Tearing and stitching .......

I have been enjoying tearing fabrics and stitching this week....enjoying the relaxed pace of the Magic Diaries workshop I am doing with Jude Hill.  The pace is relaxed, the stitching gentle and the interaction with Jude and other cloth mates is just lovely.

I am enjoying working with the earthy tones below...very Australian colours (fabrics...one is a vintage japanese kimono fabric and the other a hand dyed fabric from my recent trip to Thailand).



my stitching this week



The torn strips were for my fabric weaving and I have added the stitched moon.  At the moment this block is just basted down,  but more stitching will appear as this cloth evolves.  I dont want to add too much stitching/embellishing as yet as I'm not sure where this is going and will add more once it has grown a bit and I can see the story more clearly.



I have noticed that quite a few of the cloth mates have incorporated their own symbol for this quilt....something personal to them.  I have decided to make the above heart (without Jude's feather) my personal symbol for this quilt.  This stylised heart shape is one that I found  I use repeatedly in my journal, so I thought that as this quilt will also be a type of journal I will stitch a version for this quilt and repeat it throughout.  



I do love fabric weaving and the torn edges give such an organic look to cloth.  Again I have used the old kimono fabric and the hand dye from Thailand.  I enjoyed stitching the ragged cross stitches in my moon, reminds me of the stitch used in boro cloths to strengthen a cloth.

sweet bird song

While I was stitching away yesterday I could hear the most beautiful bird song outside (click for a closer view).  This fellow was serenading me outside my kitchen windown...having a wonderful time!  It was nice to stand and watch his antics for a while....I think he is quite the extovert warbling away, loving having an audience.  I might have to sketch him later.

Off to work again tomorrow....I count down those three days until I am home again and stitching/painting.

Jude has been talking about edges these past couple of weeks,  so I thought this quote from Sark fitting...

DANCE

ON 

THE  EDGES

OF NEW

BEGINNINGS

-SARK-

Jacky xox

Winter Sunshine......

The 'beginning' .... my first block stitched for my Magic Diaries with Jude.  For weeks I have been procrastinating, drawing up ideas, selecting fabric stashes, but I hadnt put needle to thread.  I am happy with this little nine patch, loving the way stitches show through to the front, the fabrics...the grey and the centre patch are fabric from Thailand and the other a natural linen.  Now I have started, I am itching to do more!

The 'beginning'

Reverse side of 9 patch  taken in the dappled morning sunlight.

Someone else was enjoying the winter sunshine this morning....this is Minnie.  We havent seen a lot of sunshine lately so she was making the most of it.

 Being winter I am enjoying crocheting some scarves....I visited the Tarrawarra Gallery at Healesville on the weekend to see the Archibald Winners Exhibition.  Wonderful portrait paintings...awesome in fact.   The winning portrait this year was of one of Australia's most well known painters, Margaret Olley.  Sadly she passed away last week,  so it was especially poignant to see this exhibition and remember this beautiful, talented lady.
After the exhibition my sister and I did some wandering around Healesville and I bought these lovely wools .  The Charcoal is for my sister and the two variegated (arent the colours yummy!!!) wools for my friends twin girls who will turn 9 at the end of the month.

 I am keen to stitch more on my latest quilt,  so in my travels this weekend (this time I was over in Geelong seeing an exhibition by local printmakers)  I found these vintage fabrics in a little shop.   A couple of kimono's and old scarves.  These will come in very handy and may find themselves in a dye pot soon.

I bought a new long line vest today .....I only noticed the sunshine heart when I got home.....so I'm sending you some sunshine....

Enjoy your week....I plan to stitch .....

MOST  OF  ALL,

LOVE  YOUR  SELF.

-SARK-

Jacky  xox

Indigo Moon in nature....

It's been a chilly week down here.....it must be snowing somewhere close by!    I popped outside the other night to get some wood for the fire and noticed this beautiful indigo moon...what gorgeous deep black/blue sky colours and that softly, glowing moon. 

I love seeing the trees all naked,  seeing their intricate branch patterns.  The picture below is a view of the farm in winter,  through the crazy willow.

Meg is back from her trip to Greece (and feeling the cold back home after three months of warmth).  It is lovely to have her home and to be back in her studio with the other girls drawing/painting/chatting/sipping tea/eating lemonade scones.  I have missed those Friday mornings while Meg has been away.

Today we did some little pen drawings (15cm x 15cm) using pattern as our background.  This is my little work in progress.  I love drawing with pen and ink...very relaxing.  I really enjoy making all the little patterns and designs ....filling the page with dots and dashes. click for a closer look.

