Second Summer

I'm not sure we really had the first one but I feel like I've just experienced a second summer. Let me give you a little background.

We don't really do big summer holidays, recently we have been to the Vendee region of France at the end of August and camped with the whole family. It's been fun, but John and I haven't ever really done holidays by ourselves. This year we were determined to get a bit of us time and have managed it quite well. The boys are grown up and both are now at university and more willing to make their own plans. So in the Summer, while our daughter was on a trip to Mexico we had a week away and stayed with our very good friends in Cheshire - we had a great week, but there were a few work issues that John had to deal with, which meant he didn't really relax.

We chatted about getting a last-minute all-inclusive deal, but when push came to shove, we realised that it really wasn't us - we like to do a bit of exploring and to cook and eat local food. Friends of ours have a flat in Altea in Spain and it was free over the half-term holidays. due to our half term being a week later than Scotland it was much cheaper to fly from Edinburgh. So we booked the flights and last Saturday, away we went. The flight was late afternoon and arrived in Alicante, mid-evening, but after the last service bus had departed, so we booked a shuttle bus - slightly more than getting public transport, but efficient and reliable - which was great. We arrived in Altea at about 10.30 and by the time we had found the flat and settled in, it was late- we managed to find a bar that was still open and had a quick beer before getting take out pizza.

I loved the fact that we could get coffee and croissants for 6 Euros on Sunday morning, but there wasn't much open early and all the supermarkets seemed to be shut, however, while John watched the rugby I went off to explore and found an open small shop and managed to get bread, butter, and milk - just to see us through Sunday.


The flat overlooked the beach and promenade and was a great spot for sitting on the balcony people watching and listening to the hustle and bustle of daily life. We ate a restaurant along the front on the first day and had good food.


Over the next few days, we explored the local area - walking the full length of the seafront, heading up into the old town to explore the streets and see the church - which was stunning. We read, listened to music, ate out, relaxed. I swam in the warm sea - Teva's on as it's a pebble beach and tough on the feet.


John took a look at the two bikes that were at the flat and once he had procured a new inner tube we headed off on a morning ride to the Eastern Orthodox church about 5km away. It was a hilly ride and the bikes really weren't up to it - lots of slipped gears, bearing issues and the chain coming off frequently. We made it and the building is stunning - wooden and highly decorated. We arrived in time to do the Northumbria Community morning office and took the opportunity to pray in the church of a different culture to ours. After photographs of the building we headed back on the bikes (much easier back as it's almost all downhill).

It was great to feel the warm sun on my skin and have the opportunity to sketch - I'd only taken a couple of pens and a limited selection of watercolours with me and found I was craving creating something much more substantial. - next time!

I can honestly say it has been a real blessing to have some time in the sun, to relax, to reflect, to breath - I needed this holiday and I hope I feel the effects for a while to come as we hurtle towards Christmas.

McQueen

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Have you been to see the documentary about Lee Alexander McQueen yet?

What a delight. This film has both inspired and saddened me. There are very few truly creative genius in the world and I think McQueen was one of them. Trailer below.

I'd followed the McQueen collections from a distance for many years, always being inspired by the creative and artistic elements he included. As I began my MA in fine art in 2007 and started thinking about my own artistic practice, I became more aware of contemporary artists and designers. I consider myself an artist, teacher, designer, maker. and all of these facets are linked for me. I have a desire to create - whatever that might be. Sometimes it takes the form of artworks. Sometimes technically accurate patterns and sometimes looser draped ideas. All things that I saw in the work of McQueen. His attention to detail; the inspired impossible clothes and the ideas that underpinned it all.

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In my opinion, Lee Alexander McQueen was an artist and a sculptor at that, not just a fashion designer. A true creative. I saw through the film that drive to keep making - it's part of your DNA. Not a choice, but a need - it's part of who you are and I can relate to that - I feel it too. For McQueen, the fame and stress that this bought eventually had a negative impact on him, which ultimately led to his untimely death.

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The focus and creativity of the man have been an inspiration and I can say without a doubt that the Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A was singularly the best exhibition I've ever seen. It was Also shown at the Met and you can see a gallery view here.

