Textile Art Festival

I went to the Textile Art Festival in Brisbane yesterday and I had the best time!
I have always loved books I can learn something from and I bought this book from The Thread Studio. They were the busiest stall: people waited 4 deep first to get to the merchandise, then to pay.
I also did a "Ratty Tatty Papers" workshop, one of those 1 hour events.
We made a silk sheet with coccoon strippings and silk rods.
We learned coccoon fibres are naturally gummy and the whole lot with embellishments just gets ironed between 2 sheets of baking paper.
I don't know yet what I will do with it.
A bought 6m of the newer fusible that isn't supposed to fall apart: applifix. Hope it works!
There were heaps of exhibitions and they were dispersed among the stall, so exciting.

But what was even more exciting was that Bernina had all their challenges on display, including mine: Bernina Bling.
It looked fantastic: on a black background, but without the hanger.
The story about this:
I am a "Bernina Friend". I am sorry people, not my choice of title. It just means I was a professional quilter who works on a Bernina. We get special days to try new machines etc.
Last year we were all invited to create something for the new machine. Rules were: make whatever you want to make, but it has to feature the logo (the stylized "8") and stick to the colours white, black, silver and red. All entries would stay with Bernina for 12 months (since extended) and be used at shows etc to promote the new machine.
Winner would win a new $10.000 machine. It had to be completed by the beginning of Feb. I was working hard on the quilt for Sjef and Saul, which had to be finished by Christmas. In January I inially thought I wouldn't be able to get it done, then I decided to just do a small one. not agonise about too much about it and I got it completed in time.
Meanwhile: someone is producing a book on these works and their makers and that will be published by October. The cover design was at the show yesterday, very classy.
So that was very exciting. There were some absolutely stunning designs for this challenge, including wearable art. The other great thing about yesterday's show was that I met so many old acquaintances to chat to, I thought I'd lose my voice! Some I hadn't seen for many years.
So a good day all around!
Today I am going to start on the Aussie Quilts for 3 babies in Holland. Test out the new Applifix!

Some drawings and a pastel

I don't know yet how to move the images around on my page! :-(

Anyway, here are some of my better efforts.
The pastel was done by using step-by-step instructions in an Art Magazine.
The nude was a copy from a drawing book, using the technique Deb taught me; using guidelines and a compass is part of it.
The eye was from a lesson in Drawspace, online drawing lessons.
The twisted stems were done in the Japanese Gardens in Toowoomba, they are wisteria stems. The fig tree was done at Gina's place.
I didn't manage to capture the actual ridges on the wisteria stems, but I did capture the twist and I was happy with that. Learning how to show the ridges is now on my drawing to-do list!
I am finding that the more I draw, the more I enjoy it. Next term we're going to work with coloured pencils with Deb. I've got a heap: pastel pencils, ordinary coloured artists pencils, watercolour pencils, coloured graphite pencils, so that should be fun.

How did I get into art classes?

In June last year I started with art lessons. It happened in a weird way, although I have always wanted to be able to draw.What happened was that I won a prize with my wearable art. (see pictures) As well as some cash, I also won a $200 voucher towards the workshop of my choice at Artsfest Grafton.

What appealed to me was the workshop: "The Dynamic Pose", with Janis Lander. It required artists with some experience, I contacted her and she suggested that I do some basic drawing classes and learn a bit about anatomy prior to the workshop.

I started classes In Fernvale with Gina and also booked in for 10 sessions of life drawing classes in Toowoomba. Although I was totally out of my depth at the life drawing classes, I got a lot out of it, because the coordinator of the sessions was very helpful.

In the end, the Janis Lander workshop was cancelled because of lack of numbers, but by that time I was hooked. I did a class with Damian Kamholz, where I was also out of my depth, but then, I didn't have any depth, I was such a beginner. Again, I learned stuff there too.

Gina encouraged me to do some painting, but I didn't enjoy the acrylics. I didn't enjoy the mixing and the fact the paint dries so quickly and neither did I want to go to oils.

I did a pastel workshop and I liked it.

Earlier this year I started classes with Deb Gilmartin in Toowoomba. This was drawing for beginners and I loved it. She teaches classes in 6 week courses and they are fantastic! The classes are well planned and organised and I am learning such a lot!

I am also still going to Gina's classes, which are more relaxed and have a very social component, as Gina wants to establish an artists group in the region. The two classes are very different and I enjoy them both.

Oh...and if you like to see the full range of the Tarots I finished, go to http://www.hetty.mosaicglobe.com/

Working in Photoshop

I have fully completed 16 Tarots and another one needs some hand stitching and beading. This means I am on track to complete 2 more this month and the final three in April. Hooray!!


For The Devil I needed an image of chains. (for addiction).


My attempt to draw some was not very successful. I remembered DH had some heavy chains in the shed so I got those out. I mucked about with paint on fabric, which didn't go anywhere.


I cropped one of the photos I took, manipulated them further in Photopaint and I was thrilled with the result.

This was the cropped photo of the chains on our verandah floor.

This is the image which I then printed on ready-to-print cotton and which became the background for this piece.

I have come to the conclusion that your weaknesses as well as your strengths contribute to developing a style.

Had I been able to draw, I would have done that and stopped there.

Sent the card off

I sent the card away yesterday.
The background is some of my handmarbled fabrics.
Pink Spiral on the left: running stitch, whipped with pink yarn. Little dots are put on the yarn with fabric markers.
Some angelina fibres on the right. French knots in thick perle cotton as well as some straight stitches.
Small indonesian glass beads start in the pink spiral and continue to go around the angelina bits.
What else can I say?

Started my cyberfyber card

I was going to send one of the cards in my stash, but changed my mind when I went through my own handmarbles. Made quite a few years ago when I did hundreds of fat quarters and sold them in my workshop.

I am always amazed at them, each one is different, each square inch is different.
The bits of angelina fibres were left after I cut out circles.
We are off for a week, holidaying in Brunei and Sabah. I am definitely looking forward to it, but I know I will be pleased to return to my studio!

Postcards, postcards everywhere....

I want to participate in the http://cyberfyberexhibitionpostcards.blogspot.com/ which requires a blog, so here it is!

Fabric postcards are a big part of my life at the moment. I am rewriting a course for www.quiltuniversity.com, I am in an art2mail swap, I am sending a weekly card for 48 weeks to someone I love.

My other project is creating 22 small (A4) works based on the major arcana of the Tarot.
More details on my website www.hettyvanboven.com

I will add more to this blog when I get back from holidays!