March 2006

1st- 4th March

Writing up the Phil Smith Crab Walk from last weekend took me quite a while at the beginning of the week, but was worth it and the day's experience has resonated on. To read about it you'll have to click here and scroll down to 26th February.

Spectacular and snowy weather for the first days of this month, and also very cold. Here is the most local field of ladies-in-waiting with the sun and Dartmoor behind them. There are lambs elsewhere in the county but just around here the farmers seem to arrange things for later in the Spring.

In the studio I have started a new set of work with wax (see part-worked image below). I'd been feeling directionless after the wax experiments and the Surfers (also see February). The feeling of not knowing where to go next isn't altogether comfortable because I feel I ought to know and if I don't it's because I haven't been drawing or thinking enough. But that isn't really true this time. I also realise that the discomfort with the Surfers may be because I am happier working with designs that are more like paintings and have some possibility of evolution within them, like the Tussocks and Savannahs, rather than an imposed design that has to be calculated and then applied systematically without much room for improvisation, like the Surfers.

I now have a big heap of work steamed and ready to dry-clean so I may take it to be done this week. The dry-clean is to remove the last traces of wax which haven't come out in the pre-steam-iron, or in the steam itself. I pay by the load, so it's worth having a lot going through.

A local potter has a "kiln-opening" from time to time where you can go along and watch his most recent work being unpacked, buy lovely pots direct, and sometimes pick up wonderful, if slightly imperfect work. Sadly, "Dry-Clean-Bag Opening" doesn't have quite the same ring and probably won't catch on.

5th March

Two steams today, one for the clamped scarves and another for just waxed work. I could have done both lots together but the roll would have become very large. I also managed to wash out the clamped scarves so they are ready for their labels to be sewn in. I am pleased with the latest waxworks and think that I am going to allow design to move on through the work itself, rather than by making a design on paper and then trying to interpret it on the fabric. In the last week I have done something new for me, which is to explore (with collage on paper) a new direction that seemed to be taking place on the fabric. The cart does sometimes move the horse.

The latest pieces in wax are about straighter and more parallel lines and a "top"edge of overlapping shapes. This top edge is in fact the long edge of the scarf so the residual reality of the design is no longer interpreted from the natural direction of the scarf. That sounds mighty pompous in a world where other things like ice-caps melting matter somewhat more, but such are the oddnesses of artists' thoughts and obsessions.

Here is a detail from one of the new pieces, now steamed but with remaining wax still stiffening it so it isn't ironed - and consequently I can't yet remove the rumples. I made this particular one in blacks and grey. When I do monochromes I always find I want to slip in a colour at the last moment. Like Odysseus listening to the sirens and tying the crew to the mast, I feel I have to shackle down the colours before setting out.

6th March

The world seemed a safer place this morning when I thought Ivor Cutler was still in it, but this afternoon it was announced that he had died on Friday. His brand of silliness is essential to my personal survival on this planet. I saw him once in the early 1980s at Elephant Fayre in Cornwall but had long been a fan of his deadpan humour. If you've never heard of him here is an obituary.

Once in Nepal, when we were undertaking a very modest trek through a small patch of tame jungle we were given a serious briefing on what to do in the event of being attacked by a sloth bear, a rhino or a tiger or, perhaps, all three at once. In any case survival seemed less than likely, but swiftly climbing a tree might have been an option for us facing an enraged rhino. As we looked around and realised that none of the trees had branches below 15 feet we soon deduced that Ivor Cutler's Jungle Tips (found on his LP Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol 2) would probably have been more useful that the advice we were offered by the cheerful Nepalese guides and the knowledge of this cheered us up hugely. As it happened there were signs of little or no wildlife except for the very noisy trekkers hoofing through the undergrowth half an hour or so ahead of us. But we never saw them. Maybe they were all eaten, or the tigers played a loud recording of their trampling footsteps to make us feel complacent. Stressed meat is just so indigestible when you're a hungry tiger.

Today the full dry-cleaning bag left my hands for the one phase of the work cycle that takes place outwith my control. Outwith is a word much found lurking high in the shielings and is used in celebration of the wonderful Mr Cutler. Tomorrow the dry-cleaning will be ready, the camera will roll and new work will be displayed on this site.

