Sherrill Kahn in Townsville

I am ashamed to say that It's been a month since I returned from Townsville where I thoroughly enjoyed a week's workshop with Sherrill Kahn, celebrated artist and author, and I am just getting around to reviewing my photos. The sample of Sherrill's work pictured above is a good example of the art techniques and composition and design principles we learnt. Having been inspired by Sherrill's books prior to the workshop, I had doubts about whether I had chosen the right class.as I have had very little experience with paint. However, I soon found myself experimenting with so many different techniques both on paper and fabric. Sherrill gave us many demonstrations over the five days, and we had plenty of time to try each technique ourselves. I have a pile of great samples!

One of my favourite techniques was to use inexpensive hair gel with paint .... this is still a work in progress, but I am working on this for the ArchiTextiles Exhibition next month.

And I am still amazed at these results on black fabric ... extraordinary outcomes from the ordinary- a foam tray as a print block, a ball point pen to create the designs and some acrylic paint.

I was delighted to make some little dolls during the workshop. Sherrill's method of stitching and cutting painted/ coloured fabric images is also simple with stunning results. Besides the ones I made in class, I have been experimenting and using the technique to create pin dolls with commercially printed fabrics and with stamps I already had.

One of the really great " asides" of the workshop was the exercise to " see" our surroundings. Sherrill asked us to take 20 photos each day, and I have been doing that most days since taking the class. At first, I thought, what could be interesting in school grounds ( after all, I spent most of my working life in schools and their surroundings). Mistaken again! I now have hundreds of really inspiring images... here are four I took on the first day of the workshop in Townsville in the grounds of the Cathedral School.

Thanks to the sensational Sherrill and to my wonderful class mates for a really creative, sharing, inspiring and fantastic week.

For more photos, please go this blog's page entitled Sherrill Kahn's Townsville Class, or at flickr

Too Precious to Waste

Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons More than a year ago, a decision was made. The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2] A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks .... The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or my husband or from off cuts gifted to us from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks. Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as wrapping str

Wednesday's Child /2

Work in Progress - 3 of the 193 for "Stitched Up"- Wilma Simmons The work for the "Stitched Up " Project continues. See the previous "Wednesday Child" post for the background to this art project celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Newcastle Industrial School. I have been documenting the progress of my work, so I thought it might be interesting to share some of the early stages of the "stick dolls" ... Here are some of the beginning steps.. Sticks collected while walking the bushland in my neighbourhood Drying and getting rid of any insects - oven heat 75 degreesC for approx 1-2 hours. Trimmed and cut if necessary Ends sealed with matte sealing solution. Drying - solution goes on white but dries clear. First wrapping - foil to create a body shape Second wrapping - stretch fabric. Third wrapping - fabric strips Some stitching - more stitching and embellishment to come. Follow thi

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Search This Blog