A Sense of Place with Debbie Lyddon

 

About once a year I take some time out to be a student rather than a tutor. I select a teacher who's work I admire and is completely different to my own. Often this is exploring a different way of working rather than a new technique. It is scary but exhilarating to be out of your comfort zone. 

Surrendering yourself to the process and being pulled along by the tutor can be very freeing. The end result is not the most important thing but the chance to explore new ideas, make mistakes without consequence, and just 'play'.

So the opportunity to attend 'A Sense of Place' three day workshop with artist Debbie Lyddon proved irrestisible. 

Working alongside other like-minded students was inspiring too, in a friendly and supportive environment. 

Day one was 'Seeing' as we explored the marina and marshes of Tollesbury in the Blackwater Estuary. Such an brilliant place. My focus was the simplest of posts in the water which felt so small and vulnerable to all the elements of wind and water and changed in a second according to the light.

After observation and drawing outside we tried to capture these on paper

Considering words and phrases to describe our obsevations helped deepen the connection to the sense of place

The end result from day one was a folded map book using one of our painted papers

Day two was 'Listening' as we went on a sound walk to try and express what we heard using mark making and drawing - really hard! What does the sound of a car tyre on wet road look like?

Again we tried out our ideas on paper, trying to capture the rhythmn, resonance and colour of what we had heard.

My selected design on paper to be interpreted in stitch. Folds and scores infused with ink.

Very much still a work in progress but this is the beginnings of my stitched interpretation

Day three was 'Touching' when we used our collected found objects from Tollesbury to inspire the making of a coloured and waxed cloth bag to hold the items made on the workshop.

I endeavoured to use the found items of a rusty nail and washer picked up in the marina as a fastening device and stitching to mimic that from the soundscape

A great three days. Debbie Lyddon is an excellent tutor and I would highly recommend the 'A Sense of Place' course which is now available through

www.fibreartstaketwo.com/courses 

Thankyou to Lorraine Traer-Clarke for organising the workshop and to the members of Blackwater Textiles

Monoprint explorations

 

Preparing for a two day workshop at Eau Brink Studios in June where we will forage for natural materials for mono printing and colouring before spending a second day making up our monoprinted fabric into a semi-transparent double sided hanging using the Pojagi piecing technique.

But as it is February there are no leaves on the trees so I have had to adapt and invent some leaves in the form of simple stamps to use instead. These will obviously last longer than real leaves so we will explore making these on the workshop too.

The fabirc used will be my current favourite cotton organdie which take all sorts of colour pigment really well and retains it's semi-transparent nature as well as the wonderful crispness

I have been working with black acrylic paint and inks in red and orange here but on the workshop students will be able to work in whatever colour they wish. We will make lots of prints and choose our favourites. There will also be dyed/coloured organdie to use for the Pojagi piecing.

To book this workshop please contact www.eaubrinkstudio.co.uk/ or telephone 01553 611009

Working with Solubles workshop

 

if you would like to learn about working with solubles (wash away fabric and film) I am running a one day workshop at The Cosy Cabin on Monday 11th March 2024.

We will explore several techniques, including working with sheers with wire, before combining them to create a small panel.  

All machine stitching. A good way to practice your free motion in a controlled way! 

Date: Monday 11th March 2024

Time: 10am - 4pm

Venue: The Cosy Cabin, Risby Barns, Risby, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6QU

Cost: £45

To book please email mary.cs@sefwi.org.uk

Playing with Pojagi additional workshop

 

An extra 'Playing with Pojagi' one day workshop will run at The Cosy Cabin, Risby Barns, Bury St Edmunds IP26 6QU on Saturday 25th May 2024

A choice of three different designs and a wide range of colourways. All materials provided for £15.

If you wish to hang your double-sided stained glass inspired hanging in a specific place then please bring the measurements as we can adapt the design to fit.

Simple machine stitching.