More pictures...

I just realised I have some more pictures that I haven't shown you yet. Once I've got this out of the way I'll know that all my work is on here and I can calm down with the photos and talk a bit more (which may or may not be a good thing).

The first one for today is another version of the panoramic beach scene that is luxuriating in Artfellows until its new owner finds it. It is based on an actual place in Brittany but I can't possibly tell you where, as you might book up the holiday home we rented there when we need it! We spent two weeks there last summer and fell out of our back door every day straight onto this beach...

I'm not sure if you can see it in this photo but I used some lovely variegated metallic thread to highlight the effect of the sun on the sea; I was worried that it might be a bit too bling but I think it works.

I also have another meadowy one:-

 

And this is my latest finished article; I was in a foul mood one gloomy wet Thursday and thought I would try to snap myself out of it by doing something creative. I am trying to be a bit more arty with my titles too so in a particularly pretentious moment I thought of "15 Squares" for this:-



And that is it for now I think. I have a few others that are unfinished and one or two that really aren't worth showing you. And there is one more but I need to build up a little nerve before I unveil that one, for reasons that will become clear if I ever do...

And some more...

Back from sorting out lunch for three hungry children and myself, now I can dig out some more things to show you...

 

 

This was my first attempt at stitching on home-made felt and only took a few minutes. A friend who prefers abstracts says this is her favourite. I'm not sure but I think it could look good in a small frame.

 

 

And then we have this one... I made it for a very dear friend who is also very much into her felting. Maybe one day I can show you some of her amazing creations.

 

 

And below is one that I made for another good friend. We had a deal whereby I would be a case study for her Indian head massage course; it involved her giving me 4 head massages, such an ordeal, and in return I made her a picture. I think I had the better side of the deal! She wanted 2 pictures so there should be another coming soon: I just need to measure it and its frame again to make sure I make a pair for it. I haven't tried to make felt to a certain size before so that in itself will be a challenge. She wants daisies in the second one, should be good. 

 

 

And then there is my paisley pattern...

 

A while ago I built up my nerve and rang Fizz Gallery in Clevedon to talk to them about taking some pictures and Sandy, one of the owners, asked me to send her some photos by email. It was really nerve-wracking and I likened it to taking all my clothes off and saying to her "Well what do you think?". It was especially hard as it is  the one place I have always had in mind when I have been making all these pictures. I waited and waited and have heard nothing but they are having some big upheavals of their own; my timing has been poor and I am having to think about my next move. Sometimes I guess it would be too easy to have your dreams handed to you on a plate and if I really want this to happen I need to really fight a bit harder for it.



First things first...

Hmm so here it is, my very first post on my very first blog. It is a bit like having an empty piece of paper in front of me and not knowing what to draw. Shall I start with the story of my feltmaking before I start on some other random rant? OK here goes: I did my first bit fo feltmaking a few years ago at the wonderful Spinning Weal in Clevedon and was to be honest not that inspired. The breakthrough came last year when I bought a new sewing machine; I wondered what it would be like to machine-stitch over my felted pictures (which were a bit fuzzy and needed a bit of stitch-led definition). I thought it worked and so did a lot of friends and family. After a lot of positive feedback and a summer to think about it, I thought it might be good to try selling it - not necessarily for the money but just to see if I could, to get a buzz from the feeling that somebody out there liked it enough to pay good money for it. Well that hasn't happened yet but I am trying to remain quietly positive. It has taken a few months to get a "portfolio" together of some of my favourite types of pictures and of some new ideas, in the hope that I have something that might appeal to anyone, and in the process getting some more experience with some different techniques. Below are a few...


This was inspired by some flowers I photographed all on the same day last September.

Sea pictures are my very favourites; I could do these all day every day and I love the way the felting process makes everything move around in an unpredictable sea-like way.

 

I did one after being really inspired by Moy Mackay's art:-

 

 

 

Then on a bit of a floral theme I went for some nasturtiums. Just should have used some brighter colours I think...



 

I am really lucky to have a brother with an amazing framing workshop and gallery (Artfellows in Fakenham, Norfolk) and he has three of these waiting for a prospective owner but no takers as yet. I would like to think I am not barking up the wrong tree as it's taken me ages to find a medium I felt happy with and I'm sure this is it. I have more to show you but this will do for now...