I have also set up a Paypal account and when I have worked out how to operate it I shall sit here waiting for all your cheques to roll in. Except that cheques are nothing at all to do with Paypal, come to think about it. Cue harmonium with a suitably merry Scots dirge.

7th - 10th March

I know before I start that this update is going to be one of those boring old draggy 5 star yawn did-this-did-that ones. 7th - 10th March; an insomnia cure to beat all those herbal pillows and potions of sun-dried valerian and ferret claw. I did three twisty scarves and somehow made them too wet so have ended up with scarves in every subtle shade of tedious mud. Perhaps I should investigate the goo that will safely discharge silk because that's all I can think of doing with them short of floor cleaning, except that the floor would probably get up and flounce out insulted. In addition to these excitements I've been fiddling with this website, relearning a few Dreamweaver / Fireworks procedures because it's so long since I used them, and posting a parcel. Oh, I also swept the studio floor, washed some jars and paid my credit card bill.

There, I told you it would be boring. I can recommend this illustrator, however and you'll have much more fun with her then me so cut along quick and look at this.

Detail from waffle georgette scarf, recent batch

11th - 12th March

Just as I am settling down to a world without Ivor Cutler, I heard yesterday that Ali Farka Touré died last week. I chose this particular link about him out of many because of a personal identification with the final line in the piece. He is quoted as saying that he knew his music was regarded as entertainment in the West and that he didn't necessarily expect people to understand it. But he hoped that some would take time to listen and learn.

Through the first contact of Ali Farka Touré I've found Salif Keita, Rokia Traoré, Oumo Sangaré, Toumani Diabaté, Amadou and Mariam and so on; so while I am not really near understanding I have certainly listened. A lot of my work has been made to the sound of Mali's music. I feel a kind of empathy but know I can't have any deep and direct knowledge of it- if that makes sense.

It reminded me of something I heard on the radio this week (Midweek, BBC Radio 4). There was a discussion with Dr Ian Player of the Wilderness Foundation. He was explaining how, when he takes groups of people into the African wilderness they are at first very fearful, hearing the nocturnal sounds of lions tearing zebras apart etc; feeling incredibly vulnerable. He remarked that after a few days there was often a huge change and people suddenly, and rather to their own surprise, declared that they felt (my words) calm and at home. Dr Player theorised that as the human race emerged out of Africa, deep down we retain an affinity with the sounds and landscape of the Continent.

I just remembered that on 11th March 2005 my brother and Pete rounded Cape Horn in Berrimilla and I was struggling with MOD paperwork trying to send a spare generator to them in Port Stanley.

Now back to a new series of scarves and making some preparations for teaching my course on Saturday.

13th - 14th March

I have made three more scarves in the series called Meadow. A slightly twee name but I have to choose things that instantly remind me of which design I am talking about as it helps when a gallery or client wants something in a particular series. Having a name helps me know which work they are talking about. This design is really about looking out over and across the tops of grassland or meadow when you can see shapes of the tops but also the straight lines of the stalks. Like this:

The new work is developing from a set of more or less straight lines with shapes at the top (see image on left) to overlapping shapes which are in some kind of more organised balance or relationship with the straight lines (right). The shapes are formed by the movement of the waxed brush on the silk and are only loosely connected to actual grassland shapes.

18th March

I'm pretty exhausted after a day's teaching 9 students two methods of dyeing: twist-dyed and clamped scarves. It was a new course in a new venue, and so I wasn't sure how the timing would work, or how we would fit into and manage to work in the space. It was a freezing cold day and 4 students had started out very early to drive here from Bristol, with another pair travelling up from South Devon. There were also three local students.

I started them off with the twist-dyed so that the work could go into the steamer at lunchtime and the students could take those scarves home. The clamped scarves, which they did in the afternoon, will need to be steamed tomorrow and I'll post them back.

My thanks to all the students for working so hard and allowing me to use images of them and their work (more will follow); to Anna and Charles for their welcome, preparations, and lovely food at Thomas Roberts House, and to the support team here at home for fetching and carrying gear back and forth during the day.

19th - 22nd March

All work is now steamed and returned to students. Here is a selection of their clamped scarves:

These were all produced using the same folds, shape and placement of clamp. The differences are due to colour choice, dilution of dye, whether a hair-dryer was used or not, etc etc.

