for me summer is not a time for studied explorations, heavy thinking, serious reads... it's a time to lighten things up and embrace the transience of the season
a bit of fiddle-fiddling around with no serious intentions
letting things flow freely, as does the water in the mountain streams all around us, filling the lake, and flowing out again
always coming and going
lately I have found it easier to work in paper, paint and ink - it's certainly quicker which allows for a less considered approach than when I work solely in stitch
there's something about it that encourages me to just get going, gluing and painting in quick succession, and though I haven't yet figured out why that is, I am enjoying it very much
likely the impulsivity of the inner child at work
I do like a slightly more considered approach with stitching - probably because it takes so long I hate to get it wrong
a week ago I started experimenting with doing both; one day a paper-based version of whatever comes to mind and the following day I interpret some aspect of that work in stitch
below is a collage I made using gelli=plate printed papers, a scrap of tissue paper previously collaged with a bit of lace, and a piece of paper I had dome some random lettering on
the next day I gathered up all my lace scraps and tacked them on to a piece of vintage linen
I'm debating adding some embroidery in off-white, something simple - right now I'm leaning toward either straight lines extending from the lace to the outer edges in the upper right area only
or
detached fly stitch scattered in the other area
your thoughts?
in the next set (which was actually the first one I did) the collage is a bit of a mess but I do like the stitched piece that came of it... it was enjoyable to stitch, varying the number of threads in the needle and randomly couching the branches as I went
very freeing
yesterday it was back to collage, this one a mountain scene
the foreground paper is one I bought and represents water... the others are, from the bottom up, the lighter green "grassy" section was stamped with a stamp I carved, the mountains were cut from a larger piece of paper where I had dripped on random blobs of paint and ink and then pushed it around with a painting scraping tool and the sky portion is cut from a gelli-print
I love making scenic collages using random papers I have painted - I don't have to try and paint a mountain, I just look at piece of paper and see what I see in it and work with that - the results are always unexpected and something I could not have done if I tried
no idea how long I'll keep at this - daily practices are hard to sustain, but they have such a huge value I do find them worthwhile
regardless of how long it lasts I think it a good exercise to draw on when need arises
and a very nice thing to fiddle around with on a hot day
4 comments:
Reading what you said about 'look at a piece of paper and see what I see in it and work with that' reminded me of something my brother-in-law said about the bird carvings my DH was doing at the time - he said 'bird carving is easy - you just take off anything that doesn't look like a bird'. Easier said than done methinks!
Too bad more of us couldn't subscribe to the 'impulsivity of the inner child at work'.
That collage has turned out beautifully, and I have enjoyed seeing what you have done in the other photos. It's very hard to capture the immediacy of pen in stitch..
I nodded in agreement about your philosophy on reading and activity during the summer but, to be honest, having been rendered pathetically and all but inactive myself (apart from reading) during our brief but intense heatwaves here in the U.K., I am in awe of your ability to work on even the smallest pieces during the extended heat you get over there.
These are little squares of thoughts captured so beautifully and sensitively. In answer to your question about adding stitching to the lace fragment piece… my immediate urge would be to stitch in the top right hand corner, if at all. I love the empty breathing space below.
I have mountain collage envy. My head has been whirling with thoughts on working with my beloved landscapes and how I can interpret them in different ways. Your mountain piece is wonderful, and you have captured a hint of cubism there which I have seen glimpses of before in some of your work and which you know I love.
wonderful studies jillayne, so much creativity in this post. I especially love your randomly couched dark lines. These are more than worthy of a place in your new book (Newest post) what a fabulous 'flip through' that will become.
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