September 2022 review

What I’ve been making:

·         Ideas book – I have bound my latest ideas book together. It includes information about all the processes and inspirations that I have been working with over the summer. I have been using it to help me decide which aspects I would like to pursue further and which have run their course with me for the moment.

Front cover of my latest ideas book

·         I went to my friend Dawn’s new studio for an eco-printing day. I tried some new ways of making prints and it was lovely to be able to spend the day learning with other’s.

What I’ve seen:

·         Pre-Raphealite drawing – Ashmolean Oxford

I really enjoyed this exhibition and learned a lot. It was interesting to see the different styles of drawing and learn more about the Pre-Raphealite brotherhood. I was particularly drawn to the botanical drawings of John Ruskin which I will study and research further.

John Ruskin, Moss and Wild Strawberry c. 1873 (detail)

·         Bucks Art Weeks exhibition – Stowe

I wrote a post about entering a piece of my work into the Bucks Art Weeks competition and I went up to Stowe to see the exhibition and attend the prizegiving. It was a lovely exhibition with a broad range of work and it is great to know that Bucks has such a thriving community of artists. There were five pieces picked to represent the textiles category and I am pleased to say that my piece, Summer Leaves 1, won the category. I am so pleased that the judges liked it. I really enjoyed making it and it has been a fantastic experience for it to be involved with the Bucks Art Weeks competition.

Summer Leaves 1 (detail)

·         Weekly walks – I have resumed my weekly walks in the woods at Cliveden. It has been really nice to get back into the habit of walking regularly and there has been so much to witness in the woods with the changing of the seasons.

Path through woodland at Cliveden

What I’m planning:

·         Holiday – I am off on holiday to the Isle of Wight with my family shortly. I will take my sketchbook and some art supplies and hopefully there will be some time to record the things that inspire me whilst I am away.

·         Thread painting – I am keen to do some more thread painting embroidery. I have signed up to a course with Emillie Ferris on Domestika to stitch a monarch butterfly. This will be a stand alone piece of embroidery for my own enjoyment but it would be great to incorporate the technique into some of my future work.

·         Creative quilting – I recently treated myself to a new book about Creative Quilting by Sandra Meech. I am finding it really interesting and will try working on some of the sketchbook exercises when I return from my holiday.