The front cover
I started thinking about how we communicate and in particular how we can be missunderstood. I began to examine some of the "myths" of and from my childhood. The things that I have always believed to be fact though they have never been spoken about. How the things we thought of as actual events can have been missinterpreted and missunderstood and missremembered as a small child. All the things that have shaped the person I am now and how many of them are based on erroneous memory. Both of the above images are self portraits and they represent anger or frustration and self loathing. I felt that I needed to comfort, wrap up, the me that falls into these mostly momentary fits of self loathing so I quilted me. That is I think when I started looking at the other possibly less obvious associations with quilts, almost a protective layer between you and the world or sometimes yourself. I associate it here very much with a mothers love. The comfort that a mother provides, the protector, the one who picks you up and kisses all your pains away.
This winter I became fascinated with the starlings that cluster in huge clouds over the Moor where I live. I looked at birds in symbology and mythology and found that they were so often used to express "communication". I could also see how a silent communication orchestrated their inticate and collossull formations when they flock. I started including starlings in my sketches and textile samples
I have always been drawn to text in textile work and it is of course one of our most obvious forms of communicating. I also started to think at this point about how my personal project would look and began to sketch and sample out ideas. Above are image transfers that I did using white arylic paint and photocopies. I am really pleased with the transfer on knitting. Particularly the way it decays and cracks when adhered to a surface with stretch like this piece of chunky knitting.
I became fascinated by the decayed surfaces that Norma Starzakowna (above)creates using various print mediums, some look like rust and others decayed concrete. I wanted to create a decayed surface to work on to express the notion of faulty memory and the damage it can cause.
I was also inspired by the way Joan Shulze uses image transfer in her quilts (below). I had already fallen in love with the process of image transfer and discovered through experiment that it is possible to layer up images and if the source is removed before the paint is dry it pulls away and gives a decayed effect, like neglected billboard hoardings.
Below is the start of my personal project. All the images have been transfered on using either image maker or white paint. I started using photocopies of bits of work I have done before or photographs but I quickly ran out of source material and started ripping relevant or interesting images from newspapers (mass communication).
I am almost done now and I am not going to show you my finished piece in this post because I think I have run on for too long, just one more image (below). These are the most literal interpretation of the work in my sketchbook. Little birds cut from the pages of a book. I'm afraid you will have to wait until next time to see what I did with them.
Lots of Love
Christina
xxx
2 comments:
This post slipped me by, glad I found it, you're doing some really good work Tina and really should include this blog with your learning log!
The themes you're working with will really set you off for the work you'll be doing in year 2.
What you could be thinking about now is the process of the making as the art. The quilting is not only seen as a product and the ideas of what it represents but also think about the process in making. The stitching a mother would do when making the quilts for her loved ones, the time spent on it and life events that pass into history during the time of making. Would make an interesting research project - look at the historical, social and gender aspects associated with them.
The starlings you machine embroidered look very effective where you've left a thread between them. Birds are free yet they group together. It might be good to film the birds flying then try to get some stills from this footage. This captures movement and a snippet of time really well, try it see what you think.
Try sanding the image transfers, this gives a good effect of taking on the texture beneath and will give you the weathered effect you desire also.
Text in work is something that interest me also, have a look at the book 'writing on the wall, word and image in modern art' by Simon Morley if you haven't already.
Sorry I've gone all teacher on you! But anyway I hopes it all helps x
Bex
HiRebecca, thank you for leaving me such fantastic feedback. I only just now saw it. I will think more about the suggestions you have made, and make a note of the book you mentioned
'Writing on the Wall'. Its a good idea to get out my cameras this fall and winter and film the starlings, I am still fascinated by them. I love that you got all teachery on me and I value your input, thanks for taking the time to do it.
xxx
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