When people ask me how long it’s taken me to make something, I usually reply in decades. That’s because my Mum taught me to sew when I was 7. It was an attempt to keep me occupied, out of trouble and out of her hair. Didn’t work, didn’t work and didn’t work but that’s Mums for you – ever optimistic. If you were following last week’s blog about making an Art Doll, you’re probably wondering where the next bit is. Continue reading Practice is half the work
Rain, rain, go away
The novelty has worn off as far as the rain is concerned here. Too much of anything is not good and that particularly applies to the weather. From my workroom window, the field has been replaced by a large pond with occasional islands. At least Talullah, Lola and Gilbert (the ducks) are happy. Continue reading Rain, rain, go away
The Chicken, the Egg and the Circle
Like anything creative, sometimes the hardest part of Textile Art is getting started. I’m making a series of Art Dolls for the Coblynnau project all of which have to relate to their environment and the story of The Keepers. More than that, each doll has to inspire the one that comes after it and be inspired by the one that came before it. This is a classic Chicken and Egg situation so how do you break into the circle and start the creative process of making an Art Doll? Continue reading The Chicken, the Egg and the Circle
Here All is One
” Within this land, a story sleeps. The world you see is a dream. This story, the ancient Keepers keep and always has it been.” Continue reading Here All is One
The Coblynnau are coming
The Coblynnau are Welsh Mine Fairies: they are good-natured, helpful creatures who dress in rags and live – for the most part – underground. They are fond of making stone sculptures.
The Coblynnau were mine goblins who signalled where the richest seams of coal were by tapping out messages to miners or leaving trails of stones underground. Their story provides a starting point for many of the Art Dolls that I make. Living on the edge of the scarred and rugged South Wales coalfield means that you are never far from history. It is not beautiful in a chocolate-box way but it is a land rich in legend and magic – just perfect for a Textile Artist and Dollmaker like me.
Wool work in Textile Art
Every so often I come across something that puts the Textile Art bit of my brain into overdrive. I first saw Haulwen Crafts’ wool batts at Llandovery Sheep Festival last year. Chris has a real gift for colour mixing which is a marvellous aid to colour numpties like me! Continue reading Wool work in Textile Art
The Single Step
“The longest journey starts with a single step.”
And never was a truer word spoken when it comes to starting something creative off – in whatever discipline or craft. As this project will be set alongside The Keepers in Bryngarw Country Park, I spent some time there on a very wet afternoon last week. I find that being outside helps me to form ideas about colours, lines and textures that I want to use. Continue reading The Single Step
Thread and Thrum
Writers, faced with a blank piece of paper, often suffer from Writers’ Block. If I am struggling to find the starting point for a piece of Textile Art, I get Thread and Thrum. The Welsh translation for this means more than just wools and yarns; it is an idiom which means ‘anything and everything’. I do anything and everything except sew! Buttons get sorted into jars, beads into boxes, threads into bags. Eventually though, I’ll use my tried and tested techniques – a cup of coffee, a chocolate biscuit and – yes – a blank piece of paper! Continue reading Thread and Thrum
If you go down to the woods today …
We’re getting started on the Coblynesau project at Bryngarw Country Park. The Coblynesau will be running alongside The Keepers. What are the Keepers? They are spiritual beings who have appeared throughout the park. Here is the the Keeper of the River … Continue reading If you go down to the woods today …
Nativity
For years we’ve managed with a cheap and cheerful, mass-produced Nativity scene. It used to get brought out, set up and packed away with no thought and little sense of enjoyment. I decided to put my dollmaking skills to the test and set about creating needlesculpted Nativity Dolls. Continue reading Nativity