I love his insects inspired work. Sometimes I have felt that my own butterfly inspired work was somehow influenced by his work. It wasn't - I was working on my pieces before his collection came out - it's just coincidence - or maybe great minds think alike (who am I kidding).

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Some of my work with the same subject matter.

Anyway. If you are a lover of high fashion, or art, or McQueen, or creativity, or genius, or inspiration, or real-life stories then you must go and see this film. Go to be inspired, go to cry, go to recognise true talent, go to seek creativity in yourself, go to be touched by a troubled life, but go.

Spring plans.

So I've been thinking quite a bit about what's next creatively. I've got quite a few things in the pipeline from an artistic point of view, but on the sewing front, I haven't got much planned.


So  - what do I want to achieve?

Art
I have art work to create for my scar tissue project - you can read more about this here. I'm sewing and printing and painting and embroidering all as part of this project. I'm certain the direction will change to reflect the stories people tell me about their scars. This is a long-term project and the first stage will culminate in a "work in progress" exhibition in October.

I want to explore Gelli plate printing. as an artist who uses monotypes a lot in my work. Id love to see how the Gelli plate compares to traditional techniques. I have a plate and am keen to get started. I'd like to do some more work like my black and red pieces.

Sewing wise - 
Ginger Jeans. these have been on my to make list for a while and I've had the pattern since Christmas. just looking for the right denim.

Kalle shirt? I see a lot of love around the blogosphere for this. I'd initially passed it by, but I'm seeing the need for a couple of shirts in my wardrobe and love the styling. Both of these are Closet Case Patterns

I've also got a bit of Selfless sewing planned - I've got a couple of dresses to make for friends. not 100% sure which patterns I'll be using yet.

Exploring new things - 
I've been inspired by the subtraction cutting technique of Julian Roberts, who teaches at the Royal College of Art,  and I'm going to try and have a go - I wonder what I can create? - you can see more of his work on IG @julianrobertsnow

I've also been following the work of Zero Waste Daniel. Love the way he creates fashionable pieces from a patchwork of fashion industry offcuts. I'm determined to try to reduce the amount of waste from sewing by using up as much as I possibly can. I've already started piecing bits together to create fabric yardage. I now need to decide what to make with these pieces - probably something simple like a t-shirt or tank. follow him on IG @zerowastedaniel

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS: SCAR TISSUE

I don't know how many of you are artists or claim to create artwork. As a full-time teacher, I find it challenging to fit all my ideas into the time I have available. Consequentially ideas often take weeks, months or even years to fully form. This has been the case with my current developing project 'Scar Tissue', which has taken years to evolve. 

UPDATE: Please take my survey even if you don't have prose/ poetry to share. your answers can help - feel free to share whatever you're comfortable with. Take part HERE

After a period of stress and illness a few years ago I really began to connect with who I was, what made me, me. It was a painful time, but the experiences I had have formed me as a person. I began to talk to friends who had been through other life-changing events. Quite a few had had life-changing surgery, some approached it with a positive outlook - how it had made life better, where others felt a sense of anger, emptiness and loss of identity.

I became increasingly interested in how the scars we carry become part of us and help tell our stories - both good and bad. Some of my recent experiments try to explore my perspective on this. However, I really would like to push this further and incorporate stories and poetry, from others who have gone through/ or are going through this type of experience, within my artwork.

As I have just undergone (minor) surgery, I thought it was time to push and develop this project.  I'm looking at how the scars we have are evidence of the healing process, but sometimes our scars are welcomed and sometimes they are hated, depending on our circumstances, each of us responds to our scars and the events surrounding them in different ways.

If you would like to be a collaborator on this project and share your stories/ poems which would be combined with visual artwork or would like to know more, please do get in touch or share with anyone you know who might be interested.

(NB: All texts will only be used for the purposes of this project only and not shared in any other way without the express permission of the author)

Saturday Printmaking

 This weekend I had the privilege of joining some of my year 7 students at a printmaking workshop at the High School. The event was run by one of the High school teachers and a local artist Theresa Easton.

The students had opportunity to create a range of prints and then using the theme birds, collage the prints to create a 3D bird. The students also worked to create a flying bird style sculpture.

