Covert Postmodernism

Last week I was engaged in some 'covert' exhibition work. Well not really but it is beginning to feel like it as I cannot divulge at the moment suffice it to say it 'something's coming and it should be good'- I will reveal all as soon as its confirmed . However whilst involved in this adventure I also took time out to visit the Postmodernist exhibition at the V&A with my friend '77 Belle'.

We went, we saw, we got confused and ran away to have coffee.

I don't know why it just left me completely cold and I couldn't find one thing that actually inspired me in any way. Now I admit I know very little about this movement but that's not unusual and if I don't know usually exhibitions like this make me want to learn more -usually- but not this time. When we were discussing it later in the inner sanctum of the membership lounge at the V&A (excellent Lemon Drizzle cake there by the way) we did ponder if it was the familiarity of the objects and the period that had created this .......nothing feeling. But we couldn't put our fingers on it - any ideas those of you out there in blogland? I am a girl with a love of all things Morris and impressionist so maybe I just missed the point - but I thought I didn't like the Bauhaus until I saw the exhibition and that totally changed my perception.

The other strange thing was the place was empty! I have never been to a V&A blockbuster that I didn't have to push my way around even when it has been on ages but we were virtually the only people there. What a contrast to my feelings about the Grayson Perry I saw recently.

I am now up to my eyes in stitching - Hurray! working on my third piece for the forthcoming Bridging Waters exhibition and finishing off a few Christmas presents for family and its lovely to have needle in hand again.

I did have a comment on my last blog about using the computer as a creative medium and yes of course I often play with lovely programmes such as Paintshop Pro and Adobe (In fact the picture I showed in the last post was actually created using manipulated photos printed onto abaca tissue and then embedded with the emmbellisher onto home made felt and with stitch added)

What I don't like about the computer is being tied to it to do admin, interminable form filling and bill paying . Still all part of life rich tapestry I suppose.

Now I'm off to do covert things again ....pst,...Anyone seen my raincoat?

Colour, Creating, Computers and Canadians

Time passes so swiftly and there seems so much to do. Next year is now fully booked with regards to exhibiting (in deed the subsequent two years appear to be rapidly filling up as well) and I am beginning to panic that I am spending so much time in organising exhibitions and the associated paperwork,etc... that is attached to them that I spend more time at the computer than I do with a needle in my hands actually creating the work to be exhibited.

When I finished my degree I thought that time at the computer would decrease and at last I would have the time to concentrate on more creative aspects but alas -at the moment at least- that just isn't happening . I can remember that I learnt that at least 2 days a week, if not more, should be given over to 'office work' once you entered the realm of the professional artist but it is still quite a nasty shock when it becomes a reality. Still I live in hope than once the new year starts I can structure my time more successfully to allow lots of space for creating. I have so many ideas,so much I want to do on the practical side and I never really expected to end up doing more on the curatorial. Until then I know that I still have a great deal to organise for my Material Girls and my other commitments.

Still its not all work and no play.

Last week I met up with one of my fellow graduates from my course who was back over from Canada to visit her brand new Grandson. We met up in Docklands as I had to meet my daughter that day as well where she works and had a great natter over coffee and I showed her over the Docklands museum as it was new to her. It was great to see her again and I am hoping she will be able to visit our Bridging Waters exhibition either here next year or when it transfers to her native land.

I also attended the ERTF conference on Colour at Letchworth last Saturday. I thought after all my studies I had 'done colour to death' but it appears not! I am not a great user of brilliant colour preferring more muted tones but I am becoming very interested in the symbolism of colour and its effects on human mood and emotion. Our speaker - Joyce Honeysett- was extremely interesting and as you know we never stop learning.

Now I must get away from this computer and back to my threads.

Long Live Alan Measles

Tick,Tock,Tick,Tock... The relentless march of time has become a little overwhelming just recently hence the absence from blogging. Each week seems to bring a new commitment. Number of exhibitions now committed to for next year -4, number in the pipeline for 2013 onwards so far - 3. Its all very exciting but I must be careful not to allow quantity to override quality.

Some of these I can divulge;-

3 venues now in place for the Bridging Waters work - one of which will be a textile weekend hosted by Material Girls with all sorts of goodies other than the exhibition on offer in a delightful country venue in May (so watch out for more info on that)

and

A brand new arts trail being set up in Romford this summer as part of the cultural olympiad. Needless to say I have ended up in the organising group (basically if you came to the initial meeting you were hijacked!) .

The other events you will have to wait for news of but it will be worth the wait- definitely for one we will be trying to break totally new ground with regards to textiles. Am I tempting you?

