Sketchbook - a working object

Regular readers will know that the term “sketchbook” is one I have very mixed feelings about.  I mistakenly used to read this as an object of beauty, with a wonderfully formed image or composition on each page. Through discussions with my art tutor, I now understand that it can be a working, dynamic object, where pages can be revisited, added to, changed and adapted.

I realise that I enjoy setting up a page and then coming back to it several weeks later when I have worked on other techniques, been to an exhibition, or viewed my photographs.  I have been doing that this week.

Painted page, cut out, with inverted section and then with photograph of work by Victoria Coeln.

End(ish) of July - I'm still catching up with June

Blue-green algae series number 3. Block-printed cloth, hand-dyed background, machine quilted. The blue-green algae strand has 3 or 4 graduated layers of wadding sewn within it.

Now on to July, and I need to decide whether to start the "Seed"series or the "Bacteria"series.

Too much inspiration about microscopic detail from a visit to the Whitworth Gallery to see "Verso" by Cornelia Parker and the astonishingly lush and complex paintings by Raqib Shaw.

May journal - still in fresh water

I’ve got very behind posting about this year’s journal quilts.  May is still on the theme of blue-green algae.

Testing out prints in the sketchbook with acrylic paint

Trying out different way of appliquéing silk, rouleaux strips

Final piece

October journal - 2 months late….A river runs through it

The River Thames has been an important part of my life since I moved to the western suburbs. Walking the paths, cycling by it, supervising wobbly scooter rides,visiting events, and even once, being part of a the team on a dragon boat that paddled 26 miles down it. This is the shape of the river between Twickenham and Teddington with colours that portray different seasons of the year.  The postcode is given a bit of lip service here in the bottom corner.  This is much more regularly shaped than it seems here, just struggling to gets a photo in daylight at present.

Block printing, felt applique, watercolour crayon, machine quilting on recycled cotton sheeting.

Red trees

The tree theme continues this week, experimenting with using print pastes on a polystyrene print block, rolling, painting and applying with a foam brush.  My polystyrene sheet wasn't long enough, so I had to split my tree.    Paper seems so much more straightforward than cloth.  Where is this going - still not sure,but plenty to ponder over the Xmas break from the course.