MODULE 5, CHAPTER 1: TEXTURE IN LANDSCAPE

For my research in this module I have selected the theme of "Texture in Glaciers & Icebergs". I have been lucky to visit both Antarctica (2008) and Alaska (2013) on my recent travels and have a good collection of photographs to draw on for inspiration. Glaciers are slow moving bodies of dense ice, often flowing between mountains, like a river. Icebergs are formed when bits of the glaciers break off, or calve, and fall into the sea. I am fascinated by the endless variety of shapes and textures that can be found in these icy bodies. These shapes and textures reflect the journey that the ice has taken. The ice often deforms due to its weight, creating deep blue crevasses and peaks. Rippled areas are common, due to erosion from movement of the ice between mountains and rocks. Glaciers may pick up small rocks and gravel along the way. These become embedded, adding colour and texture to the surfaces. The appearance of the icebergs also changes as they melt. They may become top-heavy and rotate in the water, revealing new eroded surfaces which were previously below the water line.

In my mind, many of these textures lend themselves to interpretation in textiles. I can immediately picture layers of manipulated fabric, with folds, creases, peaks and troughs, combined with stitching to embellish and hold the fabric in place. Although I think this may be a difficult challenge, it is something I have wanted to tackle for some time. So here is the start of my "Glaciers & Icebergs" series.

I have selected five of my favourite photos as starting points for this section. it was a difficult choice as I had several others that were equally fascinating. The ones I chose illustrate a range of shapes and textures observed in the ice. In each case I have shown the original picture and then a cropped one beside it, focussing on one textured area. In some cases I have experimented with manipulating the photo further, by rotating it 90 or 180 degrees, converting to black and white or sepia, or enhancing the image by increasing the contrast, reversing the black and white areas or applying a drawing feature. These were done using the program Paint.NET. All of these manipulations change the impression conveyed by the image, offering interesting possibilities for development of a textile piece.

Image 1: Antarctica, glacier meeting the sea

1.1 Original photo

1.2 Cropped image focusing on the icy pillars and crevasses. I chose this area because the shapes were unusual and interesting.

1.3 Image converted to black and white, increasing the focus on the shapes and contrasts.

Image 2: Antarctica, iceberg with rippled sides

2.1 Original photograph

2.2 Cropped photo with added "oil painting" special effect to bring out and soften the ripples in the ice

2.3 Photo in 2.2 cropped again to focus on the bottom right area. This shows the textured detail of the ripples more clearly, revealing that they are quite uneven and lumpy.

2.4 Pencil sketch feature applied to photo 2.3 using Paint.NET. This suggests some stitching which could be added to manipulated fabric shapes, to bring out some of the contrasting surfaces.

Image 3: Alaska, glacier flowing into the sea

3.1 Original photo

3.2 Image cropped and rotated. Note the different textures in the ice in this picture compared with image 1. The contrast between the rock and the ice, and the gravel trapped in the folds of the ice also add interest.

3.3 Ink sketch feature and increased contrast applied to image 3.2, using Paint.NET. This enhances the textural impression of the various surfaces.

Image 4: Antarctica, iceberg with oval erosions and embedded gravel

4.1 Original photo. I chose this one because the shapes were were very interesting and totally different from any of the other icebergs.

4.2 Photo cropped and converted to black and white. This gave an interesting image which would be ready for interpretation in fabric and stitch without any further changes.

Image 5: Alaska, iceberg

5.1 Original photo

5.2 Cropped photo focussing on one interesting textured area

5.3 Different effect created by rotating the picture 90 degrees, converting to sepia tones and increasing the contrast a little. This image lends itself to interpretation in a natural or unbleached fabric, perhaps with quilting and padding added to create the 3D texture.

M4, Administration

1. EVALUATION OF EMBROIDERED ITEM MODULE 4

Task: construct an embroidered panel related to media, utilising some techniques studied in Module 4.

