I continued to work on my art-inspired painting from Gustav Klimt. I was discouraged that the black marker pen showed through the white but knew I need to push through and not let that inhibit me. While working on the second piece a "light went on" and I opted to stencil over red (using an underturned McD's plastic drink container lid) and the hole was almost the perfect size. I choose to allow slight imperfection in my work and feel really proud of that fact!
I was sure I'd taken photos of my processes for this but unfortunately I didn't (I must have been too caught up in "the doing" of it!) I cut up pieces of sponge to create the desired shapes and randomly stamped them to create the patterns. I had planned to outline in black but was really worried I'd wreck it and be disappointed. This in itself annoys me that I am STILL caught up in fear of exploratory creativity.
I was invited to go to the members-only opening of the Whangarei Quilt Show. As always, there was an amazing display of quilts and I restrained myself in only buying a $2 bundle of craft magazines. Lots of ideas which I will probably never have time to do unless I live to 150!
Ricky and I continued to work on the wooden assemblage (planter box) for his Mum. He has become so much more confident and skilled in wood-working since we began which is great to see.
A book that was recommended to me by Catherine at TLC. I was talking with her (actually crying!) at my sadness to be finishing up my Diploma, Honours programme when I was down at the encaustic art workshop in April and she said this book was really helpful to her. I jumped on Fishpond and ordered it but yet to read it.
My cat is so funny. She likes to sleep on things. I had covered Ricky's planter box with a tarp. Silly cat jumped up thinking she could curl up and sleep on top not realising it was an empty box frame! I couldn't help but grab my camera and take photos as she slowly descended like an elevator going down!
I've finally completed weaving the "water" and now on to the beach/sand area. I enlarged the portion of the artwork so I could better follow the colours.
To make it easier to find the wool (colours) we wanted I spent an hour or so attaching a short piece of wool to each box and then organised all the boxes into their colour groups. It saved time when looking for a particular wool colour!
Textiles (weaving) 12 hours
Ordering and organising wool 2 hours
PLANNING/ORGANISING
I'm a bit ashamed as I only got around to filling out one of these weekly planners over March. I was preparing for my daughter's wedding in Tauranga on the 10 March, then after the wedding and returning home I was then focusing on getting for my trip to Wellington. Excuses I know, but I am trying to discipline myself in writing done my goals and tasks for each day/week.
Planning/Organising 1 hour
TEACHING/ENCOURAGING OTHERS
Ricky and I worked on the rest of the crosses we'd started before Christmas.
We also started another wooden assemblage for his Mum. Ricky's measuring, cutting, and screwing skills continue to improve with each project.
Mosaic work - 5 hours
3D Design/wooden assemblage - 5 hours
PRINTING IMAGES ON FABRIC USING INKJET PRINTER
I offered to make printed calico bags for a lady at work whose husband makes kauri puzzles. Along time ago I bought freezer paper with the intentions of printing on fabric with my printer so once I'd located that I cut out an A4 piece and ironed it on the back of a piece of calico. Care needs to be taken with cutting as any frayed edging can get caught in the printers' rollers. Hans had a hand-drawn image which I scanned onto my laptop and edited it ready for printing. Unfortunately, despite my efforts to ensure clean cut edges, the fabric still jammed. I'm yet to retry printing it...
Textile printing 1 hour
3D DESIGN/SCULPTURE: WHALE TAIL
I've been itching for some time to do some carving and decided to sculpt a whale tail out of the piece of hebel. I find the process calming and soothing.
3D Sculpture 3 hours
PHOTOGRAPHY:
I drove to Tauranga with my parents, who are 89 (Dad) and 80 (Mum) for my daughter's wedding on the 10th of March. We stopped off at my Dad's sister's place for a cuppa and I snapped a few photos before we left as it may be the last time they see each.
We stopped at Karangahake Gorge for lunch and I used the opportunity to capture some of the beautiful scenery on camera.
The day before the wedding we took a drive to Mt.Maunganui which is not far from Tauranga. We enjoyed a stroll along the beach-front which was only a stones-throw from the shops, cafes and apartments and the surf was spectacular and imposing! Here's a few of my photographs.
The morning of my daughter's wedding...
...it was a beautiful morning. While the bridal party was getting the hair an hair and makeup done, I snapped a few more photos.
The flowers...
...and the venue where the wedding and reception was being held was lovely!
Painting 4 hours
MORE PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography/editing 14 hours Blogging 10 hours
CERAMICS
I continued to make soap dishes as they have been selling well. I also spent a couple of evenings glazing and looking on the internet for a boot pattern that I could use to make herb planters. I'm really keen to try pit firing now the weather has cooled down and have a stack of wood that I could use (hopefully before my Diploma concludes in May)
Ceramics: hand-building soap dishes 3 hours
hand-glazing bisque-fired pottery 3 hours
Internet research (design) 1 hour
I can't remember if it was a TLC student or someone else on Facebook but I came across the YouTube video (below) and I wanted to post it here on my blog so I could remember it for the future. Onta ware, Japanalso spelled Onda, refers to a type of Japanese pottery produced in and around the village of Onta in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. If I ever go Japan, I would definitely visit "Onta"
The earth for the pottery is found in Onta in the mountains. It normally comes in the form of rocks and needs to be ground to a pulver. This is done by the usage of traditional water scoops or mills called kara-usu, which rely purely on the flow of the river. The wooden mills grind the earth into a powder, which is then washed and filtered multiple times to purify the material. It is then dried, sometimes over a large oven.
