Sketching again

I don't know why I don't make a pact with myself to sketch something at least once a day. I really love doing it and am sure practice will improve me. So I did two sketches today - one which was just a copy of a photograph and the other was my Valentine's Day present which, if I'd left it much longer, would not still be there! Yummy...

I've signed up for Danny Gregory's Sketchbook Skool which starts early April and am hopping from foot to foot with excitement. Hope I don't mess up!

Tree Bark Studies

I took some photos of interesting tree bark today for a stitching project:

Burgundy and Gold

It seems so long since I've posted anything at all but I've been working on my stitching experiments and have also started to weave a tapestry for an exhibition in March (unjuried or I wouldn't have tried for it!). Plus the usual butterflying around between dozens of different projects!

Retirement is coming up in a few months and there's another puppy to think about finding so Rosie has a companion. She's curled up alongside my chair here in my workroom as always.

Workspace

This is my absolutely unprofessional workspace:

The frame is warped. The orange at the bottom is cut up Sainsburys carrier bags and it's used to form a nice straight base. Above that is a row of twine and then it's ready to start weaving. The cartoon is clothes pegged to the warp and I have a selection of wools ready. I'll have to combine some of these to achieve the shades I'm looking for. The tub on the right holds my bobbins and beater. The frame has to sit on top of a couple of blocks of wood until the weaving gets higher, otherwise I'll be bent double trying to weave the bottom few inches.

No excuses not to start now. I registered my entry on the 22nd December so I'm committed. Here goes...

Ideas

I have nothing to show yet but am thinking about designs and colours and have some outline ideas. I've warped the Mirrix loom and woven in the base of plastic to keep the bottom firm and straight (at least that's the idea!). It's the day after Winter Solstice so I'm going to sign up for the exhibition online and then it's a case of sticking with it and keeping the Gemini part of me in line.

Beginnings

This is my first post - just before the Winter Solstice, a time where the old is finished and the new begins.

My beginning is a journey through the art of Tapestry Weaving. I am a complete beginner, self-taught, and my intention is to record my journey from that point to, hopefully, someone who can call herself a tapestry weaver.

The moment I decided to start recording my progress was the day this week when an email newsletter from American Tapestry Association (ATA) dropped into my inbox with notification of an Untitled/Unjuried exhibition for 2014. The only requirement is small format (up to 25cm square) original recent work.

Recent for me means I must start now. Small format it may be but it's still a huge planning exercise before I even start weaving. So, sketch book first for the design followed by cartoon and then weaving.

My entry must be in by January 31, 2014 and the tapestry by March 31. I am going to fill in the entry form on Sunday which is the day after Winter Solstice therefore, for me, the first day of the new year.

This was a sample I did a little while ago - not something I'm proud of but a good reminder of how far I have to go!

Midway: Message from the Gyre

This just has to be watched. It's horrific. What are we doing to our fellow creatures!


MIDWAY a Message from the Gyre : a short film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo.