Of Aerials and Other Things

Moley and Paul went in the pick up to collect the last section of the aerial. It was used to transmit something VERY IMPORTANT at sometime, somewhere, but, dear reader, the facts escape me. At TM it will be used for something or other, but not at its full height, I can't remember what or why. You can see that I am not in full possession of my faculties at present!

This evening I went to the PV and award ceremony for 'Outside In' at Pallant House Gallery. Very moving exhibition, and due to go to other venues over the next two years. PHG has been at the forefront of supporting outsider art for a few years. I also had a quick squint at the Gwen John / Celia Paul exhibit. We do get some good stuff in Chi. The paintings that Celia Paul did after the death of Lucien Freud are in the form of stations of the cross and are in the cathedral - my next port of call, tomorrow.

In Tapestry terms, I have been doing some more to 'Blue', and have to finish my entry for the ATA juried exhibition and look out some framed pieces to submit to an open art show in London.....

On Saturday I am getting the train 'home' to pick up my new wheels (have been carless for a few months) which my lovely Mum and Dad have found for me. I have not seen family since August, so am really looking forward to it.





My colours (it has a grey interior). The freedom of the road beckons!! P and M have been great about lifts, but it will be nice to be independent.

Location:TM

Sampling (or, "What did you do today Mummy?" "I wove a rabbit's bottom"

The finished violet leaf. I decided that filling in all the background was not the best use of time (= I could not bear it because my tension had gone too tight) so moved on to rabbit. I counted the number of warps in the original and redrew the outline to fit my warps. This decapitated and detorsoed him. Louise then suggested that I remove his legs and concentrate on the hachures in the hindquarters, adding an extra layer of complexity by putting in highlights.....





And this is how a whole, medieval rabbit looks





Lots to do!

Location:Home

Weaving Back in Time

Excellent first day of the millefleurs course with Louise Martin. We began with hachures (stepped and smooth) then a double ended hachure 'cheat'. After lunch we each chose a motif - here a violet leaf - drew it onto the warp and set to....
Great lunch and supper, a lift to the station and I am on my way home for cocoa and an early night with a tapestry book, choosing a motif to weave tomorrow. I am tempted by one of the rabbits from The Lady and the Unicorn, which I can then use in my entry for Tapestry Mischief. A White Rabbit and a bottle saying Drink Me; 'Go Ask Alice'.

Location:A Train Between Angmering and Chichester

A Pressie!

Michael went to visit a residential college in Gloucestershire yesterday, and he came in today with this present for me. It is a good weather day, so we are all going to be working outside.......

Location:Time Machine

Looking Back....

Six years ago yesterday, the life I knew came to an abrupt end.
It has been far from easy, there is still a way to go, but I have survived, and in many ways thrived.
To all the people who sat with me while I cried - THANK-YOU
To everyone who listened, made tea, talked, took me out, took me in and made suggestions - THANK-YOU
To all of you who have helped / are helping me to rebuild - THANK-YOU

I like my life, there is so much to look forward to. THANK-YOU

Location:Home

New Stuff

I am going to a class this weekend - Millefleurs technique with Louise Martin from the Stirling Castle Tapestry Project (http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/home/experience/highlights/tapestries.htm)and will be travelling by train. What a good excuse to make a new bag to protect my frame in transit! Black denim with an extra pocket on the front. The scissor (and other things) poke and huswif will go too. They are a Liberty print designed by Grayson Perry with little weird faces all over.

Location:Home

Getting Dressed in the Dark (and no opportunity to come home and change)

'Nuff said.

Location:Home

Between the Loom and the Lathes

My new indoor workspace:-




Tucked behind the countermarche loom and the machine room lathes, with sunshine streaming through the window. All ready for designing and sampling....





The current state of Octopus.

Location:Time Machine

A Wonderful Wednesday

Look what I got today! My official badge. I wore it all day!

We had a very useful meeting planning the dates for the school and family workshops that I shall lead during the residency, and generally talking about the ideas for making stronger links between TM and the cathedral to echo the fact that we are built from their rubble. I shall be doing one family day during half term, three primary school days, one SEN school day and a secondary morning which ties in with a Holocaust Survivor talk; not on HMD, but the week afterwards. That one was news to me, so I have to plan an additional (and appropriate) activity. All very exciting.

This afternoon ( and before the meeting) I did some weaving. I finished the octopus yesterday (but forgot to photograph it before it rained on me) so am back on seascape filling until such time as I decided to add some fish. The weather was lovely and sunny until about 4, which was very gratifying. I then spent some time arranging my new indoor space. This evening a group of poets came for a reading around the fire pit, so I did mulled wine and they toasted marshmallows. We filled the garden with candles and it looked fantastic. Cue more night time events methinks.

Location:Various

Amusement

A day off today after two days at the PACE conference. Eleanor is coming for supper later and bringing the cat back - she (the cat that is) has been on a mouse catching holiday. We are going to make supper with whatever we have on hand. Not mouse, despite the one lying dead outside my garage door. Another cat I presume.





Hard to believe she is such a good mouser.....

Location:Home

Of Robins and Patriotic Dogs....

Arrived this morning to blue skies and the cheery robin in the hedgerow. He sings to me every day as I work on the octopus, and is becoming bolder about being seen. I hope to lure him to my loom with mealworms.....




Waiting for last night's ran to dry off the tapestry and doing some indoor making, I turn to see the doglet asleep on our vintage flag; is this patriotism or treason?

And this, I thought, seems a good way of dealing with moments of bleugh:




Amended by me to

Location:Time Machine

A Lovely Day

Today dawned bright and fair and proved to be an excellent day for outdoor weaving. It was also an excellent day for people to decide on visiting, so I divided my time between working on the octopus and serving tea and cakes. (Paul was chopping wood at the end of the garden; his aim is to fill the yurt with logs for the winter). Progress was made despite all the interruptions.





Michael and Moley discussing the finer points of chain saws.....

We also had a bit of jollity this morning when someone brought in an old chemistry set, complete with (wait for it......) MAGNESIUM RIBBON. A bit oxidised, so not the quantity of brilliant white flame we hoped for, but better than nothing. We are saving the rest for a special occasion, along with other whizz bangs. We do have fun at the Time Machine.

Location:Time Machine

Keeping Out of Mischief

I recently made a resolution to spend more time making things and using up my stash. Here is the first result. It is only a little lap blanket, as I only had one ball of the Noro sock yarn, and knew I would not be able to get more as it has been discontinued. A border of some Rowan tweed from a cone I bought from EBay a few months ago just because I liked the colour, and with no particular purpose in mind. There are other things in progress, both here and at TM, to keep me busy when outdoor weaving is not an option: the weather forecast suggests that will be the case for most of the next ten days. Chiz.

In other news, I went over to WD this morning, and caught up with a few people. They have confirmed their side of the Cathedral residency, and I have arranged to use some of the facilities in Visual Arts in the time leading up to Feb. Photoshop on the iMac 2! A3 printer! Daylight lamps! Whizzo.





This dyed Shetland is now half way to being a shawl.

Location:Home

Shock! Horror! We Closed Time Machine for a Day

Chi College hosted an SEN Moving On Fair yesterday, and we went along to sell our wares - well at least to tell people about what we do, and to form links with other service providers. I hope it proves to be useful. This is Paul, the Time Lord and finder of the Clock Trust and Time Machine. I cunningly avoided being photographed.

Location:Chichester College