While I was in Thailand I bought this beautiful silk runner / wrap.  Click on the photo to see all of the beautiful kantha stitch and the lovely little fringe.  This piece is approximately 2m long x 75cm wide and double sided. Imagine all of that stitching!!!!   I am going to use this piece as a table runner for special occasions. 

This is the reverse of the cloth.... they use quite contrasting (and vibrant) colours on each piece.  I loved the beautiful muted colours on the front of the cloth...and I am getting used to the brighter turquoise/purple on the back.
I got this cloth out this week to inspire me as I have been thinking of stitching and fabric quite a lot as I am taking part in the Magic Diaries with Jude Hill.  I have been getting pieces of fabric together,  threads, fragments from older work.  I have been writing down, and drawing up,  lots of ideas.  I am enjoying the process.
This workshop takes place over the next six months.  I love the longer class format, the feeling that there is no rush,  just letting things happen as they will.

BE STILL

AND LET THE BEAUTY COME

-SARK-

Jacky xox

Winter wattle .......

It's one of my favourite times of year....the wattle is starting to bloom down here in Australia.....brightening up some dreary winter days.  Once the wattle begins to come out,  I know that the days are getting longer, the weather is beginning to become milder....spring is on it's way.



bunch of winter wattle to brighten the lounge room


Our exhibition has been and gone....such a wonderful time.  It was amazing to see you art hanging, to have such positive comments.  It was so lovely to be part of this exhibition with these four lovely (and talented) women.  L to R  Julia Dean, Patsy Worledge, Dot Christian, myself and Ro Bruhn.  The photo's below are thank you to Ro's lovely husband Steve who took photos for us all over the weekend.  I have borrowed these from Ro's blog....pop over to visit her and see more.



Julia, Patsy, Dot, me and Ro.



view of the room  with our art hanging.

Melbourne turned on a beautiful, clear winters weekend for us.  Below are some photos taken on our walk to and from the exhibition over the weekend.




Flinders Street Railway Station and one of Melbournes iconic trams.




Dot in Hosiers Lane.  We loved to walk through the lane on the way to St. Michaels and take in the street art.




Part of the "Forum" building.  What gorgeous architecture!




Melbourne in Winter.

And what have I been up to since the exhibition????  Art wise,  not much at all.  I seem to have needed a little break.  A bit of journalling,  but not much else.   I have had visitors though.  My MIL Norma came down for the opening of the exhibition and stayed for a while afterwards.  Today my some arrived home from the USA for a weeks holiday with us....love having my boys at home!

I am taking part in Jude Hills latest online workshop.... The Magic Diaries.....so there will be some fabric being stitched soon.  I am also going to do a bit more linocut printmaking.  I love that process and want to do more of it.
My friend Meg, whom I paint with most Fridays is still away on her holiday in Greece (3 months....lucky girl).  But,  she will be back soon and I will get back into my painting again.

OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH GORGEOUS MOMENTS
THE SMELL OF CLOTHES DRIED IN THE SUN
 IS ONE OF THOSE.RELAX, AND LET MOMENTS LIKE THESE SEEP INTO YOUR SOUL.


-SARK-

Have a wonderful week.

Jacky xox



Embroideries and Exhibitions......

Whilst away in Thailand I drew up some little images,  inspired by art and nature that we saw.  I had taken a little travel pack with odds and sods of fabric and threads.  These raggedy little pieces of fabric were small samples from a dyeing class I took last year...waste not want not....I knew they would come in handy one day and they were perfect for sketching up these little stitcheries.  I have been busy stitching them this week and I will put them into a cloth soon.

AND,  great excitment.  My art group are holding our first exhibition of our work in Melbourne later this month.  Of course....YOU'RE  ALL  INVITED!   It would be lovely to see you there...we girls always have such fun when we get together,  so come along and join us if you are in Melbourne that weekend.

I will leave you with the beautiful of photo of lotus flowers that I took in Jim Thomspons  garden in Bangkok.  The home and gardens of Jim Thompson are sooooo beautiful,  make sure if you are ever in Bangkok you take a visit...some quiet time to feed your creative soul.  Lee and I were there for hours.

I hope these photos have worked OK this time.  This is the second time I have uploaded.....last time part of each photo was missing....fingers and toes crossed.

LEAPS  OF  FAITH

PUT  US IN

ASTOUNDING

NEW  PLACES

-SARK-

Have a happy week.

Jacky xox

Beautiful Thailand.....

