Tuesday 28 August 2012

A very good week

I had a wonderful exhibition week with generous comments like ' is this the local art groups work?' ' lovely use of color' & 'inspiring' What more could a girl want? Financially it was pretty good, too, encouraging us to think about doing it again next year......!








 My rout to the exhibition - this is one mile from home
(click to see the lighthouse)

We still have work left of course but inspired by a chat about integrity with my photographer friend, who told me he'd have all new work next time, it ocurred to me that I couldn't possibly drag all this lot out.....again.




arriving in Plockton

So I've started to plan a new body of work - daunting but exciting


 the inlet next to the Hall

And quite a focus!







Driving home (yes I did stop safely to take the pic, many don't!) I'm on the mainland so that's Skye over there in the delicious clouds

I think I'd have come to that conclusion on my own, eventually, about new work as I did think a couple of times 'if so & so comes all the way over here specially,  they've seen it all before'

a tiny detour to the car park so I could get a pic of the bridge over to Skye

It gave me a small feeling in the pit of the stomach but I can now say all that work was for the 12 months of '11/'12 all new for 2013 - wow, what a sense of purpose I have now!



So I finally got one of 3 cushions finished! One visitor said how awful for me to just have to sit there all day & I told her it was bliss as I could get some work done ;)






A too bright pic of the 'piping' - my version of piping anyway - I think I stitched it in a conventional way, no cord,  but the strip of fabric was made up of lots of different colors & pieces of fabric....as you can see. Very time consuming but the pieces are generally the size they are, leftover size.


I couldn't leave the back out, I love a bit of detail. So using my rotary cutter ( yes I actually own one!) I sliced the 'piping' strip & zigzaged it down, quite sweet I thought.


I put all the really tiny bits of fabric, dust some of it, onto a square of denim. As time passed I fiddled it (?) into 4 smaller squares - they did get knocked about a bit before I got to them, then I laid a piece of organza over it all stitched merrily & cut into 4. I intended to make cards with them until a visitor bought a brooch & I thought, Brooches! I did cut one in half & made 2 cards, above, along with a few simple shell stamp cards & assembled some Acer leaf prints I'd done before into cards.






I put together a few of these cards too - I keep my card designs in A5 envelopes & each envelope should have all the necessary component parts (they don't always!)  so that I can grab my 'kit' & a glue stick & make them up 'on location'. The star is a commercial stamp & the hearts is made from cutting card shapes & gluing them down into a 'stamp'. The cards are sitting on a painted background, 6 A4 sheets in various stages - I took over a mini studio so I could dash off some card/collage papers. I seem to be very disciplined when I know I'm going to be 'stuck' somewhere for a length of time - I usually take too much stuff tho but I can't bear the idea of not having anything to do, a sort of fear of boredom I think  (I never get bored!). With a note book always with me & calming Yogic breathing & relaxation, it's not such a worry any more.

 

Lastly, I made these earings. I had my very good customer come by & she bought the 3 I had - I'd hoped to have given her a better selection but she inspired me to make more, anyway ;)

The pics are the right way thank goodness - you did make me laugh with your ricked neck comments! I think as I'd forgotten to resize the last post pics & loaded them in a one-er blogger couldn't cope, not surprisingly. So now I have a little free time before the Xmas craft fairs production kicks in to come by all of yours & visit!



15 comments:

Heloise said...

Wonderful photographs and love the cushion. Good that it all went well. Lots of creating ahead of you which I am sure you will enjoy.

Jill said...

What scenery, you obviously love, it as it so frequently features in your posts, and who could possibly be bored surrounded with such views?
I'm looking forward to sharing your new 'body of work', not that I mind looking at the '11-'12 . You always seem to have something new to view.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful place you live Emma, so peaceful by the sea. Love that cushion, might as well work while you are there all day, I would too! Wonderful concentration and effort on your evolving work. Your voice is in it everywhere. xox

ju-north said...

Your lovely work reflects the beautiful place where you live! You must be thrilled that all your hard work has paid off!

Cate Rose said...

It's certainly more "civilized" where you live than what I imagine when I look at a map of the British Isles. A bridge to Isle of Skye? Oh my, who woulda thunk!
Glad your show went so well. I so wish I had a viable place to sell stuff where I am...but, too many artists, nobody buys, yada yada yada.
Look forward to seeing what you come up with next year!
xo

Iz said...

Just catching up with blogs - glad to hear the exhib went well, and I love the earrings ;)!

Maggi said...

Congratulations on a successful exhibition. Lovely pieces shown here and good to hear that you are fired up and ready to go for next year.

Nellie said...

It is exciting to hear of your successful show! It's good to hear that you are motivated to begin again for next year.:)

sue said...

Fantastic that you are feeling so buoyed by the success of the show. The added benefit of feeling purposeful is very exciting too. I see big things ahead!

mano said...

glad to hear that your exhibition was so successful!
wonderful pictures from a wonderful landscape! :-) mano

Robin Mac said...

Gorgeous photos - as usual. How long has that bridge been there, I don't seem to remember it from our visit in 1990? I am so glad your work sold so well, that cushion is lovely. Next year you will have ever so much to sell, you seem to have so many ideas in your head already. I'm not surprised those earrings sold so quickly. Cheers

Jan said...

Hello Emma, glad your show was a success and made all your efforts worthwhile. I've just had a nice long look at all your photos, double clicking on them. Beauty all around you, no wonder you are a creative. Love how you let no tiny bit go to waste. as always, you inspire me to get busy and create more.

ArtPropelled said...

Great to hear your show was worthwhile and you are inspired to continue creating for the next one.

Anonymous said...

I can't bear to sit and face the possibility of being bored either - it's become quite a joke with family and friends! Really looking forward to seeing where your new ideas take you!

Catharina Maria said...

Beautiful photos !
Have visit long time ago Plockton , it was nice there to be !
Love ♥RINI♥