Mini Collage

I'm starting to experiment with collage and mixed media again. Small steps, feeling my way...













Handmade paper, hand printed linen, lace, hand carved rubber and floss :)

Creative Space: the BOLD print

I like it how sometimes a beautiful karma operates in the world... that's how it feels at the 
moment anyway. I've created a bold print that I'm so happy with, and it all came about from 
sharing creative knowledge with friends.

When I was in the UK last month, I visited Lu Summers' studio and shared with her and 
Keri how to create a continuous pattern block for block printing. In showing them, I carved
this design and it's now become my favourite pattern :) I've sold it as a fat quarter, made up
pouches in it, and now I've made myself a top from it... It feels good :)







I'm getting in early for My Creative Space this week. If you'd like to see more spaces you 
can visit Kirsty on Village Voices here.

Happy pouches :)

I printed up some more of 'Oasis', this time in navy, on a beautifully natural linen I have 
in my stash.... Couldn't resist making something with it. Hello happy pouches! 










Two sizes, choice of lining... and in the shop :)

Special gifts

When I caught up with Alessandra in London a couple of weeks ago she gave me a 
lovely gift. I was so thrilled... isn't it beautiful? Simple elegant design... very much the
aesthetic of Alessandra's blog and all that she stocks in her shop :) 





She has amazing vintage finds in her shop too. Here are some lovelies I've found 
there in the past. 







Seriously coveting this coffee set too :)



If you love Alessandra's pot hanger as much as I do, you can order one in her shop.

New fabric design

I have a new design I've been playing with. You might remember it's the block I carved at 
Lu's studio a couple of weeks ago. I think I'm going to call it Oasis, although it does 
look rather like balls of wool, as others have suggested ;) 

The first trial in yellow didn't really show the design clearly so I printed it up in the brilliant 
blue I've been working with lately. This is a fat quarter but it's rather labour intensive as a 
block. I might try my hand at burning a screen before I attempt meterage ;)

New Wall Hangings

There are now new wallhangings from the crafty collaboration between myself and Pippa 
from Ouchflower. The Paravent panels are screenprinted on natural linen, some with 
appliqué panels, and the Ouchflower macramé fringing has been hand dyed. As a special
package, you can also purchase one of Pippa's gorgeous tassels :)

 







You can find them listed in Pippa's etsy store @ Ouchflower.

Konstepidemin :)

If Camilla's studio is a candy store, Konstepidemin is a dream factory. As I mentioned 
before, this is the artists' community where we went for the Ace Camp in Gothenburg. 



It was founded in 1987, on the site of the former Epidemic Hospital. It's home to over 100 
artist studios and comprises 4000 square metres of studio space for sculptors, actors, writers, 
textile artists, designers, dancers, musicians, jewellery and ceramic artists, painters, 
performance artists, print makers, poets, film makers and more. For me, it was the place of 
dreams :) So, a pictorial snippet of the outdoor spaces...















We also visited some of the studios (other than Camilla's of course), including Per Agelii
and Nils Ramhoj...

Per's studio :)

Per's work yard

Model of a public art commission, a joint submission by Per and Camilla, with to-scale figures.
I wasn't going to include this photo but Camilla has just announced that they won the competition
so it can now be shown :)

Nils' studio was set up with an exhibition of his self portraits spanning 50 years.

I loved Nils' kitchen!

Also loved the onsite canteen with flowers at the door and candles at the buffet :)





It really was an amazing space. FYI - if you're hatching ideas of how to get here, the 
Konstepidemin community pay their bills by renting out studio spaces like the one where 
we had Ace Camp :) 



You can find out more about Konstepidemin on their website and blog.

Camilla's Studio :)

Part of the Ace Camp experience was hanging out in Camilla's studio where she 
explained her process of working and showing us how different works had evolved 
from initial idea to finished painting.







This was literally 'candy shop' time - not a colour overload (the palette was far more
refined)... it was a complete sensory immersion. We all walked into this room like
we'd come upon some sacred space and we wandered around looking (and snapping)
all the vignettes that Camilla had placed at various points in a kind of devotional trance.
I think back on it now and wonder how amusing this was for Camilla ;)

Fabulous candy store days :)