I LOVE the changing seasons, watching the colours shift and the cast of characters change. Over the last few weeks we’ve heard the geese flying over us more and more frequently, a sure herald of autumn along with morning mists and falling leaves! It feels like this whole year has been a season of change; we’ve all had to make so many adjustments and it looks like we’ll have to continue doing so for a while yet.
I find that as the seasons change my work also changes. I’m very much influenced by my environment; my daily drawing is often of natural objects I’ve collected on my daily walk (which obviously change with the seasons) and the changing day lengths and light levels change the colours around me which in turn make their way into my work. The bright blue skies of summer are making way for the pale, shifting tones of autumn skies, tinged in the evenings with pinks and purples.
At the moment I’m busy working on pieces for my exhibition at Caerlaverock Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in December (hopefully!) I’m very much enjoying working on drawings and playing with different fabrics to capture the effects I want. I love to work with sheer fabrics, layering them up and allowing the light to shine through. I love the ethereal, delicate effects that can be achieved and the potential for colour mixing. I’ve got several pieces that I want to make, mostly inspired by the water birds that are starting to make their way over to us and I’m looking forward to spotting different birds on my daily walks. Last year we were visited by lots of pintail ducks and I’m hoping they’ll return again this year.
There is, of course, a good chance that my exhibition will be canceled or postponed so it’s exciting to have work in an online exhibition which can go ahead whatever the current regulations are. My piece’ Message to the Heavens’ was selected for Better Together Artists online exhibition ‘Renewed Awareness’ which explores our responses to lock-down and our changing world. There’s some really beautiful and thought provoking work in the show so do take a bit of time out and have a look.
Sadly all my ‘real life’ workshops for this year have been canceled but I’m excited to be involved in several new online projects. I’ll be busy working on one of these next week: The Phoenix Project , an arts and health project from Green Close in partnership with Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust and supported by the Arts Council. The project aims to provide creative projects that will support people’s wellbeing and mental health through engaging in the visual arts. I’m going to be working with a group of participants over a series of three workshops showing them how to make a 3D textile phoenix.
I’m really looking forward to the workshops and seeing what everyone creates, I’m sure that we will all have very different ideas and will all make something unique. There are lots of other exciting creative workshops available though the Phoenix Project so do have a look and maybe get involved! Doing something creative can really make you feel good and it’s a good chance to try something new.
Until next time, stay safe and be creative!
Helen
www.delicatestitches.co.uk
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