More ideas for Transformation

I have so many pictures, some of which will be useful for the theme and some of which are just amusing.
So here are a few more I have taken.
These next few were taken at Warringal Parklands in Heidelberg.
There are some magnificent oak trees there and I love walking under them.

 You can see LOTS of little babies under the tree. I suppose they won't be allowed to grow, either by the park keepers or the senior tree!

It is amazing to think that such huge trees start off as acorns.
There are some interesting textures and colours here for me to consider. And these images look easier to make abstract. The problem will be making them relate to the theme and still make sense to a viewer.

 Now for the amusing photos.
I go to this park because it is a lovely place for off-lead dog walking. There is also a spot that Penny loves to jump into the Yarra River.
Here she is, all happy after rolling in the leaves to dry off.

Fortunately, she managed to shake off most of the leaves before we got back to the car.

Transforming

 I have been going through the, many, photos I have been taking recently with our theme of Transform (or is it Transformation? I can't remember!) in mind.

It is all too hard - there are so many pictures. And then I think that I won't be able to do them justice. The technique is tapestry and I a) do not want to do a realistic image and b) don't think I am capable of it anyway.

So I'll just put up some images and let my subconscious work on it.

It being spring, there are plenty of pictures of flowers that will transform into something we eat!

Then there is the idea that the bees are helping the transformation.
There is another group that is having a slightly different theme - Growth. I am considering No Bees, No Growth! But, once again, I am not sure that I can do this picture justice as a tapestry.

Making some progress

I have worked some more on my blossom piece. It is coming along.

Originally, I only sewed the flowers and the background was wrinkling.

I have now sewn the background more heavily and the wrinkling is more under control - which  may just mean that it is now all over, rather than in specific places.

 I have used some tiny pieces of white and grey tulle to dull down some of the areas and hope that they will look ok. You can see them up close but the image is meant to be viewed from a distance rather than up close when it is finished.

I have used straight stitches for the white petal parts and zigzag for the background.

Here is an image of the back, just so you can see the actual sewing, without the fabric pieces.

The piece is supposed to be inspired by Van Gogh, using his almond blossom painting as my inspiration. I realised, as I looked more closely at the background of my photos, that my image is the plum tree, not the almond tree that was planted about a year ago. Not to worry, it is still inspired by his almond blossom painting.

Demonstrating a technique

Our Ebb and Flow exhibition is still on and I was rostered to be a demonstrator tonight.
I made three pieces for the exhibition and didn't have anything on the go for tonight.

However, I am also in an online group that has a challenge going - to be inspired by an artist and to produce something from that inspiration. That is due next Sunday - panic stations!

I think I have already mentioned that I am currently being inspired by Van Gogh but am also wanting to continue trying the Kathryn Harmer Fox technique that I learnt earlier in the year.

So ... Van Gogh did an almond blossom piece. We have a very small almond tree in the back yard, it is spring and it was flowering recently. I took photos. I manipulated one photo to have a clearer idea of where the tones are. I had those two photos printed out A3 size, as well as a black and white version.

The background is a water tank and some balcony fencing, I might have to change that as I go. 

I traced the outlines onto a piece of linen, backed with interfacing.
I wanted to have, at least, started to put some fabric on before I took it for demonstration.

Then, after a lot of procrastination, I got to put a bit more on while I was demonstrating. There wasn't a lot of actual sewing done, it was more me trying to work out where to put the little bits of fabric (and some were most definitely little). I sewed the pieces on as I was going, didn't even use pins. Some of the cheeky pieces moved when I was taking it to the machine (how dare they??) but I just ploughed on and decided that any mistakes can be adapted or sewn over later.

Actually, seeing in this smaller, photographic form, I can almost see it starting to take shape. I couldn't really see it while I was working on it. 

I hope to do a bit more in the next couple of days so that I will be able to have a clearer image to work on when I demonstrate on Saturday. I am rostered on all day, so I had better have a clearer idea of what I am doing.

Demonstration table at the Guild rooms. 

Ebb and Flow exhibition

The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria's annual members's exhibition opened last night.
It was a great success! Lots of people having a wonderful time, good speeches, lots of amazing works to see!

I have been helping with the preparation of the exhibition and it was very exciting to see the culmination last night.

There are so many talented artists around!

The exhibition is on for two weeks. If you have the chance, call in and see the amazing variety of works.

Not being an expert, I didn't really notice that there was not as much traditional embroidery as in past years. There are over 150 entries, with a large range of techniques.

I had thought that there would be a lot of seascapes, and there are a few, but there are also many interesting interpretations of the theme.

Getting ready to set up, some sorting done, lots more to do.

One of the good things about the exhibition is that you are encouraged to work to the theme but you may also put in pieces that are not related, as long as they have been made in the last two years.  It is a great chance for members to be part of a wonderful exhibition.

I helped out in the Gift Boutique today. There are lots of items for sale. They have been made during the year specially for this exhibition. I was, almost, inspired to try some hand sewing after seeing all the gorgeous pieces. Then I realised that I really prefer to use the machine and play around with idea for that sort of embroidery. Whew!

Getting rid of stuff

My local tapestry group participated in the Christmas exhibition at the Johnston Collection last year. I had started by doing a fairly large (for me) piece, based on a photo of Mr Johnston looking into a mirror, so I had a profile of him. Unfortunately, my original tapestry about Mr Johnston was a failure and I abandoned it before finishing it.
It has been languishing on my loom ever since. It has hours of work in it but is just unusable  - until now!

The Textile Art Community, of Banyule, is having an exhibition using UnFinished Objects (UFOs), not to be confused with Works In Progress (WIPs), repurposed. Mine was not still in progress - it was definitely unfinished, never to be finished.

Anyway,  I have hitched of where I was up to, cut it off the loom and am ready to get rid of it! Hooray.

Mr Johnston is shown behind a privacy screen, as he visited India frequently. The idea was that we show one aspect of ourselves to the world but we have many hidden aspects that are not always seen. 

I'll deliver it tomorrow, all being well.
I will be very interested to see what can be done with it. Their exhibition is called Unfinished Business. I'll be sure to attend.

I have found some other bits and pieces to but they weren't as stressful as the tapestry - it was taking up the loom but not being at all helpful in inspiring me to do anything about it. It has too many hours for me to just get rid of it - then I heard about his wonderful project.

More Spring pics

Spring is in the air - unfortunately, if you have allergies.

However, there are some wonderful flowers to be seen, in the garden and at the park.

I saw this little patch of 'weed' in the grass at the park and was amazed to see the gorgeous flowers there.

Then there was this tree, I have walked in the park for years but not taken much notice of this amazing flower. And the wonderful bark. I can see Van Gogh style images in the bark.

Actually, I can almost see a face.

I just need to take inspiration from all this beauty and get going on some new work.

I am using the excuse that I am helping with the setting up of the upcoming exhibition at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria. Opening night is this Friday and we are well on the way to having the works set up, then we notice that there is still labelling to do, pieces that don't fit in easily with others, etc.

But it is a privilege to be able to see the works arriving and then have the fun of deciding of what should go where.  There are so many wonderful works to be viewing very closely.

Exhibition at BHCAC

I was at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre today and LOVED the exhibition there. It is school holidays and there was a buzz in the air as children were arriving for various activities.

But the thing that I loved most was the exhibition in the gallery space. It is a fairly simple idea, really. It is boxes that have been decorated/collaged to be three parts of a body. Then they have been stacked in interesting way.

These were much smaller, showing the original idea, I presume.

The boxes are large and it was fun to walk around them. Some of them were taller than the children.

I remember playing with similar blocks with children I taught. I would have loved to have done something like this in my teaching days.