Eclipse: Maurice Sheltens

Eclips Kite

Eclips Ball

Eclips Light

 

The photography of Maurice Sheltens is such a wonderful find. It was so hard to choose, but I do really like the quirky theming of his Eclipse series. Most of his work is for magazines, so you might recognise some of them. Enjoy!

Shirt in Progress

You might have noticed the May Giveaway link in the sidebar? Well, I've been thinking about what to offer as my giveaway and so far, shirt-in-progress is looking like the front-runner. This has spurred me on to play with it a bit more. I've block printed one of the front panels and have been playing with some more fabric panels. It's still a shirt-in-progress but I thought I'd gauge interest. So..... what do you think? And yes, I will absolutely take lack of response as a "don't think so, babe!". No problems - I just want to know.

Matthew Richie

The Evening Line, conceived for the Venice Biennale Architecture 2008

The Morning Line, Contemporary Art Biennale in Seville

The Universal Adversary exhibition, NYC 2006

Matthew Richie's laser-cut aluminium works are site-specific structures. His constructions are built from a single shape called "the bit", a truncated tetrahedron. (I'm not exactly sure what this is but the shapes are incredible!) His passion for fractal geometry is reflected in these amazing combinations with no beginning or end, which lead the eye in movements around multiple centres. Links are under each photo.

Work in Progress x2

I don't know about you, but I always seem to have a handful of projects on the go at any one time. I'm not necessarily working on them all at once; some are in the 'pondering basket'. In any case, thought I'd post two of my current WiPs.

Whenever I make something it's always the fabric that inspires me, and the shape comes later. First, I'll layer however many different ones all over the dining table and rearrange until I find the combination I like. Then, I'll play with shapes, looking at how the fabric falls etc., and then I just cut. (I'm not really a pattern kind of girl!) I love juxtaposing different textures. I've made a lot of mistakes but have learned something new with each piece. It's like the sewing equivalent of "your eyes are bigger than your stomach!" I guess.

So, current eye-full is below. I love this ivory + black floral stripe and the way the stripes play with the stripe-weave of the jersey. I'm still playing with the style, but I think I like it...

The painting below is another WiP... I've been pondering this one for a while now. The idea for it came from a photo (I think) in the Weekend Australian, must have been last year now. I was so struck by the way the North Korean soldier posed – that fashiony quasi-sexual jaunt of the hip...? I guess it was my preconception that these women have a very limited exposure (if any?) to contemporary posturing in magazines and on TV etc. I'd always supposed we learn these movements and gestures by conscious or unconscious mimicry, and here was this woman from what is effectively a 'closed' society striking a pose. 

Anyway, I wanted to represent this somehow on canvas. Originally, my intention was to simply have her stark outline on a shiny silver background to portray the contradictions between the utilitarian and the glam of her pose.... but it just doesn't work. I'm thinking now of making it more of a collage in her uniform and going the full glam with it. Or am I just going from one extreme to the other... What do you think?

Make Your Own

This is so freaky – I don't know if anyone remembers a post of mine from last month about how I want to invent a paper-like fabric for dresses that you can draw on...? So, imagine my surprise when I saw this fabulous story on accidental mysteries. These super talented people have done it! Michiel Schuurman and Berber Soepboer are the designers who have developed the Colour-In Dress. They also collaborated on the very funky Replacement Dress (below). Both were made for a show last year at the prestigious De Ploeg textile factory. The idea with both dresses is that the wearer is responsible for part of how the dress looks, either in decoration or construction.

Photo Booth love

Photobooth strips from Keetra Dean Dixon's project "Instilling Wonder in the Daily Experience"

Photobooth Key

There's something about a photo booth that I just love... is it the secret hidey-hole thing? It's definitely romantic and fun, but it also links into that whole creative space thing – crammed in with friends or lover, you play-act and pull faces, sequence your moves and laugh hysterically...