Finished Item: The completed piece for module 4 is an embroidered handmade silk paper wallet suitable for holding memorabilia relating to my daughter's wedding held at House for an Art Lover, Glasgow, which was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The wallet features several stylised roses inspired by Mackintosh designs from the house, either as inserts of withdrawn thread work or surface embroidery, and embellished with couched cords. A booklet of my favourite wedding photographs is stored inside the wallet. These have been embedded into handmade silk paper and joined with a cord and tassel.

How do you feel about the resulting conclusion?

After finding it easy to select the theme and basic structure for the piece, I had a lot of problems translating it into the finished item. When developing the design, I was initially too constrained by the idea of being pure to the Mackintosh theme. However, after discussion with my tutor, I relaxed and was able to let go more, adding the couched twisted cords to create additional texture and give a more free flowing feel to the work. Overall I am fairly happy with the result, but can see that I could have explored lots more possibilities if I had the time over.

Is it fit for its purpose - give reasons?

The finished piece is clearly fit for its purpose since the photographs and other memorabilia, such as the wedding invitations fit neatly inside. It is easy to carry around and show off to friends and family. The embroidery fits well with the selected theme.

If you were asked to make it again, what changes would you make to the way you designed it and the way you made it?

If I were making this piece again I would still use the handmade silk paper as the basic construction material. I think the wallet format is fine, but a box would have been suitable as well. However the main thing I would do would be to explore more design possibilities for the embroidery - perhaps more (all?) roses in different sizes worked in the withdrawn thread style, and perhaps a wider inserted panel on the front flap, with a central rose and other decoration around it. I would also try to integrate the closure system more closely with the design.

2. AUTHENTICATION: The photographs below show me making the silk paper and then stitching the piece.

The  authentication sheet signed by Judith Muller is below.

3. TIME LOG

 

DATE CHAP-TER ACTIVITY APPROX HOURS SPENT 6/3/12 - 30/7/12 1 Photographs of Mackintosh designs, sort/edit; consult books; sketches 7   1 Collect stationery items 2   1 Lettering research 8 1/6/12 - 31/7/12 2 Drawing with inks 5   2 Blocks of writing 4   2 Letter making with computer 5 1/6/12 - 19/8/12 3 Collect grid samples 5   3 Make own grids on soluble film 2 1/8/12 - 21/9/12 4 Initial paper making experiments 4   4 Trials with adding texture, embedding embossing, fringing, laminating 12   4 Trials with multiple colours 5   4 Silk paper trials 6 15/6/12 - 20/7/12 5 Collecting & colouring fabric 6   5 Samples - Pulling, weaving and looping threads 7 1/7/12 - 10/10/12 6 Hand stitched samples 22   6 Machine stitched samples 13   6 Combination samples 9 25/9/12 - 23/10/12 7 Wrapped frames, hand & machine stitching 12 10/10/12 - 22/11/12 8 Samples with paper pulp 14   8 Samples with silk paper 15 25/11/12 - 11/02/13 9 Stitched samples with paper pulp 9   9 Stitched samples with silk paper 22   9 Stitching on dipped grids 5   9 Edges on pulp paper 9   9 Edges on silk paper 8 1/2/13 - 16/3/13 10 Examples of different types of book structures 17 12/1/13 - 18/3/13 12 Internet research re 3 artists 12 11/3/13 - 7/7/13 11 Design final piece and construct trial samples 20 23/5/13 - 27/9/13 11 Make silk paper and embroider final item 50

Date design work started for final piece: 11/3/13

Date design work finished for final piece: 7/7/13

Date final embroidered item started: 23/5/13

Date final embroidered item finished: 27/9/13

Total hours spent on design work: 20

Total hours spent on embroidery for final piece: 50

Total hours spent on research work: 17

4. COST OF MATERIALS

Detailed list will be emailed separately and is summarised here.

