So
I've been busy.... sampling and trying to figure out my final
exhibition piece. The pressure is on as this will be the first piece of
work my MA peers will have ever seen of mine so obviously I want it to
look good BUT the piece of work itself is not assessed so... a quandary.
What IS being assessed is the 'writing' that goes with it, the
collaboration that has taken place, the resulting group exhibition and
the research (I guess.
As usual, it quickly
became clear that the idea in my head was not going to look as amazing as I
imagined, and that, almost as soon as I started sampling. I decided to work on
3 identical pieces of fabric - a medium weight linen which would support any
embellishments and still hang nicely, I dyed them all the same sandy
beige/taupe base colour (with coffee because it always works) in various
densities. Then I etched my illustrator drawing of the Hartlepool, Seaton
Carew, Teesside coastline - I wanted a clean crisp line and my thinking was
that it would not only be a hypothetical border but also a barrier - to the
indigo dye I intended to handpaint with... I hoped it would stop at the line, which
it actually did in a few tests. It was rather successful (until I washed it and
it frayed badly - but in a good way (image No. 5).
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| 1. Etched Coastline |
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| 2. Cut Coastline |
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| 3. Etched then washed coastline |
A
little washed out, with neon pink Japanese braid pinpointing Seaton
Carew and Hartlepool, I then went for the Irish Machine, NOT for
quickness, really, but because I was aiming for the widest satin
stitch and layers of stitching for a lumpy effect (re. coal). As I
explained to my students who witnessed my swearing at the said Irish,
when they asked what I was doing, this is a 'fine art' outcome not a
'decorative' one :-)
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| 4. Colour or Black & White? |
I managed to get a
silk chiffon digital print rushed through (though there was no silk organza
which is my preference). I had to try both colour and black & white, as
I am trying to produce 3 finals so I can choose the best one. I do prefer the
colour against the background. Notice I've laid some glass black beading along
my coastline on the right. Loving it. It says coal so well and not that
blatantly, mmm I might do a questionnaire about that - 'What do YOU think it
means?'
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| 5. Etched, washed and stitched coastline |
I don't usually do messy... but hey I might!
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| 6. Handpainted, stitched and beaded silk organza |
I would say this sample was my eureka moment, at the exact point that
I folded it up. Now this IS organza, it dyes so beautifully, coffee and
quink ink... then bleach - delicious and as transparent as you can get
without being clear vinyl/shower curtain or tulle. I think the way the
embroidered rivulet band of coal (!) and loose threads can still be seen
through the layers and how they are partially obscured, to be very apt And
then, depending on the way the light hits, you catch a glimmer, a
sparkle of the beads - like hidden treasure just under the surface,
which is exactly what sea coal was to those who collected it.
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| 7. Organza Detail |
So I did have three
linen pieces, two of which are now cut up as samples though one is
still my back up plan. I also now have a clear idea of how I will
produce THE final. Fingers crossed X
