Return to Blog

I'd like to return to writing about my creative endeavours. I've finished several classes at Gail Harker Center for Creative Arts and am now ready to use the skills I have acquired.
Current projects include a last submission  to Gail of a three page book using machine embroidery. It has a deadline of end of February, which means design and sampling needs to be done soon. Then it will be a return to some of the old projects that are waiting to be completed.
We have been fortunate to have been able to do some travelling this year and hope to continue our exploring of new places.  Any trips to Europe must start or finish in Amsterdam since both of our daughters now live there with their husband & fiancé. Lucky them & a great excuse to see more of Europe.
Ann

Happy Boxing Day

Another great Christmas with nearly all the family here. As per our years old tradition, we are having our big dinner tonight. So turkey is in the oven & most of the veg are done or ready to go.
On the creative side, the only things that have been completed were the 2 ornaments for my daughters. This tradition of a handmade ornament from Mum started 11 years ago, and it nearly became a 10 year only one. I think it was plan C that ended up as the final one - mostly because it was Christmas Eve. I used old Christmas paper torn into small pieces & glued them onto a piece of watercolor paper with matte medium. I then used some Quinacridone Nickrl Azo Gold + Titan Buff to cover more of the background. Then added tissue paper with Candy canes and used watercolor pencils on the creases. The reverse side had been painted roughly with Iridescent Bright Gold. When all was dry, I cut out 2 four inch squares. In the meantime I put matte on both sides of Christmas paper just for a little body. Then I cut the paper into narrow strips, cut openings in the squares and woven in the strips. When finished, another coat of matte. Then cut a bird shape from the woven piece. Not my 1st choice, but the girls loved it.

October 2011

The Exhibition was really spectacular at Gail Harker's Creative Studies Center.  Since then I've been back to Session 4 and now the homework.  We're working on positive/negative and starting on collage. For those who don't want to travel to La Connor, Gail has the first online course starting in November on Color Studies - http://www.gailcreativestudies.com/ for all the information.

In the summer, we worked through a Dvd "Text and Texture" and had lots of fun adding layer after layer to the collage. Bottom photo looks like it's nearly done.  Lesson learned:  don't put your favourite paper down first as you will likely lose it when adding more and more.

Not to Miss Exhibition

Heading to La Conner this Sat/Sun for an Exhibition of Art & Design 3 at the Gail Harker Creative Studies Center 12636 Chilberg Road,  La Conner. On view will be multi-media artwork and sketchbooks. In addition, this exhibit will include a special showing of Stitched and Mutli-media Art by 18 additional graduates of the center.  Free and open to the public 10 – 5, Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th.  Should be great.

Working at Last

Finally, Lexa & I have started our project. Based on Text and Texture by Ann Baldwin, we are trying a chapter each session. Managed to make one text collage on black paper today and create a background for the next collage. We will add layer by layer until we have masterpieces! Lots of fun and experimentation.

Long Slow Summer

Well, I don't think we are really having summer here, but it's not raining at the moment. Have had the opportunity to visit a young Picasso Museum and a Gaudi Museum and the Park Guell in Barcelona. I think I now understand so much more about these 2 geniuses. Must continue the research. Now back at home and just saw the Current Threads II fibre arts show at the Waterfront Gallery in Ladysmith. It's well worth the 1.5 hours from Victoria, with many interesting pieces. Last week in Vancouver, I saw the Color of my Dreams, surrealism exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I went to see the connection between the Surrealists and the Pacific Northwest Aboriginals, who would have thought of that?

Fibre Art Show

I am part of a group of designers, Rapt Threads, who have launched a Fibre Arts show from March 10-23, 2011. Located within the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria at G6, Sussex Place in downtown Victoria. It's between Fort and Broughton and Blanshard and Douglas, tucked in the corner. We'd love to see all of you for the next couple of weeks.