CHAPTER	ESTIMATED COST AUD$
1	$5
2	$14
3	$5
4	$64
5	$26
6	$14
7	$19
8&9	$54
10	$38
11	$74
12	$5

TOTAL COST FOR ASSESSMENT PIECE: $74

TOTAL COST FOR MODULE 4: $318

5. HEALTH & SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Consolidated List for Modules 1 to 4 follows.

Powdered Inks, Paints, Dyeing Fabrics & Discharge Dyeing

• Wear rubber gloves and protective clothing so skin does not come into contact with paints or dyes
• Protect working surfaces with plastic sheeting or newspaper
• Work in a well ventilated area away from food
• Choose an area which can be cleaned readily in case of spills
• Use utensils and containers reserved only for this purpose, not containers which may be used for food
• When measuring powdered inks, concentrated dyes or other powders (dyes or paints), wear a mask suitable for preventing inhalation of dust, mist and fumes (e.g. Australian Standard P2GV)
• Dilute waste solutions with lots of water and dispose of in an appropriate manner
• Ensure all containers are clearly labelled with the contents to avoid mistakes.
• Some chemicals may be mixed or diluted and stored for future use; if so label with the ingredients and proportions so contents are clear.

Safety of Electrical Items

• Items involving heat (e.g. iron): Keep unplugged if not in use. Allow to cool before storage. Baking paper kept near iron to protect ironing surfaces if using fusible items. Rajah cloth kept near iron to protect fabrics when ironing.
• Other items e.g. sewing machine, blender: Turn off when not in use.
• If using a shredder or blender to make paper pulp, make sure fingers are kept clear of the blades and do not open the container until the blades have stopped whirring.
• Ensure loose cords are secured (e.g. by taping to floor with masking tape) so they are not a potential tripping hazard.

Cutting Implements

• Keep scissors and cutting implements in a dry safe place away from children
• Rotary cutting tools, paper knives etc - ensure protective guard is engaged when not being used.
• Cut away from you as much as possible to avoid accidental injury. Use a cutting mat to protect other surfaces. Store cutting mat and guide in cupboard when not in use.
• Cutting a metal can - Wear safety glasses/goggles to protect the eyes as small metal pieces can fly off. Wear thick rubber gloves to protect the hands while cutting the tin as the edges may be sharp. Carefully cut the tin with kitchen scissors into a shape a bit larger than required, then use some smaller scissors to cut the rough shape into the final shape you require. Carefully smooth the edges with sandpaper so they are no longer sharp and dangerous. Also use the sandpaper to roughen the flat surface of the metal,

Use of Sewing Machine

• Oil regularly and maintain in accordance with instructions in the manual
• Turn off before clearing jams or changing needles to avoid damaging fingers
• Keep fingers away from sewing line when operating the machine (e.g. place hands at front and back of work)
• Follow instructions for electrical items (above).

Hand stitching, Beading & Machining

• Work in a well lit area
• Pay attention to sitting position so that you do not put undue strain on your neck and shoulders
• Take a break to stretch your neck, shoulders and arms every hour or so, or go for a short walk

Book Making

• Follow safety instructions for cutting tools as above.
• If using punches, awls or similar items to make holes, ensure there is a suitable surface underneath before proceeding.
• Keep fingers away from any areas being punched or cut.

6. STORAGEOF WORK, MATERIALS, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Consolidated List for Modules 1 to 4 follows.

