Stirrings of interest

 I might actually have some ideas starting to whirl around. 

There are two things to be thinking about: one is that the topic for the Aus/NZ group's challenge for 2022 has been announced - even though it won't be touring to NZ next year. The them is Sense of Place. At the moment, that sense of place is restricted to the backyard, where I have been doing my observations and drawings for the Cas Holmes course. Hopefully, that will be expanded somewhat now that most restrictions have been lifted, especially those relating to travel. 

I did a small embroidery a few years ago for my machine embroidery group, also based on the local area. I can't remember the actual theme, it could have been that we were doing works based on artists as I seem to remember that I was thinking about Hundertwasser at the time. I'll have to see if I can find those images. It might inspire me for the tapestry. 

Found one link!! And a picture. 

The second thing to think about is that we have had to put cardboard boxes around the house to stop our puppy chewing on electric cords. They are not beautiful. I am thinking to make some barriers that will serve the purpose but are machine embroideries. I think we are going to need the barriers for a while yet. 

So far,  I have browsed my photos (I have a lot) to see what appeals to me in that small format. I will have to adapt my photos to the shapes of the boxes but that will fit in with my recent struggles with landscape format for the Cas Holmes course. 

Then I remembered that I have done some pieces based on my workshops with Kathryn Harmer Fox and I would like to try something more in that vein. 

So lots to think about - hooray. 

Amazing Virtual Tour AQIPP

 I received this link today: AQIPP 2021

The AQIPP show is at the Box Hill Town Hall, not far away. I will try to see it in person soon.

Here is a screen shot of my piece, from the virtual tour.

Mine is the middle one, of course, the one you can see all of. 
I don't know that names of the other artists, hopefully I can find out when I visit. 

The virtual tour is amazing - how much has technology advanced in our lives recently?? And how much have we learnt to use it? It has allowed people to attend events that they otherwise would not have seen. Today I attended a Zoom meeting for our local tapestry weaving group and one person was in NSW, she is very unlikely to be able to get to our small in person meetings. 

I also got to the Handweavers and Spinners Guild to pick up my tapestry from the Bendigo Wool show, which was cancelled the day before the public could go, in June or July (it is so long ago that I can't remember). 

There was a certificate and ribbon with it - very pleasing. 

Ideas drifting up in the mind.

 How could I not post today? 12/11/21. 

So ... what to post about?

I am still in the doldrums a bit but am slowly seeing some ideas emerge. 

We have a newish puppy (6 and a bit months old now) and we have had to put some cardboard boxes in places to keep her from investigating the electric cords too closely. I have been asked if I could make a piece to take the place of the boxes. 

It will be reasonably large and will need at least 3 panels. So I will have to devise how to do it and an image or images. Finally, a challenge that interests me - and has a place to go.  (Although I hate that question people ask about textiles But What is it FOR?? I tend to ask it of myself at times.)

I am thinking of doing something along the lines of work I have done arising from the Kim Thittichai workshop I did years ago as well as one by Kay Khan. 

Both classes were several years ago and are not precisely what I want but they did have reasonably thick bases that could be converted into a standing piece. They can be my inspiration. 

I also have ideas surfacing from some Olga Walters classes I did. Here's hoping something comes of these rather vague ideas. 

On another note, the AQIPP exhibition opened today. I have a piece in it, is a small wall hanging. I hope to get there in the next few days to see it in situ. And to see all the other works. I have seen the exhibition in other years and have loved it. But I have never entered it. I was very chuffed to have my piece accepted. 

The title was Where is the World? and I was inspired by the flowers in our garden! Silver Princess. Very Australian image, I think. 

Developing an idea

 I'm still plugging away on the Cas Holmes course. We have been asked to come up with a design for a digital book displaying works by the participants. 

The brief is to come up with a design that is in the landscape orientation with the horizon line at the bottom third of the image. It is also supposed to be three times wider than it is high. This is way out of my usual design orientation. 

I took some photos at Warburton, when we were allowed to be there, and then drew a small image that was inspired by the photos. 

I then found some pieces of paper and fabric that I thought might suit the image. I ended up only using one piece of fabric that I tore into two pieces, another small piece of fabric and one piece of paper. And the marks on the fabrics were in the opposite direction from my initial idea. 

I haven't finished but it is in progress - which is very pleasing as I haven't used my sewing machine in about four weeks - partly due to it needing to be serviced and partly due to a lack of creative energy. So I am pleased that I got the machine out today and had a go. 

There is plenty more to do on it yet but it is on the go.