I have just discovered that the type of sheer organza scarf blank I have been offering on my courses is out of stock at the major importer's in Germany. This is exceedingly bad news because although there are alternatives, the organza is a good quality, lower-priced scarf and ideal for courses and beginners. I don't know whether there are production problems in China but I may have to do some rethinking if they have become long-term unavailable. Phone calls need to be made tomorrow as I only have 5 blanks in my store cupboard.

Yesterday I achieved the highest-ever visitor rate on my website and as my husband was engaged in reading a rather astonishing memoir by Frederick Spencer-Chapman I know it wasn't him endlessly clocking in and out to massage the Old Bat's ego.

Spring is springing here, despite a bitterly cold wind. At least one flock of the ladies-in-waiting (see earlier this month) are due to lamb tomorrow, according to the shepherd that I meet in the lane, and there have been primroses, celandines and catkins out for a while. We've had a longer winter than many in recent years and the daffodils are only just opening.

Went up to Brannams Pottery today to pick up more of their very reduced garden pots. I'm not sure what lies ahead for this historic pottery which went into administration last year. Here is an article from the summer and two pictures I took inside the warehouse. It is desperately sad seeing this building, with all the skills it represents, lying quiet and empty.

23rd March

A phone call to Sinotex UK this morning helpfully clarified the position regarding some discontinued lines (waffle georgette, for instance) and the organza items I discovered yesterday were out of stock. As I understand it, this is now the situation. Sinotex UK has become an independent company. They are still distributing ARTY'S products. They also still continue to handle Hobbygross Erler, Efco Hobbyproducts. Sinotex GmbH (the former German sister-company to Sinotex UK ) has been taken over by Pebeo and is now trading as Pebeo Deutschland. The new Pebeo Deutschland company has begun to rationalise lines but will also develop more in due course. For some details and information click here. There have been a few other factors affecting supplies of silk, one of which is cocoon prices rising by 30% in China in the last year. It seems that the scarves I need will eventually return, but in the meantime I have decided to stock up with an alternative in gauze which is available now.

24th March

Being over fifty brings some dubious privileges. Amongst these is the fact that junk mail I receive now includes catalogues for some very unappealing footwear. Verbal descriptions include phrases like comfort fit and the copywriting department is at full stretch for different words that mean tedious brown. Today took me to another extreme. I am not quite at the age of deliberate purple as I have tended to wear attitudinous colours most of my life, and I still, occasionally, go for bright coloured tights if I choose to appear in something that is not trousers. No-one has bought or sold coloured tights in Devon for some years, unless there is an unseen agricultural use of which I am unaware. I will spare you that particular flight of fancy. If so, they must buy them mail order, which is what I did recently. Bright tights clearly means under-25 to those that do mailout targeting and I am now being sent catalogues for what I shall describe as complicated lingerie. Some of these garments are priced at more money per square textile inch than I can ever hope to achieve and I am wondering if I am in altogether the wrong game.

It seems, though, that the over 50s are being recognised as a not entirely spent force, at least in Brighton. Those of you under this magic age are forbidden to go here as you are too young. Should you download the Guidelines you will be offered a Large Print Version which amused me no end - and set me off thinking what else might be appropriate. A second copy of the Guidelines in case you can't remember where you put the first? A Very Loud Version?

Another (silk) show in which I have taken an interest involves my submitting, if invited, works to hang. The committee emphatically do not want scarves. But I think of my scarves as wearable paintings, I don't do hangings and I'd like to have a go at taking part. So I am playing around with my current design. This happens only to work horizontally as an idea (see 5th March) and it would look silly hung sideways so I am experimenting with a vertical version.

25th - 27th March

Today I started a commission for a Lizard scarf. This is one of my older designs that I don't mind repeating (some time back I wrote about this, but can't find the reference just now). The design is done on a dyed ground and the outlines were drawn with spirit-based gutta resist. It's a long time since I worked in gutta and line like this and so I have, to be honest, been putting it off. But once I started, it was no problem. I am going to do another one as I'm not totally happy with the way this worked out and I may find a way to make some changes. If I go back to a design I am very familiar with I usually repeat it from where I left off, then maybe I can find a new way of treating it.

I also had an enquiry from a new gallery to see if I was interested in sending work and a request for a top-up of stock from another which sells my work consistently well. The owner said they had had a quiet month and other artists she'd spoken to were very worried about the lack of market interest around the country. Maybe it's just that time of year - or we are waiting for spring, or recovering from the budget, or the winter fuel bills.

