work in progress..

gosh! video.

ha!

oh mister finch!

 

Ah.. I think we all know Mr Finch by now. So I'm not going to show you anything new here today, but I just fancied putting a few of his pics here in one place so I can look at them whenever I fancy.

Several years ago I got in touch with him about doing a lengthy interview. Then life took over and I didn't get around to it. Serves me right.

Since then.. well he's turned into the craft world's very own Mr Darcy.. instead of walking out of a lake with a dripping wet shirt clinging to his torso.. he has risen up the ranks to show us more and more of his mastery of needle and imagination. His work at times romantic, dark and brooding or playful and always technically sound and solid. Yes ladies, he knows what he's doing.. he has magic hands and he really understands how to handle a piece of fabric.

Whenever he adds a new image or passing fancy.. I see everyone's comments on facebook - an audible mexican wave - a giant collective gush (what would that be called, I wonder..) He is so loved.

So I won't waffle on about him.. I'll just put some pictures here, over which you may join me in a swoon if you so wish.

I took these images from his flickr account - 'ohmisterfinch' and from his website

'oh mister finch' indeed..

cayce zavaglia

I've known of Cayce Zavaglia's stitched portraits for a long time. I always thought of them as beautiful.. but then I saw these images of the back of them. for some reason, that heightened my affection for them. I was so moved by the honesty of the craftsmanship and the painterly effect it gives.

I like to see workmanship in pieces. In my own practice I always agree with clients - what will be a comfortable length for them, for the ends of threads on the back of the work. Some clients may be happy with an inch or others with at least two inches.. the pieces can be dense and almost hairy at times. For me it is a more intimate connection with the maker. Some people want to be reminded of that, others not.

But for some reason, when I see pieces left with the ends hanging down the front it doesn't necessarily have the same effect on me. Not always, just sometimes. Because it is part of a self-conscious, visual 'technique' it can change my feelings towards it. It's a very personal opinion and I haven't fully formed it yet.. but I thought I'd just share some amazing images with a badly formed thought.

For Cayce Zavaglia's website and incredible work please click here

- these pieces are in the 'editions' section

stains (embroidered)

It's been great to be back. Thank you so much anyone who's been in touch to welcome me back or stopped by to read my blog.

Currently I'm utterly immersed in stains. The beauty, the detail and the possibilities of them... and it seems from the positive reaction I've had that I'm not the only person finding them interesting. So I'm working on more and on the direction that I think they could move in and will post more when I get a chance as they have leapt forward somewhat since these shots.

Thank you again for the welcome. I will start blogging about other makers as soon as I am at a sensible point with my own work.

website

I have a new website, please feel free to visit and tell me what you think.

I'm also tweeting as lovelymisselvis but not sure how to put it on here.

I'm happy that my latest cutwork is on the website, along with some lesser known embroidery and will have more new embroidery to show soon. I'm not a giant publicist but I think the website is worth a mention.

Now I'll shut up about me. I've a few new blog entries lined up again which will start once my wonderful 4 yr old daughter returns to school and I have some time to think.

For some reason I seem to have lost the capacity to rearrange the order of images on here. If anyone happens to know if there have been any changes whilst I've been away, please let me know.

Susie Cowie

susie cowie has surely got the gift of alchemy

her pieces are achingly delicate, understated and so very precious

all the work that once went into doillies and is now written off as kitsch is re-written by her - quietly and elegantly

here is an interview and more beautiful photos of her work at the blog this is naive

Anna Torma - embroidery

Material Memory with Jane Adeney - 1999

Anna Torma is a fibre artist whose work has stayed with me for years. I feel a deep connection to it and often re-visit it.

The work I am so enamoured with is of course, her quilts. In this instance it's their embroidery/illustration and content that fascinates me rather than any technicalities of the craft. Their thinness, with warped sides remind me of early quilts that were perhaps made for hospital patients from newspaper or old shirt fabrics.

The works are huge in scale, intricate, complex, intimate, meaningful, playful, contradictory. Some of the images evoke for me the dynamism and movement of Cy Twombly. Each one is a place to visit, spend time, be lost, find things, learn and always be inspired. So many things happening in each piece, so many strands, stories and interpretations.. with a level of skill, care and detail that belies their playful appearance.

Playground III - 2002

A number of years ago I wanted to find out more about Anna Torma, so I contacted her and asked where I might find information. Her response was to very kindly post me an exhibition catalogue in return for copies of Selvedge. I was thrilled and impressed by her earthy nature and open manner. It felt like a favourite pop star had written to me - so exciting.

detail of Herbary - 2001

This warmth is blatant in her work. Her maternal experience is there for all to see but she is a weighty artist, an important influence on many fibre artists. Her originality, questioning of materials, technical expertise, wisdom and cultural heritage are cleverly and delicately woven into the complicated patterns and subtexts.

Playground I - 2002

Torma repeatedly uses the drawings and stories of her children. As I am primarily concerned with the use of textiles to communicate and perpetuate memory, I find this element of her work particularly powerful and moving. A simple rainy day stuck indoors, but the details of that are not just on film or in photos, instead expressed by the children and Anna through their markings and her stitch. The work involved feels like a natural representation of the patience and repetition of motherhood and the unconditional love therein.

Are the images we see portrayed here of stories she has shared with her children again and again, reminding them all of the nights she comforted them and rocked them to sleep? Do I see monstery teeth - so significant in early childhood - so painful yet such a bonding shared experience. The monsters and the landscapes.. I see an image of numerous breasts - is that of significance to Torma? Before I knew about Torma's work I used this image myself in a diary drawing many years ago when I was making a joking nod to feeling able to nurture the world (or something like that). Perhaps the many-breasted woman is one with love enough for all..? Was this Torma that was full of love or something significant to her children? The whole piece is a big, beautiful private code within which we can all find significant parts, beautiful hints and project our own hypotheses. All of it about emotion, about feeling and reacting, making us think and feel, to me it is what makes work powerful.

Rainy Day II, Tales - 2001

Torma completed her studies in Hungary in 1979, having witnessed the textile revolution of the 1970's. Textiles was at that time moving away from it's incarnation as folk art, or genteel past time. It slipped under the harsh spotlight of the authorities that shone intently over the shoulder of fine arts. Pieces were then being woven or stitched into abtract forms, installations, conceptual work in ways that had not previously been considered.

detail from Rainy Day II

Torma retained a feminine sensitivity about her work and was concerned with the motifs from her craft's heritage, with the stitches used and their significance and retaining the folk art references that other fibre artists were then rejecting.

detail from Playground I - 2002

Her work today seems to me to be entirely universal in it's communication of shared experiences, instincts and references. I'd really love to see it in person - to experience the scale, the texture, the little details, the motion of the stitch and the emotion of the piece. If any of you have experienced her work in person then please tell me - I'd love to hear about it.

Just My Imagination - 2006

anna torma

Julie Arkell (knit to embroidery)

The magical Julie Arkell is my bridge between knitting and embroidery (next area of interest). I recently had the privilege of attending one of her workshops at Loop in Islington. I had an absolute ball.

Arriving at Loop I had a quick chat with lovely Susan and a couple of the beautiful girls that work there. It's a trinket box of treasures... walking in the colour of the yarns, products and aroma from the scented candles immediately put you in a spell and make you want to stay. Everyone there is passionate, friendly, interesting and welcoming. Susan is a really special woman who clearly attracts other similarly spirited people.
Downstairs, the stock room was turned into a cosy little den for learning. Candles, flowers, baskets of wool and jugs of needles on the table, yarns lining the walls around us, the exotic and talented Julie Arkell humbly and warmly made us all tea and coffee. How lovely is that?!

Julie enthusiastically talked to us about her work and showed us a selection of her creatures. Everything about her is gentle, gracious and warm. Her energy and fascination for what she does and the world around her are a joy to encounter.
The creatures we saw were bigger and heavier than I expected and as textiles so often do, they acted like catalysts to conversation. The group was so mixed and the many different spins on the creatures, different points of view, different interpretations was wonderful.
As we began working, people talked about their experiences and craft lives in their respective countries. Each person was passionate about textiles, each in a totally different way, but the community of the group was wonderful. Shuffling through a vintage case of Julie's fabrics, through baskets of wool, it was a small group of disparate women in a sweet-scented fabric heaven.
Julie collects words and phrases, something I also happen to have done for many years. For me it was wonderful to meet someone so different to myself, but with so much commonality to talk about. Chatting about various textile artists, techniques, our fascination with lives lived and records and remnants of those, collecting 'bits' that are imbued with memory... it was a rare treat for me... I was so over-excited I was giddy.
Julie's work is fascinating. My favourite piece being that with a press-stud as a face - which closes in on itself and is called 'shy'. It's small and charming, it has a playfulness but I feel that the concept is really strong and powerful, simple and concise, it never ceases to impress me.
Her creatures were beautiful and full of character. To hear her speaking about why they are who/what they are, how they evolve, how they grow out of the paper, how she chooses the papers, works with it and then chooses what comes from it, is intimate and magical.

Today in our day to day lives we're surrounded by progress and changes which scare and delight us. Julie is a person so gentle and genuine, in brightly coloured, intricately detailed clothes, with a kind manner, without a computer, she chooses to hand write instead.. she could be a beautiful creature herself, simply not of our time. But her lively interest in everything means she is totally of this time. It is just that her insight and accurate perception cuts straight through to what people can relate to, what it is people are looking for - in tiny details, threads and remnants, these little pieces of detail that we find comforting or evocative, connecting us to some unknown artisan, housewife or child from the past.
People dropped in throughout the day. A beautiful Japanese artist, a girl and her mum, a lovely girl who clearly drops in from time to time to get help with her knitting. They do sit and spend time teaching there. It's wonderful. Anyone can drop in, sit in a lovely chair (cushioned to perfection) and ask for help. There's no hesitation, just enthusiasm from the incredibly talented girls who work there. (see what I mean here)
The course finished with a photo shoot of our little ladies all lined up outside the shop. It was like a Spice Girls reunion tour except... tasteful! Each creature was imbued with our own thoughts and ideas, full of the conversations from the day, each of them a totally different little character.
My creature/lady didn't get finished. I'll do that another time. For now she sits in a tea cup, reminding me of the chats. What I really got from the day was personal. As I'm currently a mum who has been at home with a poorly baby for the last 15 months, it was a reminder of all that makes me tick when I am very occasionally able to be 'me'. I considered my new work, my nervous new direction and thought that yes, it is valid... I'm thinking and working in a positive direction. I wonder what the others got from the day...
Meeting the other women was a real tonic, demonstrating how unifying this craft stuff is. Meeting Julie Arkell was marvellous. Her energy, gracious nature, her interest in everything, her quietly powerful work was really inspiring. And Susan and the girls at Loop - with all their knowledge and energy... impressive and benign, made for a really great day. I feel I went away with so much more than a creature. With a feeling of community, of similarity to such different people, with inspiration and energy for my personal work and my passion for textiles soaring higher than ever.
Julie Arkell will be teaching a residential workshop at Katie Armitage's wonderful home studio in the South of France this Autumn. You can find out more about it over here.
You can buy Julie's book online from Loop here.