ITEM MY STORAGE PLACE IDEAL CONDITIONS Design work in progress In folder, box or on bench in workroom, or on pinboard depending on size, away from sun, liquids, interference. Don't have pets to worry about and children visit rarely. Away from sun, liquids, dust, children, pets Completed design work Stored flat, in folder or box in workroom, depending on size, away from sun, liquids, interference. Keep flat, away from hazards. Fabric samples in progress Bench or basket in workroom away from sun, liquids, interference. Accessible place, away from usual hazards. Completed fabric samples Box or other suitable container to keep flat until photographed. After photography, transfer to work folder. Kept flat, mounted on paper or thin cardboard. Keep flat, away from usual hazards, in suitable place for reference or assessment. Embroidery work in progress Bench or basket in workroom away from sun, liquids, interference. Accessible place, away from usual hazards. Completed embroidery If a flat piece, roll and store in tissue. If 3D, display on a shelf or cover/wrap in tissue if necessary to protect from dust and store in a box. Wrap in acid free tissue paper. Dyes, Inks, Paints, Textile Medium and Other Chemicals Labelled containers with tight fitting lids. Stored in cupboards in bathroom or laundry or sealed plastic storage tubs in workroom. Store chemicals in secure area away from children. Ensure containers are clearly labelled, tightly closed and stored in a cool place. Fabrics Cotton & synthetics: Flat, dry, sorted into plains, prints, colours, papers etc and stored in plastic tubs. Silks - dry, rolled and stored separately, may be wrapped in tissue. Dry, away from sun. Flat or rolled in colour or fibre order. Acid free tissue paper. Threads Dry, mostly grouped into colours, untangled or wound onto cards, in plastic bags. Some in thread types e.g. silk threads kept separate. Dry, away from sun, untangled and in colour or type order. Metal threads Wrapped in acid free tissue and stored in a separate box. Ones used more often are wound onto felt rolls to prevent bending and preserve the sheen. In acid free tissue, not plastic bags Beads In small plastic tubs with screw caps. Some wrapped in tissue. In acid free tissue, not plastic bags Fusible fabrics (e.g. Vlisofix) Rolled, away from liquids & strong light. Dry, away from sun. Flat or rolled. Metallic foils Flat in resealable plastic bags, away from heat or moisture Flat in resealable plastic bags, layered with non-stick paper, away from heat or moisture Tools and electrical equipment Items involving heat (e.g. iron): Keep unplugged if not in use. Allow to cool before storage. All: Store on shelf or in cupboard or drawer to protect from dust and interference, depending on expected frequency of use. Wind flex lightly around item. Dry place with flex lightly wound. Store away only when cold. Sewing machine Turned off when not in use. Kept upright on work desk and covered to protect from dust. Normal room temperature & humidity. Keep upright. In working position for easy use. Metal threads Wrapped in acid free tissue and stored in a separate box. Ones used more often are wound onto felt rolls to prevent bending and preserve the sheen. In acid free tissue, not plastic bags

M4, CHAPTER 11: FINISHED ITEM

The picture above shows the front of the finished wallet. I decided to couch around the large withdrawn thread roses on front and back with the grey-green twisted cord, to add texture and emphasis, and to provide continuity between the two. I also decided to trail the cords across the work in a simple wavy manner so that the finished item did not appear too fussy and the cords did not overwhelm the roses. I was pleased with the final colour combination that I used. The cords were continued onto the inside folded flap of the wallet to link the inside and outside.

I incorporated a simple looped closure into the couched cord on the front panels, designed not to detract from the central roses. A painted wooded bead held in place with a small brass bead was stitched to the top and bottom panels, so that the loop would pass over the top bead and hold the two sections together.    The following two photos show the lower half of the front – here the looped closure is quite clear- followed by the back of the wallet.

 

The picture above shows the opened out panel, revealing the continuity of the pattern as a whole. Below is the inside of the wallet with the photo selection embedded in silk paper and a wedding invitation. This clearly shows  how the design of the wallet suits its purpose.

Composite Sheet : The assembled composite sheet is shown below. This explains how the design concept was inspired by my daughter’s wedding at the Mackintosh designed House for an Art Lover in Glasgow, and shows some of my attempts to capture the roses in various pulled and withdrawn thread stitched samples, as well as experiments with colour combinations for the twisted cords and couching around the roses. A photocopy of the wallet mock up finishes the panel.

M4, Chapter 11: Work in Progress

I am now well into my final piece  for this module, so wanted to give you an update of my progress with the work and some of my design decisions.
Roses: All of the roses are now stitched. Apart from the 2 withdrawn thread insertions discussed in a previous blog, I have used stem stitch for the rose outlines and Cretan stitch for filling the shapes, with lots of colour variations for interest. The centres feature a mixture of random cross stitches and French knots. I mainly used silk threads for the stitching, but had to resort to stranded cotton for a couple of the colours.

The two photos below show the front of the wallet and the entire panel unfolded (left to right: bottom
 flap, back, top flap).

