WOW 2014 works in progress

With only two weeks left of my first summer holidays in years, I have made a lot of progress on my two entries for the World of WearableArt this year. Originally, I thought I might be able to do another trio as well, but as usual, the pieces have grown, and grown, and still require many more hours work. I know that I will have plenty on my plate at TAFE with four subjects and the amount of work they will generate, as well as the contact hours. Although I can't really show you the pieces as a whole, I have taken some close-up shots which will show you what I have been doing without giving too much away!
The first piece is again made with moulded leather. This time, I have used a few more techniques - a little tooling for some texture contrast, some knife cuts to make feathers, and a lot more painting. Jacquard Lumiere paints are just gorgeous on leather, and they are topped off with some two-tone Starburst Sprays. A little stencilling through sequin waste has created a nice sense of scaliness, and livened up some large areas of leather which were in danger of looking rather dull. Today has not been the most exciting day in the studio, with a lot of repetitive work happening,  but I am most pleased with the results!

Another process which has gone well has been the application of gold foil to the silk organza that I have dyed. ( I love organza - either silk or synthetic, it has nearly always been a part of my WOW entries!) I used a lino cut pattern (I think it I based the design on cell structures) and printed binder medium on the organza before ironing on gold foil.
 The wonderful thing about having worked with so many different materials over the years is that I now have a wonderful stash of techniques and materials to draw upon when required. All those years of researching and playing, investing time and money, it all starts to pay off in the end!
The other piece I am working on is inspired by the room full of bridal off-cuts that I can't bear to throw out! I am usually a bit of a fabric snob, preferring to use all new materials. The experience of working with scrap pieces has been an enjoyable challenge. (The fact that I am working with high-end silks, satins and french lace has also softened the blow!) What has probably been the most interesting part has been being directed by the shapes that are already cut into the materials. It's a most liberating experience, because you'd never cut these shapes into the many metres of fabric you had bought - it would all be planned.
The other benefit is the ability to go over-the-top in material usage - instead of trying to be economical, I am trying to use as much material as possible! What luxury!
To the left are some embellished shibori spikes in tulle, and to the right, some tulle wrapped wire with luscious lace pinned on - I have a lot of sewing to do!
I can't wait to see these pieces come together after once again, months of work and thought. With the way I work, there is a lot of time between conception of the idea and realisation. But what else would I do if I were not doing this?