They had a fab time and also had opportunity to meet other students from the local feeder schools. Next time it will be the turn of year 8.

More art not less

It's that time of year when exams start. My eldest son has his first GCSE exam this week and my daughter has just taken her options. The year 6 students at the school I work in have just taken their SATs and a couple of weeks ago Ofsted paid us a visit.  There has been much change to the curriculum in the UK and the government first of all want all schools to become academies and then change their mind! Schools want to have outstanding Ofsted ratings and teachers are suck in the middle trying to make sense of it all. All these things have prompted me to write this post.

We went off to my daughters high school a couple of weeks ago to meet with her form teacher in order to agree her options for GCSE (She's only in year 8 and options are usually taken in year 9, but let's not get into that one).

Actually the process was quite painless. She knew which options she wanted to take and the school were happy with them too. She chose Art, Drama, Spanish and Geography. Completely her own choice, and supported by us. I know of other schools where students have been told they can't do arts subjects and they have been forced down a more 'academic' route. This saddens me as the arts have been left out of the EBacc and many schools are squeezing them out of the curriculum. Less art at KS3 and fewer GCSE classes. Often not replacing arts teachers when they leave.

I'm glad that the school my children go to recognises their abilities and preferences and will let them take the subjects they are interested in. Both my sons are quite academic, but they both have an arts subject. One took music and the other product design. I know that my daughter will thrive doing the arts and it's her ambition to become a drama teacher.

I'm also fortunate to work in a school that values the arts. Since starting there in 2014 I've seen students become passionate artists. From learning new techniques to working as artists and creating individual pieces that reflect their personalities. There's still a long way to go, but I'm so impressed with the work they have created and I wanted to share some of it here (sorry for the picture heavy post, but I am one proud teacher).

We started the year with quite traditional techniques and then work increasingly independently as they become more confident. I expect a lot from my students and they do work hard. But it's a different sort of work to English and Maths but is still rigorous and fun! This different way of working allows students to develop creativity in a wider context and become wholistic learners.

Some students really do engage with all aspects of art and you can see the joy on their faces as they create work or learn a new technique. Others just enjoy the physicality of the subject and engage with the messy stuff. I have just started some clay work with year 7 and they are having a whale of a time with it. I will share some as they progress.

Making and creating is part of being human and should be fostered in our education system at all levels.

I'm glad to be where I am at the moment. I get to be part of developing creativity in young people and that is set to increase next year as we run an arts trip to London and start to deliver the Arts Award for our students. I'm excited for this and can't wait to see the young people I work with grow and develop. #moreartnotless.

Year 5 South American inspired masks, Year 6 Still Life food, Year 7 Impressionistic Lamdscapes, Year 8 Portraits and Tom Phillips style found Poetry. Still to come. Year 5 using colour and pattern, Year 6 Printmaking. Year 7 Hybrid animals in clay and year 8 recycled book art.

Stuck in the frustration

Do you ever have so many ideas in your head that you find it difficult to settle with any of them? Well that's me at the moment. I'm finding it very difficult to develop my art practice, and get some practise in.

Let me define my dilemma. A few years ago I created some successful work, which I still love, based on the fragility of life, using butterflies as a motif. I'm not sure I've fully exhausted this yet, but don't really know where to go next. Last Summer I stepped out of my comfort zone and created 30 very different works, which were wide ranging in technique and style. I really enjoyed doing this, but I'm not sure I'm really a landscape/ portrait artist.

I know that I want to link the art and the sewn stuff I make together, so that my artistic practice ties in with the dressmaking and designing I do. I feel that I need some overarching theme that grounds my work and gives it meaning. I'm not sure how to develop what I've done to push it further and what media to focus on.

In short- I need a grounding point for my work. I need it to link all my creative interests. I need to keep drawing and painting as part if what I do. I love experimenting with surface, pattern and texture and love experimental texture. I need a sustainable form with plenty of scope for development. I'm not sure if I should keep the butterfly theme? Have I exhausted it? Do I need some other motif/ subject matter to help me develop ideas?

Do you have any experience in developing your own art practice or the practice of others?

Any ideas?