    

Cords: As discussed at Summer School, I was going to overlay some coils of twisted cords to add interest to the empty background and provide some connection between the roses.
The first photo shows three colour combinations of twisted cords overlaid randomly on the  embroidered silk paper. These were:

1. grey green/deep green combination (bottom left),
2. grey green/pink combination (top centre)
3. leaf green/deep green combination (top right).

I have decided to go forward with the first combination because it gave a greater contrast and also the grey green colour provided some continuity with the drawn thread rose on the front panel.  The final picture shows what the overall effect will be like with several grey green/deep green cords overlaid on the panel.
 

Please note the placement of these cords is just to give an idea of the overall effect and does not reflect the final placement that will be used. This will be more in line with the design drawn during Summer School (below left), although on reflection I think there are too many curly lines on the front flap and I will simplify this a little for the final piece. Next to the drawn design is a small sample with a twisted cord sewn into place. However this one has been done with the brighter green cord, whereas the final piece will have the darker one, which I think will look better.

CHAPTER 11 PART 2: REVISIONS TO PROPOSED DESIGN

 

After receiving  my tutor’s initial comments I have done a few more samples aimed at resolving some outstanding design questions.

1. CENTREPIECE ON FRONT FLAP OF WALLET

In my initial sample for the main Glasgow Rose on the front flap of the wallet I had tried a filling of textured wool rewoven into  sections of withdrawn threads combined with other pulled threads area. However, Sian suggested that a more lacy look might fit better with the art nouveau theme of the Mackintosh house. I did two more samples where I experimented with other approaches. The first picture shows the outline worked in machine stitching and then filled in with a combination of needle-weaving and pulled thread areas. I embedded this one into some silk paper to see what the overall impression would be like.

I thought it had definite possibilities but the final shape was a bit large and I was not that happy with the colour combination and the placing of the needle-woven areas, so I did a second sample.

The second sample, shown below, is more pleasing, as the size and colour combination is better, as well as the placement of the different areas of stitching. Each area was outlined in a grey-green chain stitch, which I preferred to the machine stitching used in the first sample. The grey green colour represented the leadlight windows used as inspiration for the shape.

  This panel will be embedded into the front flap of the silk paper for the final piece.

2. THE BACK OF THE WALLET

I experimented with a few approaches for the leaf motif on the back of the wallet. I dyed some fabric with the green dye I intended to use for the silk paper and then worked an outline of the leaf shape, using the same pulled thread technique as the main motif to fill it. I was planning to embed this motif into the back of the silk paper wallet. However, although I tried several ways of doing this, I eventually decided to leave this idea for another day, as I couldn’t successfully resolve the design.

 

Instead I decided to simplify the back and incorporate a second rose worked with needleweaving and pulled thread work in the same style as the front flap.  Two embroidered roses and grid lines will be added (see below)

3. GRID LINES

I made several twisted cords, experimenting with various thread and colour combinations, to give the grid-lines a heavier weight. The combination which seemed most acceptable was made with the grey-green Perle 8 thread used for the outline of the rose and a forest green Pearle 12 which looked good against the chosen green background.

4. PRESENTING THE PHOTOGRAPHS

I had  stated previously that I hoped to embed the wedding photos in the silk paper, but had not yet tried it. I experimented with two methods. In the first I just laid silk fibres around the edge of the photo to adhere it to the paper background. Whilst this method worked, there was a risk of accidently damaging the photos when the textile medium was applied.

In the second method I made a blind pocket that the picture could be slid into after the paper was dry. This was done by laying down a layer of silk fibres, then placing a piece of mesh slightly larger than the size of the photo (“photo template”) on top. More silk fibres were added around and overlapping the edges of the photo template. Once I was happy with the placement the entire sheet was stuck together as before with a mixture of diluted fabric medium and dye. This was left to dry, and then the template was removed and the actual photograph slid into place.

This technique worked very well and has been used to incorporate all the photos into their silk paper frames. I worked a row of wavy running stitch around each page to add a bit more interest, but decided to keep this simple so as not to detract from the effect of the photos and the silk paper. I also made a small hole in the corner of each sheet with an awl and worked an eyelet into it. The sheets were then bound together with a twisted cord and finished with a tassel to make the photo album. The album will be the main insert in the wallet.

