Weekly sample projects – what next?

Wow, I've now completed SEVEN YEARS of weekly samples! Impressive, or worrying? OK, I admit it, I'm addicted. I’ve tried to stop, but I just can’t cope. 

Mostly I've used diaries with an image for each week, and stuck the samples in - Rothko and Van Gogh diaries, and two Earth From the Air. I've also chosen an image from the newspaper each week, or selected from a photo per day book.

They've all been challenging, sometimes very tough to keep going. Great to look back through though, a wonderful resource when I'm feeling stuck.

But now I'm sharing them online, there's an extra problem - I can't/won't show other people's photos without permission, so you can't see what's inspired my samples. And as they’re not works of art in themselves, they become quite meaningless little fragments despite my attempts to explain.         

So I think for 2014 it's going to have to be my own photos... I'm just not sure yet how I'll decide what to photograph, and what format the samples will take - postcards or book or what? It is better with some "rules" - less time wasted agonising over choices and also prising me out of my comfort zone occasionally.

What I have decided though, is that they'll appear on my Facebook page not my blog. I hope the few of you who've followed the project here (thank you!) will join me over at www.facebook.com/AnneHoneymanTextileArt - it's a lot more lively there!
 
Better make my mind up soon, as this week is not only 2013/53 it's also 2014/01…
 

Sample Project 2013 - December

Here it is, the very last instalment of my 2013 sample project! I've been making little textile samples every week inspired by the photos in a John Muir Trust Wild Nature Diary. Usually a pretty quick response, just for fun and variety.

Week 49: Tail of White -Tailed Sea Eagle

(Photo of White Tailed Sea Eagle flying over Skye)

We watched three of these magnificent birds soaring together when we were in Skye ourselves in September! 

Free machined on calico with applied felt, cut away.

 

Week 50: Falling water/aluminium

(Photo of Falls of Foyers, previously used to generate electricity to smelt aluminium)

Free machined lines representing falling water on crumpled aluminium foil (over felt).

 

Week 51: Pine Pollen

(Photo of Scots pine tree in snow)

Couldn't resist doing the pollen rather than the tree, pine pollen is so weird with the little air sacs for wind distribution.

White Lutradur rubbed with blue and grey fabric crayons. Free machined with different shades of blue on top and bobbin. Burned out with soldering iron.

Week 52: Oak leaf on snow

(Photo of golden oak leaf dusted with snow)

Bondaweb leaf shape ironed onto white polyester felt. Gold and copper transfer foil ironed over, lightly. Free machined outline and veins.

Week 53: Limestone pavement in snow

(Photo of limestone pavement near Ingleborough, blanketed in snow)

Small blocks of stitch/weave using white pearl cotton. Painted over with acrylic.  

Sample Project 2013 - November

Aaaaahh... nearly there! And thoughts begin to turn to next year's weekly sample project - or is there even going to be one, maybe this madness has gone on long enough? Hmmm.

Week 45: Waterfalls
(Photo of Cotter Force, Wensleydale)
Three layers of black felt with Tencel fibres embellished over.

Week 46: Moss-festooned trees
(Photo of mossy woods in Glen Orchy)
Wool yarn embellished onto brown felt branch, with trailing ends. Branch then embellished onto suiting fabric.



Week 47: Colourfully banded fungus

(Photo of polypore fungi)

Free machined straight stitch on muslin stretched in a hoop.

 

Week 48: Elgol five ships legend

(Photo of Elgol, Skye)

According to legend, the name Elgol derives from a sea battle fought by the Picts and Scots against the five ships of Aella, a lieutenant of Vortigern (5thC ruler of southern Britain).

Ship outlines free machined on hand dyed calico.

Interviewed!

Published today - an interview about me and my work on TextileArtist.org.

It's much more revealing than this blog's ever been - I'm glad you can't see my bright red face, it's not a pretty sight!

But thank you Joe and Sam, it's an honour to be part of this great textile art resource. The website is full of fascinating features and interviews - if you haven't visited before, grab a cuppa and make yourself comfy, you'll be there a while!