March 2018

TEXTILES/WEAVING

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, Japan also 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.

Phone call/catch up with Andrew

I had a phone call from Andrew on Friday and we talked about what I'd been up too lately. As always, I get freaked out by getting called but came away from our conversation feeling encouraged. 

One of the things I said I'd do was write up a "contract" stating I was to give myself permission to be imperfect, to make mistakes and remind myself that the destination is important but so is the journey.

 I need to repeat positive affirmations over and over until I start to believe them. (some days it's easier than others!)  

So.... I give myself permission to be imperfect...I release myself from any need to strive for perfection. I know that my imperfections help to make up the unique and wonderful person that I am. My imperfections enhance my beauty. All I have to do is look toward nature to discover the beauty in imperfection. In a grove of colorful trees in the fall, each tree is just as beautiful as the next, although not a single leaf is the same. With zebras, each one has imperfections in its stripes, which add to its unique beauty and individuality. I realize that those who love me do not love me for being perfect, but for being who I am,  including all of my imperfections. My flaws are an integral part of the total package. If I were perfect, I would be a different entity altogether. My shortcomings help me to grow and learn. Self-improvement brings the joy of success in knowing that I am getting better and better. If I were perfect, I would never feel this joy and I would have nothing to aim for. I would wander aimlessly through life. My imperfections also bring variety to my life. Because I am imperfect, I change as life goes on. I process my experiences in my own unique ways and I am a little different from one day to the next.

~o0o~

Textiles and Tapestry

 I swear I undo as much as I do! I guess to positive side of that is I'm learning what's not going right for me and by redoing something over and over I'm actually finding a way to make it work.

  "Through experimentation and play we learn, and with 

knowledge comes a confidence in our own abilities"

While we are still on the topic of weaving, I received some disappointing news today. My application was unsuccessful and I've been feel quite down since (I'm trying not to take it personally!)

~o0o~

Experimenting with felting

 I had another go at felting (and dyeing)

 This time using the correct type of fibre/wool 

and was pleased with the results. 

 The hues of the dyes used (some leftover fabric dyes) leaned itself to duplicating my koru weaving so traced the shape onto tracing paper, pinned and cut it out.

 After working it "into" the wool fibres this was the finished piece. I'm sure there's an easier /better (different) way of doing this but i had fun and looking forward to experimenting with more felting in the future. I'd love to make books with handmade paper and different sorts of covers, including felted. 

 Dyeing with cold pressed wool dyes
I enjoyed the process of dyeing with Earth Palette dyes which I purchased online.

What  I have realised is it's going to take a HUGE amount of fibres/core wool (and dye!) for my next Wearable Arts project.  Though I do know of a sheep farmer from The Bach so maybe I can do a bit of a "deal" with her .

~o0o~

Pottery/Ceramics

My Feet

 Worded hearts - these are going to have little magnets

glued on the back so they can be used for adhering

stuff to the fridge. Make nice little gifts too.

 

Experimenting with dyeing/felting - 7 hours
Ceramics/pottery - 15 hours
Tapestry/weaving - 10 hours

August update - what I've been doing

It took me a few weeks to feel like I'd properly "recovered" from The Art 'n Tartan Awards Show and when I could I worked on a small tapestry I've challenged myself to do.

 It's probably a bit hard to see what it is at the moment but it will be a koru once completed.

 It sounds easy but getting a nice smooth circle is easier said than done! I've had to undo this a couple of times because it hasn't looked right but I think I've mastered the "pattern" now.

I've also been busy quote gathering, sourcing where to purchase materials needed for the next community tapestry project and preparing to write up the Application for Creative Communities Scheme Funding through the Whangarei District Council. Closing date was on Friday 12th August and we should know if we've been successful in getting funding approved by mid September 2016. Hopefully, I put forward a good exposition!

~o0o~

As I wasn't working yesterday (Saturday) and as 

 it wasn't raining I decided it was a good day to test

 out my new paper-making pulley-system.  

 

Bricks in to lift it...

 ..bricks out to lower it back into the bath

 

 It was really easy to use though I still plan to use the deckle (top frame) as a second mold and make thinner deckles so I can clamp the two together. While one is draining I can have a second on the go. I do have a mold that is half the size so used that in between and made a good stack of paper that is now drying.

~o0o~

Tapestry weaving 3 hours

Community Project Application Proposal for funding 15 hours

Paper-making 7 hours