Full body weaving...

I saw this image on Pinterest and I can't get it out of my mind.

It's taken from a workshop on "Recycled Sweater Potholder Rugs" by Crispina Ffrench in Pitsfield, MA. Maybe this is the seed for a new big project....hmmm.

Looking Around: Puur Anders

 

 

Every so often, I see something on Etsy that sticks with me....and I just can't stop thinking about this leaf. You can find it in the shop Puur Anders which features the work of Miranda van Dijk.

 

Maybe it is because it is autumn here in Kansas (at last!) or because I have a little baby changing before eyes or because of my love of cloth between my fingers...or all of these...this peice has grabbed my attention and won't let go. Changing seasons, passing time, fleeting moments, fading memories, death....ah! So much more than a brooch!

 

If you care to explore a little further, you can read the Puur Anders blog and visit the website. They are a treasure trove of inspiration.

Considering Scale...and Food?

Scale has been on mind lately. I am working on a big project again...though I vowed to "take a break from big" after dealing with transporting one my largest piece to date, Rag Rug,  across the country last year. Sometimes I just get big ideas though...what can I do?

Scale is important in art. The size of the work in relation to the viewer has an impact on how the piece communicates; how it feels; how it reads. If a piece towers over you as you view it, it it feels very different than if you can hold it in your hand. An object can go from cute to creepy to menacing depending on its size. Creating unexpected extremes can be a powerful way to grab attention and stir thought. While it is easy to automatically make work of a certain scale because of standard size materials or costs or space in which to work, it is important to remember that scale can be a powerful tool with which to communicate.

Since I have been thinking about all of this, I have been seeing examples of scale extremes all around me. It all started in the grocery store...

with the cutest (and most delicious) potatoes ever...and then it continued on Etsy

with giant fabric food textiles by Brook Abboud...

and then on thisiscolossal.com with the work of Christopher Boffoli

These scale extremes caught my eye...and gave me a grin. 

Looking Around: Amanda Blake

A great weekend is coming to a close here and I think I'll wrap it up by posting about Amanda Blake, an artist I discovered while browsing on Etsy. Check out these lovely paintings...

Clover followed her imaginary friend everywhere

Nigel and Lily embraced by the sea

Rebecca wore a dress of wildflowers

She made wings of love letters and cherry blossoms 

They built a life out of hope and flowers

Where she went in the night

I respond to the dreamlike, almost haunting quality of these pieces. The painting itself is beautiful...the muted colors and the dry, sparing way in which the paint is applied. Flat and imperfect patterns and flat perspective give the work a folky, honest feel. The figures are mysterious...gazing out at me...waiting? listening? longing for something? I am left to insert my own narrative. When I look at these works, I feel like I am  remembering a nearly forgotten dream.

You can see more of Amanda's work online on Etsy, on The Enormous Tiny Art Show, and on her website. 

Ruth Tabancay

Another from my files....I first stumbled upon Ruth Tabancay in Fiberarts Design Book 7. Tonight, I visited her website and discovered even more exciting work. You should certainly take a look! Below are a couple of my favorites.

Sweet Dreams - hand-stitched tea bags

detail

Birthing Bed - wool felt and  liquidamber fruits

detail

What Linens Know - Hand embroidery on vintage linens

detail

Lee Bontecou

Another of my inspirations...

This last one is my favorite...I like seeing the interaction between the individual pieces...a collection of characters. You can read more about her here and check out this video from MOMA below.

Julie Arkell: Combining Cute and Creepy

Below are some images of the creations of Julie Arkell, an interesting artist I first encountered in Selvedge magazine.


From earthangeltoys.com "Julie Arkell is one of England's best recognized contemporary folk artists working in papier-mâché and mixed media. It has been said that Julie, "...cannot resist the rejected debris of everyday life.  She especially favors discarded toys for inspiration and printed textiles”."


I have turned to papier-mâché  again and again because of the ease with which I can combine it with found objects...no firing or heating to damage the little bits of everyday I wish to employ. Arkell's work is funny and a little disturbing...it keeps me a little off kilter when I examine it....which, for me, keeps it from becoming too cute.

You can see more of Arkell's work here.

Manon Gignoux

In June 2008, I had the chance to take a class at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. It was an incredible, life-changing, inspiring two weeks that I will never forget. I met many amazing artists and learned a lot..both about dying fibers and how to live life as an artist.

Haystack is also where I first encountered Selvedge magazine. I came across issue #22 which is filled with dolls of all sorts. I went home determined to get a copy of that particular issue and a subscription.

(I did get a subscription eventually...for my birthday...it is so expensive it is a special occasion sort of purchase. I think of each issue with its beautiful photographs and heavy matte paper as a book for my permanent collection...no recycling these puppies!)

The main reason I was so enamored with issue #22, which I eventually won on Ebay, was for its photographs of  the work of Julie Arkell and Manon Gignoux. I'll post more on Arkell later. For now, have a look at the work of Gignoux.

Manon Gignoux is a French artist who makes textile sculptures, clothed objects, clothing and accessories.  I love her muted palette, use of layers and texture, and simple forms. Her figures are pared down to just the essential details. As the viewer, I have plenty of room to project personalities and invent stories. The fabrics are carefully chosen for their texture and hand...they carry with them a strong sense of history, of use, and of the beauty of the everyday. Besides Gignoux's figures, I especially enjoy the dressed objects. With a couple buttons and some carefully selected scraps of cloth, she magically gives a salt shaker or a bottle a unique personality.

Eventually, you will be able to see more of Gignoux's work on her website...but as of late, it has been taken down for an overhaul.