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

A few things I've been doing lately

After starting this work over a month ago, I finally cut the last of it off the loom on Friday. Sometimes it takes a lot of patience to get through weaving something when you run into problems from the very beginning, including having to re-thread sixteen shafts. It will eventually be made into a pillow. I can't wait to get started on weaving new things.

Some new ink drawings I'm working on for jacquard designs but I think they are a little too complicated and might work better as digital prints on silk or perhaps even embroidered. I only wish I had the patience for that sort of complex hand work on fabric and the time to learn a new skill. Then again, there is always next year. I can only draw a few of these before my hand cramps up and refuses to draw the semi straight lines.

Samples

I'm in the process of putting together photographs of my work for a graduate show catalogue. There is something to be said for getting a friend to take the photographs, especially when they have great digital camera and don't mind cake as payment. Thanks Gus!

Luna jacquard. Cotton and viscose.

Handwoven scarf in paper. Silk and cotton.

Small brooch samples in twill and rya knot techniques. Silk and cotton.

Old travel photographs

There is nothing more beautiful than a silver gelatin print with deep glossy blacks. With never enough time in the darkroom, these were photographs from my first trip to Europe that remained little prints on my contact sheet. I carried my medium format twin lens mamiya and heavy tripod all over, taking mostly portraits of my family. After talking about traveling with a friend I couldn't resist the urge to get these out and scan some negatives.

San Gimignano Towers, Siena

Istanbul

Ancient graffiti in the Hagia Sofia, Istanbul

My father was born under a tree in this little town outside Pula, Croatia.

Lanišće sits in a huge valley surrounded by tall ominious mountains. I travelled here in middle of winter with a large group of friends to take some photographs. Afterwards we ended up at a local restaurant for a dinner I will never forget. We drank rakija (the Istrian version of grappa) with honey to ward away the cold.

Gunta Stölzl

Gunta Stölzl's work has always inspired me. First a student of the Bauhaus, then teacher when the school moved to Dessau, she was quite instrumental in setting the work ethic in the weave room. I love they way she uses so much colour. Letters written by her at the time mention how inspired she was by Itten, who taught colour theory at the Bauhaus. My favourite of her work is the jacquard below. Simply stunning. Even though it is possible to do almost anything in jacquard weaving, this is still a really complex work which has probably been woven in three panels then sewn together. I wish I could weave like this.

Five Harnesses 1928

Wall Hanging no. 324, 1926

Wall Hanging Black and White, 1923

Slit Tapesty Red/Green 1927-28

Thought I would end on this much copied tapestry. It contains everything you would want to see in a work of art, rhythm, balance, beauty and of course colour!

Cake for Livvy

With the tree in my backyard laden with ripe beautiful lemons and an occasion for a special sort of cake, I thought it was the perfect time to try Tartine's Lemon Meringue Cake. Its always exciting buying new kitchen accessories and this week my new addition is a blow torch. With the chiffon cake soaked in lemon syrup, layered with lemon cream and caramel then finally topped with meringue, I'm hoping that it tastes as good as it looks. Oh and that the birthday girl likes it!