Sometimes the beach gives you the subject and the tools! Today I was lucky enough to come across a couple of pieces of charcoal on our driftwood strewn section of beach at Mogareeka Inlet – some of it soft and deeply black, other bits more brown and scratchy. My kids were kind enough to make “pencils” for me by wedging a tiny piece of charcoal in a hollow reed stem – they are nothing if not inventive! And the pencils worked. 🙂
I’m more than a little obessed with seaweed at the moment. We’re at the beach for an annual camping trip. Most years I bring art materials and this year I’ve discoverd how easy it is to have my watercolours on the beach. I feel like I know seaweed like never before. This stuff has always caught my eye with its slightly comical baubles attached in ways that make think of crazy softtoy shapes and funny teddy bear heads complete with little round ears. Oh nature, I do love you so.
I am happiest making in my little office studio, and Saturday was a making day. Oh, if all days could be Saturdays!
I always have this feeling that I use about 5% of the capacity any technology I own and it’s only when I really want to do something that I’ll push a little. I’ve been printing documents and photos an on my Canon MG6250 for years – yesterday was the first time I slipped some card in the rear tray and printed something I’d designed. Small miracles hey? It’s not perfect and I’m still wrangling with image and paper size matching up, but I did it and I’m ridiculously chuffed at how this work is coming together.
I’ve had a lot of fun these past few weeks taking Rachael Taylor’s excellent The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design course and feel like I’m starting to find my way. I’m concentrating on a few design ideas and now need to concentrate on learning how to use the technology! I can feel my brain stretching! One of the course tasks was to take a design you’d made, print it off and use as wrapping paper – I think these from my Stamp Gardens and Starry Starry collections have potential. Onward!
More than a little besotted with carving rubber stamps at the moment. My fingers are permanently black. It’s almost instant gratification and somehow soothing to do. I’m looking at everything in the world with a view to carving it in rubber!
I was lucky enough to spend some time on the lovely beaches of Montauk Long Island earlier this year. Amidst all the photos I took this one stands out as one of my very favourites. How dear is that little seaweed tree?
These little pictures incorporate designs from my grandmother’s crochet. The wax resist makes the texture of the worked stitches very faintly visible – her handwork and mine are joined. More on these soon.
Nothing Nicer Anywhere 