Autumn Cloth I

I love this time of year; the soft light, the remnants of summer turning into warm autumn hues.  My garden is full of windfall....leaves, oak galls, sticks, berries, herbs.....so I decided to try & capture a little of autumn in a cloth......

This was a large piece of silk - I don't normally 'do' large pieces so I found this hard to roll but got there in the end even if it does look like a large slug!

I tried to steam the bundle first but I don't have a steamer basket large enough so I boiled it & then left it steeping in the pot for a couple of days.  The results are ok, the prints are not as clear as with other samples I've done but it does have a delicate imprint of the materials....hard to show on a photograph as always....

Bright Star

I watched the film Bright Star yesterday....tears were rolling down my face....it's so beautiful, so sad...   The costumes are stunning, I want to dress like that every day & walk through bluebell fields reciting poetry....I want to wear flounces and ruffles, crisp linen & those gorgeous Sophie Digard crochet jackets....

Back to Nature

For a while now I've been pondering how best to display some of my plant & compost dyed cloth....I really want to show it as part of nature so I recently hung a few pieces on a tree and snapped away.

At one point the wind blew....I love the way the piece takes flight...I could never emulate this if put in a frame...

I'm considering showing some of the photography alongside the textile  work....as I push the concept of Wabi Sabi in my practice the pieces are increasingly fragile and will not endure so I can see that the photography will eventually be another response rather than a record. 

The Red Thread

"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance.  The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break."

Old Chinese Proverb

To me, The Great Wall was like a strong thread, running through the mountains.....dividing yet linking, connecting Watch Tower after Watch Tower...

The Great Wall of China

I've just returned from an amazing adventure walking The Great Wall of China in aid of Cancer Research UK.  It was such an intense week in so many ways, physically, emotionally and culturally and I feel blessed to have been able to see such a beautiful part of our world.  I'm sure the visit will influence my art but just not sure how yet....I have so many memories and photos to sort.

I don't usually take photos of people but there were so many great faces in China......