5. NEW MOCK-UP OF WALLET

A rough mock-up of the new front panel of the wallet is shown above. The lacy insert will be embedded into the top flap of the silk paper. A section of the twisted cord is also shown to demonstrate the intended colour and weight of the lines. The exact positioning of the cords will be decided after the objects have been embedded.

 

The new back panel of the wallet is shown above.  The cords will continue in line with the front panel. The colours of the embroidered roses will be adjusted slightly to combine better with the lacy roses.

CHAPTER 11, PART 1: PROPOSED DESIGN FOR STRUCTURE RELATED TO MEDIA

General Description & Inspiration for the Piece

My proposed piece is a folded wallet which can be used to store memorabilia from my daughter’s wedding last year, such as invitations, place cards, notes and photos. The wedding took place in Glasgow at House for an Art Lover, which is a mansion designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh. The art nouveau features in the house were a rich source of design inspirations. The wedding was also themed to fit in with the venue, so this was a perfect choice for developing designs. I had also decided, as a result of the work in earlier chapters, that I wanted to make the wallet from silk paper. The finer, more delicate nature of the silk paper also seemed to be a good fit with the theme.

Below are some photographs of leadlight windows, lights and wall decorations from the  House.

 

On the whole the designs are simple but impactful, with repeating motifs and a limited colour palette. The themes which recurred, and which attracted me were the “Glasgow” roses, the leaves or trees, and also the criss-cross lines (reminiscent of grids – such as in the light) which linked in with some of the embroidery we have studied in the module. However, although the same general themes were used in many parts of the house, giving unity to the overall design, small variations often appeared in different places (e.g. not all roses were the same). I decided to apply some of these principles to my own design, limiting the colours to shades of pink, purple and green, repeating the rose shape in different sizes, and filling the stylised roses with several different stitch variations.

Samples

The proposed wallet is based on the A4 one made as a book sample in Chapter 10 (below).

However the size will be increased so that the starting point is an A3 sheet of silk paper. A 7cm fold will be made along one of the long sides so there is a pocket to hold the items of memorabilia. The wallet will be a soft green with pink blotches loosely placed where a series of roses will be worked. I tried out some rose variations before settling on the final design.

The overall appearance will be like this, incorporating the rose, leaf & grid themes. More explanation will be given a little later.

The top flap will have  a rose worked with a withdrawn and pulled thread technique, similar to the two samples below. The left one was worked on a thicker fabric to try out the idea, with various colours and stitches. I then found some silk noil scrim which  was a lot finer, a looser weave and seemed more suitable for embedding into the silk. I dyed this fabric a light pink and then worked the second sample (right), doing the outline in chain stitch instead of machine stitching. The outer petals were filled with yarn woven over groups of withdrawn threads and mock faggot filling was used for the  inner petals.

 

I then tried out some embroidered rose variations on silk paper.I started with machine stitching, but was not happy with the results, so then went onto hand stitching.

With the hand stitched samples, testing roses in 3 sizes, I tried out a few types of outline stitches, deciding that stem stitch was the best. I also experimented with some filling stitches and different colours  (mostly pink). The filling stitch variations included cretan stitch- worked as a single row or layered(left rose) with chain stitch in the centre, Bokhara couching, seed stitch and French knots (centre rose)  and couched grids, cretan stitch and detached chain stitch (right rose). All of these gave reasonable results, so I will use a variety of fillings for the roses  in the final piece to add interest.

The next sample shows leaves with the outline worked in stem stitch and filled with Bokhara couching.  This will appear in certain places in the design and also be placed in the bottom left corner of the loose leaf photograph sheets (discussed below).

Design Mock Up

The front of the design incorporating the rose, leaf & grid themes was shown above. The main feature is lots of stylised Glasgow roses worked in various sizes, different shades of pink and varied stitches. I photocopied my stitched rose samples and cut out the roses, so I could experiment with the size and placement. This shows how the wallet will look when the top flap is raised.

