Remembering to Play

Finally. After a tough week, filled with doubt-riddled but manic enthusiasm, giant messes as I rifled through recently re-organised materials, and a lot of sweat, the weekend provided some return.  The chaos-induced stress of the week reminded me that the ‘brilliant’ work I imagine making doesn’t just happen, it is the product of exploration and play. It’s still hard to allow myself the time and space to try things out with no expectation of success – it can feel like failure. Fortunately, after a few days of flailing, I was rewarded with some success. It felt great.
I was actually spurred along by seeing the work of Sue Hotchkis on Instagram – it was just what I needed. Isn't it beautiful? The layers and texture - delicious!

Sue Hotchkis textile

Her latest work in progress looked like what I was wanting to do to create backgrounds of the rocks and sand of King Island - she had used screen printing and stitch. Of course, I didn’t want to copy it, but it fueled my imagination. I grabbed some of the satin I had dyed this week, rummaged in the filing cabinet and found a liquid acrylic with a lovely graphite colour and sheen. After a failed attempt at creating a mono-print, I used string and scrunched -plastic wrap to create random lines and texture with the paint, before scrunching the fabric up and wiping it in the paint – perfect! I then spent some time painting in lines and solidifying areas. Looking at my source photos again, I saw there were areas of circular divots in the rocks. I used the ends of thread cones and syringes dipped in paint to create these on the fabric. All of these marks will be re-affirmed with stitching.

This is some organza which was used like a wipe-cloth - great marks, enhanced with free-motion embroidery

Earlier in the week, after seeing the work of another artist, Gabriella Loeb, who encases her textile sculptures in resin to retain the fluid movement, I tried stiffening both leather and fabric with diluted PVA glue. Whilst I lost some shine on the heavy satin, whilst gaining it on the leather – I was pretty pleased with both initial results. Here is today's piece drying - next to it is a canvas textured with beard snoods glued to it (Matt has to wear them at factory job sites sometimes)! This should make a wonderful rock-like texture to paint over.

Gabriella Lorb sculpture - fabric in resin

Earlier still, I successfully dyed some grey upholstery leather black (a wonderful gift from a supportive fan years ago – always thought I’d make a WOW entry with it, but onto a new life now..) Unlike vegetable tanned leather, as it is finished, it can’t be moulded, but it can be (painfully) stitched into shape, and it does become stiffer after dyeing.

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I also tried a felted piece – well, there’s a few hours I lost – but you never know when its’ time will come!

Another win was the dyeing of some satin in the rich colours of the rocks of Naracoopa, King Island. A weakly dyed piece in sandy colours lent itself to over-printing with silver paint with a sponge – many more layers to come. Something wonderful about not making wearable art is that I don’t have to worry about some aspects of longevity and laundering, or hand. Or zips, or linings. Hurrah!!

This picture does the colour no justice at all!

It's been an overwhelming week - an internal struggle between excitement, disappointment, indecision, which leads to apathy, wanting things done in an instant, wondering if something is worth continuing with, which material I should use, should I try that?.......which all leads to a giant mess on every surface which overwhelms me even more!
After a mental deep breath, I have given myself permission to play, and reminded myself to have faith in my ability to do so. I constantly express wonder and gratefulness at my bizarre stash that I can use - from beard snoods to hi-flow acrylic paint of just the right colour, tubs of leather and satin off-cuts. I'm so grateful for all that I have, including this marvellous library of books to advise me when I am lost.  I'm also thankful that I can justify my internet time by being inspired by both Sue Hotchkis and Gabriella Loeb - these are the good things about the global community.