New Horizons

It’s been a while since I posted anything. I’m just emerging from a lengthy and arduous house move which theoretically should have been quick and easy, but eight months later… Still, all is well now, and I actually know which piles contain what art materials which is no small thing. I have a new studio space and some creative storage solutions to find which I’m hoping IKEA will help me with.

I actually have a lovely new horizon to look at out the back.  These are the Yorkshire moors (about 20 mins drive away) and they say ‘If you can’t see the hills it’s raining and if you can see them, it’s going to rain!’. But we have had some glorious weather over the last week like everyone else which is making the neighbour’s advice about battening down everything in winter seem a bit unreal. 

Our newly-formed textile art group met this weekend which is a new horizon in itself, but just to be extra cheesy it was also the theme of the day. Some of us have been exploring ‘noticeable edges’ for a while, but with a lot of new members joining for our second meeting we worked on ‘horizon’ as a topic which would fit into the edges theme. We spent the day introducing ourselves, looking at sketchbook work and then using paint and torn papers to tune into colour before starting to translate things into fabric.   

This is a photo from Castle Hill, it’s the most prominent landmark in Huddersfield and we now live at the base of it. There are the most gobsmacking 360 degree views as you walk around it. Our little area at the bottom is called Hall Bower and I’ve just discovered Hall Bower Hookers. I was wondering if Him Indoors would mind if I joined? 

 Oh, forgot to say, they do crochet. 

Whilst I was busy with textiles based on looking over to the moors, the rest of my family went walking up there.  This is Joel’s photo – he’s pretty good with a camera.  

So I’ve just started piecing bits together using some Procion bag-dyed samples from Experimental Textiles which have been waiting for their moment.   I’d like I to try out some more adventurous stitch at some point so this may be a good place to try some.  Not sure, I may be seduced back to the simple. 

I’m also chuffed to bits that the paths around our house are full of ferns and grasses as I want to do a pile of printing over the summer. I have a bit of a thing for ferns, I could fill my garden with them and other architectural greenery but Him Indoors likes a bit of colour. By colour, read ‘municipal park planting’ and you will be getting close. The thing is, I have a spot at the Manchester ICHF show in February and I will need to take little bits of work to demonstrate with. I keep getting nervacitement every time I think about it. The Wise One is largely responsible for encouraging me and I love her for that, but I’ve also had to take up mud-wrestling with my inner critic. 

Some little colourful printy bits using lots of teabag paper. Please say you can’t detect any echoes of park planting… 

Old Man Eyebrows and Hair n’ Swear will also be going along with my more limited palette of pebble work. I’m also trying to write something in time for the show but time is flying past rather too quickly so I shall see. I have in mind to make more smaller forms with noticeable edges which will hang together. 

Well that’s about it. I shall try not to spend too much time staring into distances and get down to some work.  I have a talk to give at our guild in November which may be entertaining – not completely sure they know what they’ve done there. 

If you are going to the ICHF Manchester show in February, it would be great to see some friendly faces or be introduced to new ones!  
Please say ‘hello’.  Just between you and me, there will be a store of emergency Freddos and giant chocolate buttons under the table.