Morley this week, and back to my printing project to do with damaged trees, Paul Nash, bleeding canker, the garden museum, wounds, bark, trenches, identity tags - as my tutor says, I could be getting a bit overwhelmed by my subject matter and need to simplify.
Experiments with painting thickened dye paste directly on the screen
experimenting with polystyrene blocks
Finally, a tree image
Tree printed
This could finally be gong somewhere.
Although I am now back working in London, I still love a day out viewing art in venues new to me. One of these explored today which, before I travelled there on public transport, I could not understand why I hadn't visited before , was Dulwich Picture Gallery, to see the exhibition A Crisis of Brilliance. This was in preparation for some work on next year's Morley course, which will have a First World War theme. The exhibition was just the right size, about 5 smallish rooms, drawings and paintings, and possible to get really close to the work. Some of the pieces on display are very famous, like Stanley Spencer's self-portrait, but others are not so well known. I loved the whole thing, and it reminded me how much I enjoy the work of the artists of that period, and those that cam a bit later, like Ravilious and Bawden.
I'll be off to the Imperial War Museum next , particularly to see Paul Nash's painting " We are Creating a New World".
An unexpected bonus in the gardens were two ancient mulberry trees in full fruit, absolutely delicious but leaving murderous-lookng red stains on hands and lips. I can see why these have never become a commercial crop. Topped off by a coffee and a muffin in the wonderful cafe, a great morning.
Then off to the London Glassblowing Studio, stopping off en route to look at the vertiginous job of cleaning the windows on The Shard.
When we got the studio, Louis Thomson was making a piece. The heat from the furnace was astonishing, and we were sitting well away. Another refreshment break at the cafe of London Fashion and Textile Museum, but not enough time to visit the Zandra Rhodes exhibition. Another wonderful day full of inspiration.
By the skin of my teeth, just completed my May offering for the Contemporary Quilt Group 2011 challenge.
Shibori, indigo dyed calico, hand stitched with linen and wool threads, 10 inches square. Stitches were back stitch, colonial knots and staggered blanket stitch. Centre was blanket stitched, and then cut out and replaced off to the side as this fitted a May where several parts of life have been a bit chaotic and difficult to pin down.
