreamcatcher #spring
Ash 🍃
My latest fibre vessel.
The Ash Tree has become a special personal companion.
A magnificent Ash stood guarding the entrance to our former home. For over 10 years Ash was the first thing I would see out of my bedroom window each morning.
A life giving tree, a host to many different lichens and one that is fighting back against the Chalara fungal disease. A symbol of hope.
Coiled twine and eco dyed string, dried bindweed, ash keys, small driftwood ash twig and linen thread. #fibreart #natureartwork #ashtree #vessel #textileart
Fledgling…. A lovingly altered vintage christening gown for @curtainstocouture exhibition ‘Small Beginnings Great Expectations.’
In the spirit of inclusiveness I
thought I’d share this video of my dress as I am aware that there are many people who are taking part in the challenge who won’t be able to attend the exhibitions.
Thank you to the fab @curtainstocouture team especially @justjillrosalind who has become custodian of all the entries. It’s been a thought provoking, walk down memory lane, enjoyable and poignant challenge. I can’t wait to see all our pieces together. 🙏🧵🥰 #sewingismytherapy #smallbeginnings #mindfulmaking #slowstitching
Self Care 🤗
Nest Building. 🪺
First Photo:
Using fresh Cleavers to explore fragility.
Second Photo:
Using dried Cleavers and Thistledown to explore self care and nurturing.
In celebration of The Queen of the Woods…
The Beech Tree 🌳
Coiled pot in cotton and wool yarn. Dark greens, yellow umber, oranges and reds.
A coil of bindweed to remind us of the wild.
Crowned with a ring of beechnuts. Seeds of the future.
The Beech Tree 🍂🍃🌳#natureartwork #fibreart #fibreartist #beech #textileart