The green grid will be machine stitched and is used to link the various sections of the folded design. The edges of the paper will also be outlined with a row of green random free machine stitching as used in the earlier book sample.

The back of the wallet will feature 3 roses plus the leaf and grid design.

The next photo shows the inside of the wallet when it is unfolded. The machine stitched lines will show through and extra rose and leaf motifs will be added to the inside pocket.

The final picture shows the entire panel unfolded. You can see the front flap at the top, the back panel in the middle, and the bottom front section at the bottom. The inside flap is folded out on the right.

Instead of stitching some extra sheets of paper into the wallet, as I did with the book sample, I am going to try embedding some of my favourite photos into smaller sheets of silk paper which can be stored as loose leaves inside the wallet. If the embedding doesn’t work I will make a hole in the paper and stick the photo in (see example below). A small motif will be worked on the bottom left, as shown  below, to link these pages with the wallet design.

Eyelets will be worked into the top right hand corner of each sheet and a handmade cord or ribbon inserted to loosely tie them all together like a small book which will be inserted into the pocket of the folder.

M4 CHAPTER 12: STUDY THREE ARTISTS

1. CAS HOLMES

Cas Holmes works with textiles, paper and mark-making materials to produce mixed media collages embellished with stitch. She is well known for using "found objects" - discarded items or waste materials considered no longer useful and transforming them into meaningful artworks. She states that: "Using recycled and vintage fabrics and found materials creates a sense of age or atmosphere conveying a past history." Her themes mainly relate to elements of the natural and built world. Drawing and the use of colour are the foundation of her work, using her sketch book like a diary. She has described her stitching as often being "stitch sketching" with a narrative quality. Cas studies the links between nature and the urban environment and by re-cycling objects, her work encourages sustainable living. She often layers papers and fabrics in her pieces, some translucent, but then may cut away some layers to reveal what is underneath.

Cas is about to visit Australia for a series of workshops. The images below from the Australian FibreArts website (http://fibrearts.jigsy.com/holmes) advertising these classes illustrate her style and approach.

Relevance to my work: The layering of items and combinations of paper and textiles appeal to me. The piece on the right has an interesting combination of items, including some paper with writing on it, but it is the band of red colour, rather than the writing itself which draws the eye to the work. The stitching is very integrated into the work, rather than being a feature. Cas introduced me to the technique of Momigami at the Distant Stitch Summer School in 2008. This was the first time I had considered using paper and fabric in combination. I was able to utilise the crushed paper technique in my final piece for Module 1 and was delighted with the result.

References

Cas Holmes' website: http://www.casholmes.textilearts.net

Cas Holmes: "The Found Object in Textile Art", 2010.

Jenny Whisker, Interview with Cas Holmes at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrowgate: http://vimeo.com/54353849

Axis on-line resource for contemporary art, artist profile Cas Holmes: http://www.axisweb.org/seCVPG.aspx?ARTISTID=6037

2. LOIS WALPOLE

Lois Walpole began making baskets at Art School in the 1970s where she trained in both sculpture and basket making. Her work has evolved since then into designing and making functional objects and art works using the techniques and the forms traditionally associated with baskets. She likes to take colourful every day waste and sustainable materials and transform them into something new, drawing attention to the unexploited potential of the materials. Many of her pieces feature recycled juice cartons, bottle tops, corks, old rope, plastic bottles, wire or packing tape. Some of her designs are quite witty or quirky (for example the ball made from cast off fax parts), encouraging the viewer to see things from a different perspective. For example, the item in the photo on the top left was made from strapping and jar lids, the item in the centre from fruit nets and the one on the right from juice cartons and willow.

Lois believes that basket-making techniques can be relevant to other activities (whether artistic or functional) where the final outcome is a 3-dimensional structure. She encourages people to look for techniques which suit every available natural and found material. She sees value in producing objects that are "sustainable and versatile or use little equipment and free material". Her materials, methods and forms have been described as "imaginative, original and technically innovative". She finds innovative construction solutions through play and making lots of ‘samples’ to learn what the material can do, how to work with it and what can be made from it. As her work has become more well known, people bring her more and more items to recycle - somewhat of a challenge to manage!

