Winter Wonderland

Time out today, for a trip up Wharfedale while there’s still a bit of snow on the hills but the roads are passable. Glorious.

Sample Project 2012 - January

You wouldn’t believe the number of subjects, sources and formats I’ve dithered over for this year’s weekly sample project. I couldn’t find anything that really grabbed me, and yet wouldn’t be too time consuming. In fact I was close to not bothering at all… but as January went on I realised I missed the little weekly shot of variety and challenge too much. But, it also became clear that I didn’t want to spend too long choosing (or even taking) each week’s source picture.

The bought diaries I used for the first four years were great, but I can’t find another that I like – Earth From the Air is repeating photos I’ve already used, and the remaining Taschen great artists series don’t appeal.

In the end I’ve decided to use a book I already have: Underwater Eden – 365 Days. Each week I’ll have seven photos to choose from. I’ll mount the sample on a postcard size card with a scan of the photo plus notes on the back.

Here we go then… 

 

Week 1: Giant Sea Fan

Free machining.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 2: Garibaldi fish scales

Layers of sheer synthetic fabric, machine stitched with scallop pattern, soldered out.

 

 

Week 3: Crinoid

Free zigzag stitch, layering colours, on patterned cotton fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 4: Blue spotted ribbontail stingray

Wool tops felted on embellisher.

Under the Sea

Today sees the opening of this exhibition at Sheffield Millennium Gallery, which includes my two pieces as shown above – Sea Forms 1 (plankton) and Coral Bleaching.

“Under the Sea explores the beauty and importance of the oceans, their significance for our planet and what we as individuals can do to help protect them for the future.”

I’ve only seen photos so far but it looks great – a wide variety of contemporary art, craft and design alongside specimens and art from the museum collections. And I’m delighted to be able to take part in something with such a strong environmental education element.

BUT, the opening has been overshadowed by the announcement today of a devastating loss of funding for Museums Sheffield. According to their website, “Large scale staff redundancies, major reductions in exhibition programmes and scaled down learning provision for schools/adults are all now inevitable.”

Please take a look here and see if there’s anything you can do to help make the case for culture in Sheffield.

And of course, if at all possible do go and see the exhibition! It’s on until June, open every day, and entry’s free. There’s also a shop with related items including plankton brooches by yours truly. And a cafe. What more do you want?!

How to be inspired

I do love my Guardian newspaper. My day isn’t complete without it; I always feel it’s such a shame my birthday is one of only two days a year (apart from Sundays) it’s never published!

Anyway it came up trumps again yesterday with a long feature on how a variety of creative people find creative inspiration – artists, musicians, dancers, playwrights etc. You can read it here.

If you haven’t got time for the whole article, these are my favourite bits from artist Polly Morgan:

• Don't wait for a good idea to come to you. Start by realising an average idea – no one has to see it. If I hadn't made the works I'm ashamed of, the ones I'm proud of wouldn't exist.

• Don't try to second-guess what people will want to buy. Successful artists have been so because they have shown people something they hadn't imagined. If buyers all knew what they wanted before it had been made, they could have made it themselves, or at least commissioned it.

• Don't be afraid to scrap all your hard work and planning and do it differently at the last minute. It's easier to hold on to an idea because you're afraid to admit you were wrong than to let it go.

OK, these might not be totally original ideas, but they’re certainly ones I need reminding of now and then!