The village is a tightly-knit community, with families of potters going back generations. The work such as the purification of the earth is done by women, while men are responsible for actually creating the wares. Pieces are never signed by an individual but only with the sign of the Onta village. This is to signify that the production of a single vessel was the combined work of the community, not just one person.
Onta ware traditionally consists of utility vessels such as bowls, plates, and tea cups. The style is most often slipware.
l love the way they purify the mud (all by hand!) and the respect they have of the environment for generations to come. Amazing work, the connectivity and sustainability by not commercializing into industrial product which inspires me to view my soapmaking and papermaking in the same way.
November has been a frustrating month. I injured myself doing the hedge which is over 10 metres long and had grown almost twice my height! I'm really regretting thinking I could do it as I'm not suffering - suffering with tingling, burning and numbness in my arms but particularly in my hands. I've been enforced to limit my activities as a result and this has been very frustrating creatively-speaking but it's also been distressing and had me in tears of anguish.
RICKY-TIME: Teaching/Encouraging
Ricky's glazed garlic pots, ready for firing.
Ricky said he enjoyed making them and often asks me when we are next going to do pottery.
We made up box-frames for concrete tiles (his mum needed them for the fireplace)
At the request of Ricky's Mum, we also attempted to make a mitred-cornered picture frame for a tapestry his sister had done. As I didn't have the proper tools I had to ask his Mum to get someone else to cut the mitred corners, which she did.
I've done my best at gluing/stapling but then learned the backing board Ricky and I had stretched the tapestry around was too think once glass put into the frame so I've had to cut a second, thinner board up-cycled from an unwanted picture frame and re-stretch the tapestry.
PLANNING/ORGANISING
TLC Programme Support, Dane Devine has been helping me over the months to plan my week and then record my creative activities. I did have a Weekly Organiser pad but haven't been able to find it in my messy system so I went online and found some weekly organisers that are free and printable. My daughter Sarah who is at home studying too, offered to help me sort out my "Creative Spaces" - there is still much to do but she has helped me sort two areas. It's great to be able to find things again!
POTTERY
I haven't been able to do much pottery but did manage to make some plant makers. I thought they might sell well at The Bach Gallery. They are yet to be fired and glazed.
HARVESTING/FORAGING
With the longer days I've been making the effort to spend time outside in my garden again. I harvested more calendula for soap and salve making, along with comfrey and borage
The flax bush that I'd cut up for paper-making and had in water in the outdoors bath with starting to smell pretty bad! My daughter reluctantly, but graciously helped me get it out and lay it on the lawn for processing. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to cut it up mow though - what I really need is some sort of big munching machine that can cope with the fibrous nature of flax!
TAPESTRY WEAVING/COMMUNITY PROJECT:
Naoko and I discussed how we were going to work and weave the "water" - she suggested hatching and I suggested colour blending the yarns by splitting them in half and then re-plying them. We compromised by doing both. The process of doviding the 8 ply wool was a it tedious but over time I've adapted my technique and cut the dividing time in half. Nothing like a challenge to make one look for solutions!
SOAP-MAKING/SALVE-LABELING
I spent several days over the month having to make soap so I didn't run out of stock over Christmas/January. I had great plans of selling soaps and balms at The Artisan's Market but with my tingling and burning issue in my arms I just had to let that go. I'd even organised another marketeer to sell on behalf for me. Fortunately with putting my prices up and having some ceramic soap dishes for sale I did ok over December sales-wise.
We started this leaf sculpture some weeks ago but it got put to the side with Ricky's Mum asking me to help Ricky make an upcycled pellet wood-box and then a catapult. We'd got as far as cutting and shaping it ad hollowing out the centre.
We started this leaf sculpture some weeks ago but it got put to the side with Ricky's Mum asking me to help Ricky make an upcycled pellet wood-box and then a catapult. We'd got as far as cutting and shaping it ad hollowing out the centre
Ricky's leaf (or flame, as his Mum suggested)
..and mine. I think Ricky did really well!
2 hours
Textiles
On the days it is to wet and cold to be making something outdoors, I've been helping Ricky make a vest he can wear on special occasions. He cut and stitched the fronts to the back at the shoulder seam and did the darts.
2 hours
Wood assemblage/3D Design
Ricky's Mum asked me if I could help Ricky make a Catapult. She found an easy-to-assemble design on the internet and brought the materials for him to build it. We watch the YouTube clip (multiple times!) and had him write down the measurements needed on paper; then cut, drilled and screwed them together following the plan to completion.
