Friday, 27 February 2015

Russian Red 2008

Getting All Antsy Pantsy*: UFO  (Started:2008)
Hard at Work at the NSW Embroiders Guild, Concord

It seems hard to imagine that I started my Explorer Series 7 years ago.  Where did that time go?  In 2008, I signed up for an Art Quilt class at the NSW Embroiders Guild with Carolyn Sullivan in the vain hope that working in this genre would better suit me.  I wanted to work smaller, more creatively and in series (in effect - smarter).  (Does that sound a familiar refrain?)  It was also a great opportunity to learn how to better organise a journal (or two).  The classes ran over 8 sessions starting in Feb, so it was a full year commitment.  I was very happy that some of my Randwick quilters signed up with me – we often met out of class to inspire each other and thus managed to finish many of our set projects. 

 
#1 The Research Station (33 x 33cm) 2008

#2. Coral Garden (32 x 38cm) 2008
Whilst my plan was grand indeed, I managed to miss a couple of sessions and so those pieces sit quietly in my UFO box waiting, waiting…  My journal though is quite a resource and if I live to 100, may get round to exploring some of the many ideas that came out of it.  It was a fun and thoughtful class, certainly guaranteed to shake out the cobwebs and lead you gently into the world of art.  Sometimes you just need that!

As I wanted to work in series, I set myself a theme of “exploring an exotic life”.  My inspiration was the life and work of a Russian Marine Scientist who lived and worked in Sydney (1878-1887).  Explorers, maps, travel, the ocean & its creatures and Russian red drove my design choices within our monthly sessions.

So began my Voyages of Discovery. My Explorer Series (Collection# 51) followed our monthly tasks:
  1. Built Environment - Windows (The Research Station)
  2. Natural Environment - Leaves (Coral Garden)
  3. Natural Environment – Networks (Voyages of Discovery)
  4. Women’s Work
  5. Simplify the View (Immersion - yet to be finished)
  6. Personal Icons & Symbolism
  7. Movement (Rock, Paper, Scissors)
  8. Just Script
#3. Voyages of Discovery (38 x 48cm) 2008

#7.  Rock, Paper, Scissors (46 x 47cm) 2008
*My family interpretation of this saying, antsy pantsy was "that you were getting a bit above yourself" or a little bit fancy.  Does that help?  No, probably not.....

And if you're wondering, the dragonfly is a symbol of regeneration & change.  I also added an inked stamp from a Chinese chop (seal or name stone) that I had made in Singapore.  The red threads were added for "luck & prosperity".  These "marks" were on all the pieces I made in this series.

#5.  Immersion (& a work in progress still!)