New Fabric Books

as inspired by Ailie Snow. I'm getting the hang of the technique now and I've discovered that if you take a bit of fabric and your sewing kit on holiday you can work on these while away from home, particularly if it's raining which it did 5 days out of 7 on my summer break this year.  Not that I'm complaining because I can't do anything about the weather, and it enforced rest on me. Plenty of good novels and cups of rosy-lee. Could be worse huh?

It's all about ME

and is that so wrong? I realise when reading other peoples blog's that they often showcase the work of others, but I just talk about me. So firstly I say who cares because there's no one out there reading this except maybe you Al (and I do read your blog but sadly I am bad at posting comments). Then secondly, I decided this blogspot would be a way for me to document for myself what I'm doing, like an on-line diary. I make journals, but I very rarely write in them.

So continuing in the theme of ME. I just had some work in a group exhibition with 3 other local artists and showed some of my photographs. Mostly still life macro in recycled antique frames. I sold 3 photos, and took one commission. And I had interest from Rick at Of Hand & Heart Gallery to take some works on consignment. All in all a very successful weekend.

Koru Pepe - limited edition print.

Next time, I'll write about someone else. Maybe.

Art of Seven

So this month I have two exhibitions on, which is stretching myself a bit thin, and am in a framing and book making frenzy and I really need to learn to say NO sometimes..... however all is going well at ART of SEVEN in Warkworth at the home of Marianda Twydell. I've made a couple of sales and had some lovely feedback.  The SEVEN include myself, Marianda, Biz Dempster, Mike de Haan, Judy Wood and her sister Helen Howard. It's been really nice to get back into exhibiting in terms of making me produce something out of my photos instead of keeping them to myself on the screen.

Pohutukawa Leaf and Recycled Frame.

I am also showing to the world, for the first time (oh no wait, for the second time), my assemblage shrines and getting mixed feedback, mostly people saying they find them interesting or even amazing, and a few implying that I am sick and twisted.... maybe they are right but do I care?? This is my latest, titled Epona for the Gallo-Roman goddess and protector of horses. 

Epona, mixed media assemblage shrine.

 Obviously she didn't do a good enough job of protecting these My Little Ponies from my mutations.  Too busy worrying about her belly button bling.

First Fabric Covered Journal

This is my first post of 2012, and it's about something I did 2 months ago which just goes to show that I'm slacking already in trying to keep up to date with my blogging. Note to self re New Years Resolutions, forget it! Anyhow, this is my first fabric covered journal made in a workshop with the amazing book artist Aillie Snow. Layers of organza and fabrics, ribbons, stitches, beads and old crocheted doilies. The workshop went over a whole weekend, including barbeque in between, with a neat group of likeminded women, lots of laughs and creative energy, which for me is an essential part of the creative journey.

Happy Birthday to Depot Artspace

It's been 15 years since the Depot Artspace opened in Devonport. My friend, the darling Ruby Piddington has organised an exhibition there to mark the event, and has asked me to show a piece. Plus she's organised the Depot Dot exhibition, incorporating a small white circle and asking artists to showcase their work on it. So I had a bit of fun with this, created with found objects and lots of PVA. The ballerina is off my childhood jewellrey box, if you keep something long enough it will find a new place in the world. This is the smallest book I've ever made, coptic bound and fits into a pill box.  I have added a milagro for good luck, for the new owner, assuming someone buys it.

I went over the lines.

the smallest book

she's been with me since I were a little girl