28th March

Drew up another Lizard scarf. I took it more slowly than yesterday's, partly because the gutta had started to thicken up and it needed more pressure to keep it flowing. (I use the Pro-Liner applicator bottles shown below) which are easier / squeezier on my hand now that some arthritis is creeping into my thumb joint. I also wanted this second version to be more angular in design so I needed to draw more slowly.

I always use a spirit-based resist because it keeps a reliable, even line and will withstand a layered dyeing technique. The layered technique requires a line not to break down and allow dyes to bleed with the many applications of dye. Its disadvantage is that it must be dry-cleaned after steaming, to remove the gutta remaining in the fabric. The exception to the "no water-based resist in this studio" rule is Resistad which you can read about if you click the link. It requires a little more dedication to obtain than spirit-based gutta (it comes from New Zealand) but is well worth it. And you can wash it out.

29th March

Lizard II now finished. I have managed more angularity in the shapes of the Lizards.

The scarf is worked on 14mm crêpe de Chine... .....and the newly-arrived lambs in wool

30th March

We were on the road early this morning to an art / business networking event in the middle of Dartmoor. It was to last until midday, after which we'd hoped to walk to Wistman's Wood, an area of ancient oak trees covered in ferns, mosses and lichens. I've been told about it, and that it is a very strange and special place. Unfortunately the weather prevented the walk as visibility was very poor; so it was replaced by Cornish pasties and a cuppa in Tavistock, by way of consolation. Very nice they all were.

As if dreary shoes weren't enough (see 24th March), I then came home to an e mail from Amazon cheerily offering me a book entitled "Beat Memory Loss : The Complete Guide to Making the Most of Your Memory". Perhaps these images of Dartmoor this morning are illustrations of what Amazon predicts for my ageing brain.

The magazine Devon Life has a big article on Devon Artsculture this (April) issue and they have used a large image of one of my Savannah shawls. My little camera (I took the picture before I bought the new one) has done really well. I did know the image was going to appear sometime because they'd asked me for a caption - but had forgotten all about it.

Tomorrow I need to label lots of scarves, write despatch lists, make up two parcels of work for two galleries, chase up the blank scarves I've ordered, send out two CDs of images, order some more dyes, oh, help, and what were the other things... oh, help, maybe phone Amazon?

31st March

I labelled some scarves, didn't do the despatch lists or the parcels (because there's no point sending them until Monday anyway, and it's my least favourite job so I put it off); sent the CDs with images, ordered the dyes, sent an e mail about the blank scarves and started Lizard III. I am now enjoying working with the gutta line again and keep wanting to do more. That's ok but I need to keep an eye on what I am producing because the "look" of my work is really the wax stuff at the moment.

The reason this is any kind of problem is because having separate "strands" of work and different media or ways of working seems to confuse. I once showed a collector of my scarves my sketch books. Her jaw dropped because she hadn't realised I could, and did draw, and I drew many things that are nothing to do with my scarf designs and images. She was a highly educated and creatively alert woman. Had she not realised why she liked my scarves? Why might producing scarves she liked preclude my being able to draw and observe? Why are the two things set apart?

In the recent past I have come mightily unstuck with selection procedures where I was later alerted to the fact that What Selection Committees Really Like is work that is all about the same thing. So it's no good entering images of my Lizard or Fish scarves in with the Savannahs and Tussocks when I am applying to anything. To a committee they look as though two people might have made them, that there are many sets of creative thoughts running through them which obviously indicates I have no clear sense of direction. Unfortunately, I am being quite serious here.

During online discussion about selection committes and juried exhibitions recently I read a lengthy and articulately reasoned description of how one should even consider the placement of one's slides in a folder for a selection, which colours of work one should choose, etc etc, and I must admit I found it smoulderingly depressing. I know committees are usually short of time, BUT.

The conclusion about this is that I either have to play the game and stop moaning, or not enter the match at all. Over the last year I have decided to enter the match in a controlled way and so what I submit to exhibitions, committees etc is a very, very tight glimpse of what I do. This means I need to concentrate on the main thrust of my direction while allowing myself the odd digression like the Lizards.

But I have allowed myself a little moan here and have broken my own rules so I apologise.