In the meantime I have just been to the new Grayson Perry exhibition at the British Museum 'Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman' (what a great name)

and I am totally inspired . Perry's work is always a joy - beautiful and humorous and totally unpretentious. The balance between hi s pieces and those items from the museum collection were thought provoking but somehow just 'right' and I've come away with oodles of ideas.

And the best thing - the very best thing -was the ethos. Nowhere was there one piece of art speak- just plain English and common sense. The whole exhibition seemed to say 'welcome all, enjoy, have fun and just appreciate these beautiful things for what they are'. That doesn't mean to say pieces had no concept behind them - there was a reason, a concept for all , thought and care and love they just weren't trying to pretend they were something they weren't and trying to exclude those who weren't 'in on the language'.

There was one quote that really resonated with me

" Craftsmanship is often equated with precision but I think there is more to it. I feel it is more important to have a long and sympathetic hands-on relationship with materials. A relaxed.humble. ever curious love of stuff is central to my idea of being an artist. An important quality of great art of the past was the pure skill in the artist's use of materials. In celebrating craftsmanship I also salute the artists,well, most of them"

Grayson Perry 2011

And then there's Alan Measles- whats not to love about a rather battered well loved teddy bear.

Long live Alan Measles and all who love him.

Irritations

Sometimes I feel I am continually running up against a brick wall. Why oh why in this day and age is there such a demarcation between what people perceive as art and what they perceive as craft. I have had a couple of instances lately where when I say I am a textile artist people just look confused. If I say I produce work using fibre and stitch they ask if I make dresses or curtains, If I mention embroidery you can see their mind thinking cross stitch and their mouths saying 'isn't that rather old fashioned' and if I say I am an artist they immediately say -'oh do you use oils or watercolours?'

Its enough to drive someone insane! I even gave up the other day when at a bank filling in a form and they asked my occupation and when I told them they said 'I haven't got a box for that' so I ended up saying 'just tick the home maker one'. But I didn't want to- I've worked hard for my skill I would like it acknowledged.

I read an excellent article the other day by James hunting about the importance of achieving a balance between technique and concept- that they were both of equal and extreme importance and I so agree.Great 'Art', however conceptual, needs a grounding with good technique and all good 'Craft' stems from the ability to perfectly master a technique and combine it with a true concept. I wish we were still using the term artist craftsman it says so much more.

But how do we educate people - even those who are supposed to be part of this rather incestuous art world, to value textile art. There is a huge amount of unrecognized talent and creativity out there -Just in the last couple of days look at the blogs of people such as Brunel Broiderers and Judy Martin for inspiration, but do such as they ever appear 'in the nationals'

I suppose you could say its all about the creation not the recognition which is very true but we make work to be shared which usually involves exhibiting it and when the amount of affordable visual art spaces and galleries are getting fewer and fewer and the value of textiles still seems so underrated we desperately need a swing in opinion just to bring work to people who haven't experienced exactly what textile art is really about.

I don't know perhaps its just in my area-is it the same everywhere? the only thing I can do at the moment is go ARGHH!!!!!

Colour,Colour everywhere

A really busy week has seen me hanging the Primarily Colour exhibition at Craft Arena, giving a talk to the Chelmsford Branch of the Embroiderers Guild and taking a trip up to London to see the Treasures of Heaven exhibition at the British Museum before it closes.

It was interesting to see the 'colour' work hanging together at last - its previous outing hadbeen to the Jersey Textile Showcase in the Spring, where it was hung by the event curators. Unfortunately I was unable to get over there to see the results so this was the first time I was able to create the hang. The Craft Arena gallery in Billericay is the perfect space for this body of work being quite intimate and bright, I feel it shows the work off very well. Should you be in Essex in the next couple of weeks do visit as there are lots of things to do at the Barleylands Craft Village and a nice cafe as well as enjoying our work.

I hope the talk to the EG went well- I always find it difficult to judge with one eye on the clock and another trying to remember what you want to say and praying that it all makes sense. Talks aren't really my thing -I much prefer direct teaching.

Finally the trip up to London was well worth the effort. I had some business to attend to with a colleague which may prove extremely interesting and the exhibition was beautiful. You came out with an extraordinary sense of peace (I also kept smelling incense which my friend said she didn't so I presume this was psychological) probably being in the company of so many sacred relics. I noticed that there is shortly to be a Grayson Perry exhibition there so I feel another trip coming on. Meanwhile I must get back to actually creating - the deadline for the Bridging Waters exhibition looms ever closer.