Relevance to my work: Whilst I have never done basket-making, I love looking at woven work, including pictures and paintings of woven items, so maybe it is something I will try one day. For the moment, I think that Lois teaches me two things. The first is to try to look at materials around me in a different way, thinking of uses beyond their traditional areas. The second is to do more samples in order to get the best out of my chosen topic or medium, and to keep pushing the boundaries to explore what may be possible.

References

Lois Walpole's website: http://www.loiswalpole.com

Sandy Brown, Resurgence & Ecologist, March/April 2007: "VISUAL JAZZ. Lois Walpole takes innovation to extremes in basket-making." http://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article218-visual-jazz.html

3. INGA HUNTER

Inga Hunter is a mixed media artist working in the Blue Mountains, a few hours' drive west of Sydney. She began her artistic journey in the 1960s, first with weaving and then batik and shibori dyeing. After that she added quilting and embroidery to her skills, then during the 1980s she began making paper and combining it with textiles. About 1974 she began an organisation then called the Batik Association, which has now evolved into the Australian Textile Arts and Surface Design Association (ATASDA). Her work tends to be done in series, depending on the techniques and themes that she is exploring at the time. These have included series of artists books, miniature paper robes and pieces relating to her heritage.

These pictures show two examples of her books. The one on the left entitled "Gridded Book" combines handmade paper, collage, sticks, copper nails, waxed thread, plastic, metal mesh, wire, paint and coptic binding. On the right is "Boat Box" - featuring three books and two baskets. Her most audacious book, not shown here, was a 1-year collaboration with garden snails "Collaborata Mollusca", where she put manilla folders soaked in beer outside and then brought them in the next morning to see what holes and trails the snails had contributed, ultimately making the pages into a book.

Below are a couple of other examples of Inga's work, to show the broad range of items that that she has produced with paper.

On the left is a miniature paper robe from her wonderful series entitled "Robes of the Imperium", an invented world. Each robe, about 30 to 40 cm long, is accompanied by a story about the wearer - this one is the robe of the Head Inquisitor. The techniques used to produce the effects for these robes include rusting, applying wax (encaustic) and use of unusual materials such as sausage skins. On the right is a mixed media work "Structures with Print", comprising a woodblock print with collaged structures made from bamboo and fine paper, gessoed.

Relevance to my work: What I like about Inga Hunter is that she has not constrained herself to work with one or two materials or techniques. She combines whatever is required to get the effect she wants for a particular piece: paper, textiles, printing, dyeing, waxing, etching, drawing, painting, beading. She has taught herself many of these techniques, through experimentation, and selected courses. She didn't do a drawing class till she was 50, when she decided that she needed to learn how to do it properly. She has tried, and now promotes, the idea of drawing regularly, keeping a small sketchbook with her on her travels, but like me, struggles to make it a daily habit.

Inga draws on all of her experiences and combines her chosen techniques in new ways to express her ideas in an imaginative manner. I think this philosophy fits well with the type of work that I am trying to produce in my City & Guilds course - minimal boundaries, just draw on your tool box and experiment! She has opened my eyes to a much wider range of possibilities for working with paper than I had ever imagined.

Inga Hunter's website: http://www.ingahunter.com.au/

Robb Street Gallery: http://www.thersg.com.au/rsg_touring/hbascatalog.php, Inga Hunter's Kite Book

Inga Hunter: " Something Different - A Drawing a Day .... Revisited." Textile Fibre Forum 28: Issue 4, 8 (2009).

Inga Hunter: " How I Did It: On Rusting and Encaustics - Making Two New Works of the Imperium." Textile Fibre Forum 29: Issue 1, 14 (2010).

Inga Hunter: " Something Different - How I Did It: Using Gut and the Robes of the Imperium." Textile Fibre Forum 29: Issue 2, 17 (2009).