These photo booth strips are the brainchild of Keetra Dean Dixon. People enter the booth and pose for their two shots and then, during the developing process, the photos are customised randomly with different symbols and patterns from the Key (above). This is just so fabulous – I love it! Check out more examples here.

Screenprinting with the Year 4s

Wow – I am exhausted! I've just returned home from a morning of screenprinting and block printing with 24 nine-year-olds and my already high respect for teachers has increased by leaps and bounds. The kids were great and they really enjoyed it, which was so gratifying. It really was lots of fun (I just feel like I've run a mile!). Obviously, I can't post any pictures of the kids without parental approval so you'll have to believe me when I tell you they were totally rapt. Year 4 library bags now abound! Big thanks to the lovely Mrs Jones for letting me have her art class for the morning.

Etsy Love

Something's Hiding Here is my latest greatest Etsy love. Imagination, wit and originality – it's a powerful combination, and these guys seem to have it in buckets. I have to confess their "You Are What You Love" necklace was too irresistible for me this morning when I found my way to their shop via the blog Love it A Lot.

All the necklaces began life through their Your Message Here project.

A Year of Rings

Artists Tihi Kutchamuch and Nutre Arayavanis have collaborated on this beautiful project – 12 paper rings for each month of the year, each one representing a symbolic flower. The All Year Rings are provided on a laser-cut sheet of textured white card ready for assembly.

Found via here.

Blue find thru Seventy Tree...

I trotted down to hubby's optometry practice today and had my eyes tested – I've been in desperate need of a stronger prescription in my sewing specs for quite a while now... (You know how it goes, the plumber's home always has leaky taps etc.) 

Anyway, when thinking of what to post today and freshly returned from my eye test, I remembered this fabulous chair chart by Blue Art Studio. I found my way here via a very gorgeous new blog find... The Seventy Tree.

Chair exam and Alphabet of design classics, both by Blue Art Studio

Screenprinting 101 (II)

I've just been cutting out a stencil for a screenprinting workshop I'm doing for my youngest daughter's art class at school. I know it's not the easiest way but I really like the old fashioned-ness of a hand-cut stencil. I think it also helps the kids to see that they can do this themselves at home. Anyway, far from perfect but I think they'll like it and, come Thursday morning, we'll have some fun with it. I'm going to get them to print the design on some calico library bags I found at Eco Shopper (great resource in Australia, if anyone's looking).

Web Find: The Curiosity Shoppe

Yubz headset for mobile/cell phones 

Pencil sharpener Desk Organiser

Stitch Postcard with the needle + thread

Pinhole camera – you assemble it + it actually works with normal 35mm film

Stamped library card in sleeve, mounted onto a blue card

After I waved off all the family yesterday afternoon I relaxed by getting lost on the net, clicking into one site from another until I didn't know how I'd got to wherever I was, but... I did find this... The Curiosity Shoppe – what a find! So many fabulous + fun finds, I could barely choose. You have to have a look the next time you're stuck for a gift. Very much drawn to the stitched postcard – imagine charting your journeys with a thread! Also, the headset for mobile/cell phones – the irony is just gorgeous.

Happy Mother's Day!

A gift to all mothers – relaxing in the Tuilleries with a view of the Eiffel Tower

Make Do + Mend: Sheet Dress

It probably seems like a strange Make Do + Mend project... maybe it's more common than I realise? I decided to downscale on the huge amount of bed linen I had in one bursting cupboard. Some of the sheets were so lovely and in such good condition that I just couldn't face throwing them out. So, they were added to the mountains of fabric in my work room. I just thought they'd be perfect if there was a design or particular skill I wanted to trial. (Actually, truth be told, I've never actually learned to sew and my entire experience with sewing has been one of trial and error!)

Anyway, I had a hankering for a fully gathered skirt and needed a practice run..... and this is it! I love the red and white stripes, the plain bodice design and how they provide a foil for the frivolous girlishness of a fully gathered skirt. Best of all, I didn't have to throw out these fab sheets! 

(p.s. that's a plastic snake in the kaffir lime tree to keep the possums away!)