Pottery, Weaving ..and new shelving

The past couple of weeks I've been doing some pottery 

crafts with Ricky, my home-schooled student. 

Our feet and a plaque with a verse

We've also been making leaf-shaped soap dishes as that's what I'm interested in trialing with my soaps as a gift idea and Ricki's mum was happy to have a few one for herself and some as gifts.

 

Plus, I revisited the idea of making books with hand-made paper and ceramic covers again. I can't remember if I have blogged about or not but I have a friend who has a kiln she no longer uses and she is gifting it to me! All I need is a trailer and a few strong young men to help get it to my house. I'm hoping my son, Cam (16) and my two nephews (22 and 20) will assist me with it here so I can use it.

With my little soap business expanding to supply 3 shops I was very happy to be the winning bidder on this shelving unit. It's pretty big and only JUST fit in my parents van but was a great score for only $30 ..plus it was a local seller. I'm looking to get some baskets to better make use of the shelving space as the soap needs to cure for a few weeks before it gets labeled and ready for selling.

 TAPESTRY/WEAVING
I attended the monthly weaving group mid August...

 There was a number of looms set up and Erin demonstrated double-sided weaving which totally bamboozled me! I had my pohutukawa tapestry with me so worked on that while the ladies
 discussed weaving and other things of interest to them. There's a retreat being organised in November so that was one of the topics they talked about.( I probably won't go as I'll be working)

 A few of the table looms

 And one of the projects a weaver had been working on.
She is planning to chop the 13 metre length up
 to sew into jackets

My pohutukawa tapestry is ALMOST finished. I've sewn up all the "slits" (areas where there's a vertical colour difference) and decided to add hills by embroidering some brown over the light blue wool, plus added the hem/border top and bottom. Naoko, the main weaver for the Whangarei Community Tapestry Project explain a couple of techniques for binding as I hadn't allowed enough warp for a lower fringe. She also suggested it could be made into a cushion but with all our animals I think I'll back it and hang it on the wall.

It was Daffodil Day yesterday and something I've been thinking of is designing and making a tapestry for the Cancer Society..or maybe I'll have to make a few,... one for Domain Lodge and one for Oncology at Auckland Hospital where I had Radiotherapy.

3D Sculpture - Koru

I've been working on the sides of my koru and can I just say, working with this stuff can be a little unforgiving and a lot frustrating! Needless to say, it's tuck away waiting for me to get re-inspired to continue working on it. Here's what happened...

 As you can see in the close up pics, some of the hebel

 has chipped away as I've been chiseling the grooves.

 Especially at the top were it's curved.

I phoned Heather, who works with Hebel and sells her carvings at The Bach. She suggested I send her some photos (which I did) and she gave me some ideas on how to fix the problem and also sent me a photo showing one way she turned "a mistake" into a feature. It was a bit daunting sharing my work with her (but i know it's important to get feedback) and she was really helpful. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with her suggestions.

Time Spent: 2.5 hours

An "Ink Corporated" Exhibition

Two of the print-makers that attended the Te Kowhai Print Workshop (that I went to last month) are currently holding an exhibition of their work at The Wilson Art Gallery on the NorthTec Campus here in Whangarei. I was invited to attend the opening and was really amazed at what they'd achieved as part of their Art's programme as Honour students. 

It certainly gave me a bit of an idea of what I'd need to attain 

should I continue onto the next part of the TLC Diploma

 course...and I'm not sure if I am up to it! 

Here some photos of the opening..

Below is Hamish (on right), he's one of the exhibitors

 and he took one of the printmaking workshops one week

 (I think "woodcuts" but can't really remember)

This is one of h's wood cuts..and he was working on

it during  my time at the Te Kowhai Print Workshop

These woodcuts are HUGE...as you can see by 

the size in comparison to the man standing next 

to the woodcut. On the right is the printed image.

These photo blocks (above) show how Martinus and 

Hamish took prints from their huge woodcuts.

Some more of their amazing prints...

 ...and a couple of the woodcuts. 

The detail was amazing!

I can only hope, with time and practice 

I'm able to produce this level of work!