Fingers crossed

Just thought I would post a photograph of a scarf that I cut off the loom on Monday. It awaits a finished hem. That will happen on the weekend, when I have some time to sit down and concentrate. I'm not the most industrious weaver when there is sky like this outside and there are clouds to watch. Fingers crossed I get everything done!

Working with colour

I'm exhausted from weaving all day today. I sat in on a talk at uni by Primoeza designer Elizabeth in which she talked about her design process. It was great. This is mine. I work with colour quite intuitively. Not only do love the look of a cone full of beautiful yarn, but it helps me putting things together and photographing them, when I'm trying to decide what to leave out. My eye is a little more trained when looking through a lens. That's what I'm putting it down to.

Double weave

I was thinking that I might not figure this out in time. Time being the three weeks before all of my work is due. Double weave in six blocks and on twenty four shafts. A little lesson in life is that the best things come when you least expect it. I was almost going to re-thread the loom to weave something that wasn't as complicated before I wove this sample, but I'm glad I didn't.

I miss my typewriter. It didn't like the fact that I kept using the full stop and not much else. My typewriter man said that it was too big a job to fix but I might give it a go over summer. I always wanted to get my hands dirty and try to fix something mechanical, so I figure here is my chance.

A few more ideas with ink.

Maps and pistachio cake

I have collected maps for quite a while. Old atlases are easy enough to find in suburban op-shops. They acted as paper for present wrapping until I found ones I couldn't part with. My favourites are a series of maps I got photographed onto film from a rare book, which I then printed in the darkroom.

The school atlas below is another one I love. I've never really used pastels in my own work until recently and these colours are beautiful.

I was handed a bag of these pistachios as a thank you from Lucy, after putting together a few bake stalls in aid of our end of year exhibition. They are hand picked from trees at her parents farm, then roasted in small batches on a wood fire. They taste amazing and I think a cake is the perfect way to eat them.

The colour of Giorgio Morandi

I'm in love with Giorgio Morandi's still life work. Inspired by artists Cezanne and Rousseau, his still life compositions are beautiful studies in subtle tone, colour and composition. My favourite one is the painting above, Still Life 1955. I'm rather partial to the peach object in the foreground and its perfectly balanced partner, the charcoal jug in the background, oh and the little white object in front - perfect.

Still Life 1949

Still Life 1960 with Blue Jug

Still Life 1960 with Grey Jug

Still Life 1963