Back again day 47 in lockdown with the coronavirus. we are so fortunate here and feel so distressed to see the hardship in other parts of the world some due to their leaders.

I am realising the meditative quality of stitch and this is a small meditation.

I have been invited into an exhibiting Art Group called Athena here in Newcastle and we recently had an exhibition. I made small abstract stitched pieces looking a lot at Smart's work.

How time flies

So I had a week where I painted, it was short lived but this looks better in the photo than in real life

Two years on!

Where I  live now.

It is 3 years since I last blogged a short time, I guess, in a life time but my life has changed so very much that I want to share what I am doing now.This is some old Japanese silk I dyed with pomegranate.
I have returned to India flint and begun that journey again.

 Jude Hill of "Spirit Cloth"is a blog I followed for a long time, and my joy in discovering her online classes, has been great and I wanted to have a platform to share my textile moments.

 The photos at the top of the post, are at the end of my small lawn. It is so very tranquil and beautiful but not a lot of sharing ideas and work. For that I miss my Melbourne life and friends.
Another great influence on my recent work has been Junko Oki.This is my first adventure.

and again...

Talk about tardy blogging! I am still studying at Uni , the study period was about "colour" so I put together this collage, the other connection was colour in our neighbourhood.
Most of the paintings are from the past and no longer in my possession

Just easing myself in gently...

Hot, Hot, Hot

Having a great deal of difficulty with the heat...so watching a lot of you tube and movies..thank goodness Uni starts tomorrow as my brain is like a pudding.

Went to a performance of "Souvenir".







Helen Noonan plays Florence Foster Jenkins with Stephen McIntyre as her long term accompanist and longsuffering support.
Helen is a wonderful actress full of great energy and spirit. I laughed and laughed.Her singing out of tune is a bravura performance.

New Neighbour

It is a problem living in the inner city that people come and go with rapidity. There is always such anxiety....what age are they? Will they hav music with a "sub-woofer" blasting (just learned that one)
Well did I get a jackpot this is the work of my new neighbour

Joanna Logue.

As well as talented and clever they are super fun...what more can an "old girl" want in life

Respite from the heat

 The post in 2011 I was planning on a large piece and this is a small version and curiously I think this is a case where scale determined the piece.

 An embroidered cuff made for my friend

This was an old footstool and I had some conservative tapestry made for it however  I thought I needed a little more colour (!!!!)

 I am thrilled ...... the top painting is now in Vienna in the home of a beautiful and talented ex-student of mine. It was such a thrill to have a visit from her last year, after 35 years.

 Last week I had to have my cisteria cut down from the back (small) garden, however this was some dyeing I did on jersey wool it was really bright and very exciting.
It is tragic to lose a tree, but I have enjoyed it for 4 years.

absent blogger

I realise now that the format has changed since my last foray, also another computer so here goes

I was part of a group exhibition last year  Here are some of the pieces in the show....... there were stitched pieces and small framed paper/card and foamcore sculptures.. I realised that the work I had tried to do previously was too large, my studio is small and so I had to work within those perameters.

I dream of a large space, look with longing at studio spaces on the internet...but I love WHERE I live and that is the most important thing.

 This is one of 4 small sculptured pieces.

 These are stitched with stranded dmc thread, based on the sculptures and shapes I had wished to make in large forms,..... there were 8 in the exhibition.

 This time I used perle threads and again there is a common idea of shapes determining the works.

Another of the larger ones they were all called "Tea with ...." an artist

I am not able to change things on the page the way I want, will need to spend time on the new format but at least I have begun again...even if it is weekly or somewhat erratic.

Wooden cutout

This is the next piece cut out in wood. I copied each layer, drawing then photocopying in size AO. An artist friend of mine has cutit out, there is some fine tuning to be done and then I will begin painting, which should be fun,

Another piece

Here is the next piece I have sort of finished in an earlier incarnation and then.... I am talking to a friend about these possibly just being the maquettes and the pieces being cut out of wood...still puzzling about it but enjoying the process.

Alun Leach-Jones

Have idetified the origin of the drawings......Alun Leach-Jones. I should have remembered I look at his work a lot.

I found these two drawings in an old sketchbook and thought they would make small pieces in the new medium. The trouble is I am not sure if I copied them from Braque, or Ben Nicholson or ??? If anyone can tell me I would be grateful. I usually put a note beside them but didn't this time. I bought this lovely little bag at a Turkish shop recently. It is bright embroidery on the front set in black leather......trying to draw each day....and I realise that it is a rare day which does not include some kind of drawing. Had a lovely day with a friend Anne and Jo (Mystory) yesterday where we did very fast drawings. I loved the shapes within the fragments. I HAVE PLANS FOR THESE WATCH THIS SPACE ! Sorry no colour this time it belies the nomenclature of the site. Never mind....next post

New Directions

I have talked about Elizabeth Murray and howI am playing with works influenced by her work I really love doing the drawings and may have to paint canvases as well. Sorry the above came out sideways....i have no idea why...? This is the beginning of working the drawing in a previous post in 3D In my excitement I spoke to someone about digital lazer cutting of wooden shapes.....It appears that it is out of my price range, so I am beginning with small pieces using cardboard and polystyrene. This is the work as it progresses. I think this may be "it" I am keen to begin the next one...a bit larger next time. In the meantime I have sent some designs to "Spoonflower". Digital screen printing on fabric....how exciting will that be. I will share when they come.

For Smiling

These are not my images however I wanted to share I wish I had made these how wonderful they look