You might have noticed....I've been away from my blog for a while....I meant to find time before I left on my holiday to Thailand to do a quick post.  But, time just flew before my holiday.  Extra work to do at home,  painting and stitching to do in readiness for my art groups upcoming exhibition...I just ran out of time.

My lovely sister Lee took me to Thailand for a ten day holiday to celebrate our birthdays this year (our birthdays are only two days apart).  I had never really holidayed in Asian before, and I was in for a treat!

First we visited Bangkok for a few days.  We took in so much art, visited many markets and malls (will have to cover them in another post).  But, for me,  the best part was our week in Chiang Mai.  A beautiful city, still having very much a country feel compared with Bangkok ....and very friendly and beautiful people.

We stayed at the Chedi in Chiang Mai and I would recommend it to anyone.  Below is the first view I had of our hotel as we arrived in our taxi...hopefully you can click on the photo to enlarge.  Wonderful architecture and decor.  So many things I would have loved to pop in my suitcase and take home.

Entrance to Chedi Hotel

Each morning we wandered down to the restaurant to have a lazy breakfast down by the river.  Considering we were right in the midst of Chiang Mai,  it was so lovely and peaceful....and of course the food was yumbo.

Breakfast area under the tree by the river.

We found many nooks and crannies where we sat and sketched,  read our books,  just lazed around.  It felt good to slow down and relax...nothing like going away with your sister!

Me relaxing in one of the areas on the upper verandah of the old Govenors residence (restaurant at hotel)

This was another favourite spot to sit and sketch,  and we did have a few cocktails.  Lee told me that Gin and Tonic wards off Malaria...so of course we had to have one of those most days (purely medicinal).  Our favourite drinks though were the Virgin Mojita's....we refreshed ourselves with quite a few of those during our stay.

Yet another spot to sit and relax alongside the floating lotus pool.

Whilst we were away,  it was Mothers Day in Australia.  So we promised our families that we would have High Tea and the Govenors Residence....another yumbo experience.  The little chocolate pots were unbelievably good!!!

Chocolate pots served with our High Tea.

Quite a few afternoons were spent under the fans under the verandah partaking in tea or light refreshments.  We took along our sketch books and sat sometimes for hours just talking and sketching.  I just loved the green, green grass and the lovely black bark of the trees.

View from restaurant across to our room (behind the pots and big tree).

And this is my gorgeous sister Lee.  We were having an early dinner before we headed off to the night markets later (of course had to buy goodies for our family and friends at home).

Lee under verandah.

We were blessed with beautiful weather.  Lee and I visited many galleries,  saw some wonderful art (I cant tell you how many cards  I bought so I would remember the artists and galleries!!!!).  I have tried to upload some photos into a mosaic to share with you,  but not able to do that yet,  but thought you might like a glimpse of what I've been up to since my last post.  I will try and upload some photos of the art and architecture soon.

No art to show this post,  but I have been busy since I arrived home.  Will take a few photos soon.  Lovely to be back and I will be catching up on blogs soon.

TREASURE  TIME  BY  MUGS  OF  TEA

-SARK-

Sending much love....

Jacky xox

Sunny weekend.....

It was a bright and sunny autumn weekend in Melbourne.....after the rain of recent weeks,  the sunshine was glorious.  We all wanted to get out and about in it!
Below is another version of the sunshine owl lino cut I have been working on.   A few additional handcarved stamps placed after masking and printing and a touch of colour applied to the tree and sun before printing.  It's fun playing around with this owl.

Sunshine owl

 On Sunday I met up with Dot, Patsy, Ro and Julia.  Our outing into the city was to check out the venue where we are having our art group exhibition.  We always love a chance to get together and this weekend was very special as we celebrated Ro's birthday...see her goody bag and flowers.

 After visiting then venue and making plans we wandered around the streets of inner Melbourne, deciding where to eat.  In the end we went into Chinatown......very BUSY little street, lots of wonderful eateries and shops.  Lovely place to visit and eat on a sunny Sunday.

 We all just loved the window adornment in the little eatery where we lunched.  The food was absolutely YUMBO,  lovely and spicy.  After our lunch we strolled around Chinatown and of course found a little shop with some Japanese art goodies......we were very happy.

 I have been stitching a little boro cloth.  Wonky bits of fabrics scraps stitched together in the Japanese way.

Japan has been on all of our minds lately and we have all wanted to help.  I found this lovely blog where Maki has been making and selling these beautiful little birds to help her family and friends in Japan....what a lovely way to donate and support an artist.  I bought six little fellows to share with my art friends.