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The anniversary of the first votes for women. Something that I have always felt was important to remember. How would our lives have been had it not been for the struggle so many went through on our behalf. Whilst we celebrate this anniversary we must remember that it was only the privileged few. When my mother was born in 1923, the majority of women were still waiting.
That is where this new piece is coming from
The tree and hedge lines of the landscape viewed from the train have to be recorded with haste before they are gone. It reminds me of a childhood poem –
Faster than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches
….and ever again in the wink of an eye …..
Robert Lewis Stephenson
Taking them back to the studio I am using them as linear shapes to stitch onto a length of cloth – the speed of the train is forgotten and the gentle rhythm of hand stitch is reminiscent of slow quietness of the landscape
Washed and pressed and hung casually to see how they look.
The hand woven piece is working well with the hemp piece.
I think the results are really promising – some interesting variations in colour
I wound the three layers round a plastic tub for dyeing and dipped them into the vat.
I will have to wait until they are dry before I can assess the results. I think the natural fibres have taken the dye differently so it should have an interesting variety of colour.
I know I am getting back to the basics of recording what I see but I can’t resist cloth for long.
I have taken a length of my own weaving and formed it into a loose roll with a length of old French linen and a length of old French hemp.
This is going for a lot soak and then a partial dip in an indigo vat. We will see what happens!! I usually wait for summer to get the vat going but have decided to give it a go tomorrow – I will just have to wrap it up well so that it keeps warm.
I have decided that it is a good time to review my methods of working ‘in the field’. How to record what I see, hear and feel when on location. I am using items readily available in the studio and recording what I see using drawing and paint.
A collection of pebbles that live in my studio
These are some pebbles I collected last summer, attracted by the lines of quartz running through them all. They form the basis for my first set of studies.
  
Pencil, water soluble coloured pencils and crayons
Drawing multiple pebbles takes me back to the location where I collected them
  
Happy with my first set of studies.
Seeing so much recent publicity about plastic pollution brought me back to my love of natural fibres and cloths. It is important to me that we use them wisely, fully appreciating and making the most of them and eventually accepting that they will degrade and fade away.
It reminds me of the Japanese boro cloths and the traditional American patchwork quilts. Cloth is used and reused, pieces and patched, stitched and most importantly it is valued and treasured. These items become heirlooms.
It seems a shame that there are so many old textile items hidden away in cupboards and museum archives where no one can appreciate their beauty, stored because they will fade and spoil. Â We should exhibit them and celebrate the beauty and skill they hold.
This has led me to some ideas for new work using some baby clothes that I found in a junk shop years ago. They are my treasures and now it is time to bring them to life again, allow them to continue their journey. Being old, they are made from wool and cotton and have signs of wear and tear. I will be celebrating the use they have had and stitching into them.
The transient nature of this sculpture says it all. Very powerful. Follow the link and see for yourself
marilyns journal 