"I begin with an idea ... and then it becomes something else"
~ Picasso

Saturday 7 March 2015

tangles

hello and thanks for visiting
I hope your Saturday is going well!
 

since I last posted I had a great meeting at St. Ives Textiles
where I continued on with this textured and hand stitched piece ...



I'm really enjoying working on several things at the same time
 
I don't find it hard to work this way ...
just rather frustrating that I don't have even more time to stitch and paint
but I'm sure you feel the same way about that too!
 
 
my little piece features seed heads and french knots for the theme of seeds for St. Ives Textiles
but the colours were inspired by this lichen on granite at the bottom of my garden by the gate
 
my camera bounced the light and the granite looks blue ... I love this effect


as you probably know ... alongside the colours of the ocean and seaside
I love the colours and tones of the lichen in Cornwall
 
st. michaels mount - colour study
on granite, rocks and cottage rooftops
Mousehole cottages
 this tone of yellow pops up in various areas of my work
the one below is inspired by the gorse and hedgerows of the Penwith landscape
in particular ... along the coast road between St. Ives, Zennor and Morvah
 
 
as well as sketchbooks and work for the shows etc.
I've also got a big pile of seascapes and beach hearts coming along
each one is unique and inspired by the Cornish weather, seasons and moods
 
 
and below ... is a mini landscape "on the go" from my newest allotment series
couching and french knots on painted paper and chiffon
 
adding texture with stitches
 
my desk is covered in piles of stuff that I'm slowly sorting through
a mix of new and older work
 
the older work is being processed into manageable smaller sketchbooks
which I hope to share at the show in November
it's interesting to revisit older work
 
monoprints and mosaics
 in February I took part in Lawendula's paper swap
 
I was partnered with Heather Harker
(a lovely new artist friend from Lincolnshire)
who sent me a beautiful and eclectic mix of hand painted and gathered papers
as well as some vintage linen and stonewashed denim pieces
 
the denim pieces were inspiring as they had already been cut
by Heather into interesting shapes and snippets ready for use in my work
 
 
I divided the swap papers into themes
and these I'm calling "force of nature"
(others I will share in another post)
 
  
  
 
still pushing on with my creative photography
I've been experimenting more recently with soft focus
and my own painterly effect textures that I created
 
here are a few I took in Mousehole ...
 
 
the skies in Cornwall are so clean, clear and bright
I'm drawn to looking skyward, to gaze at the moon and stars at night
and morning sunrises over the bay
 
St. Clement's Isle sunrise on linen

 
on rougher days the huge waves wash over Mousehole pier
a force of nature indeed
 
 
at some point this year (soon) or next year ...
I would like to develop the technique of long exposure
there are ways of doing that with a bridge camera ... but not easy ... I suspect
 
long exposure photography gives a dreamy softness
an obscuring, blurring softness to moving elements such as water and lighting
it's a whole new project to savour next year (when I take the master class)
 
(a couple of mixed media landscape collages)
 
 
getting dusky ... lovely colours in Mounts Bay and over Mousehole
the late afternoon sun colouring the clouds and then reflecting in the harbour water
 
 
almost dark ... over Mousehole harbour
 

 back to textiles and I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon
turning this tangle into a seaside art tag
and stick more samples and things in my sketchbook


"tangles" describes very well the chaos of my mind at the moment

I'm currently working in six different themed sketchbooks at once
 and there's lots of work to get through this year for two shows in St. Ives
 
ideas for the textiles shows, general thoughts and ramblings ...
piles of inspiration, work in progress and snippets all around me ...
I'm trying hard to keep my thought process as focused as can be
 
 
still to come ...
 
I've been spending a lot of time in St. Ives so lots of photos still to share
including a tour of the working fishermens' cellars at Porthmeor Studios
and the art installation by maritime artist Mark Dion
 
 
 
hope you enjoyed the photos
have a beautiful and peaceful weekend
with love from Cornwall ♥

15 comments:

Sue Marrazzo Fine Art said...

I LOVED this collection of Inspiring ART, Photos, and MORE!!!!
Thanks, C.S.

Irene donovan said...

thank you for this inspiring post!!

Zue said...

I really did enjoy your photos Carolyn. I adore the sunrise on linen. The long exposure techniques will be interesting, can't wait to see them.
Sue x

chrissie said...

You're work is always so wonderful and so are your photographs. The one of Mousehole is amazing

Love Chrissie x

Carol Rigby said...

I enjoyed all of it Carolyn. You have really captured the colours of the urchin

Gina said...

Such beautiful work Carolyn. The colours are so evocative of Cornwall. It makes me want to come back to St Ives

TwinkleToes2day said...

You are obviously having LOADS of fun and it shows. Your posts and photos always make my heart lift and inspire me no end. Looking forward to more.
Hoping your weekend is proving to be a good one ((hugs)) xox

Heather said...

Wonderful photos - I love the evening one with all the lights. I also love the way you work with stitch and paint. I am useless with paint but this approach really appeals to me. May be I will pluck up the courage to try it.

Sandies' Patch said...

A brilliant, inspiring post!
I love the first pic of Mousehole with the star lit sky!
Oh, I suddenly want to be by the Sea!
But, I can dream of it whilst cutting the grass etc and look at this post again when it rains this afternoon lol!
Looking forward to your gorgeous creations coming up xxx

Linda Vincent said...

A fabulous post Carolyn....so much to admire and be inspired by. I adore your evening photos of Mousehole....now I wish we had stayed for a night as well as a day ;-)
Loved the gallery on the corner btw ...is it called Sandpiper? x

Debbie said...

Great photos, love the textured piece, I wouldn't even know how to start with work like that, just beautiful

Diane said...

I love the way you put things together. Mousehole looks so beautiful xx

Anonymous said...

Wow, just love it all Carolyn. You are back in full creative force. Mousehole looks so charming with it's tiny protected harbor. Sweet name, sweet place. xox

marygems said...

LOVE seeing your work again...missed you so much for all the time you were " away". Love the colours so much. St Ives is beautiful and inspires masterpieces from the tips of your hands.
I enjoy the heart you made for me and it always makes me think of you and the beautiful work you do.
Mary, New Zealand.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

A feast for the eyes throughout this post. Can't wait to see what you do with denim - one of my favourite things to work with, but have had to stop sewing with it due to having arthritis in my hands.