Yesterday a little package arrived in the mail from Book Art Studio here in New Zealand.
Artful mail – mail full of art.
A package inside a package
One Small Drop: First Edition 32/96
Written by Liz Constable
Designed by Jo Constable
“. . . an ocean of love, which began with One Small Drop.”
Here’s a description from Liz and Jo.
I love every page!
Last week I had the privilege and pleasure of spending the week learning alongside 7 other wonderful women . . . Lucy Worsley and 6 other workshop participants on “Stitch it together with collage” organised by Fibre Arts New Zealand. I took the workshop as a challenge . . . collage is not my strong point by any means although I’m a dab hand on the sewing machine and recently I’ve enjoyed hand stitching as well.
At first I struggled because I was looking at the image more than the colour and texture it would impart to a background. Once I shifted my way of viewing the materials I had on hand I began to explore abstracts based on a cruciform composition.
What I ended up with was a series of three images where I was able to incorporate my love of topographical maps and texture.
Topography Series #1
Topography Series #2
Topography Series #3
So what have I learned? Listen to feedback and then decide for yourself what to do, step back, sleep on it, return and decide. Pare back . . . less is sometimes more, don’t allow a desire to use materials to swamp good design, in short, let materials speak for themselves.
I felt so encouraged when the first of the series sold as it hadn’t occurred to me to offer it as this was an exploration at a workshop however another participant loved it. So there is was at the showing with all the work from the other workshops with a little red dot . . . how happy was I! Before I left #2 and #3 were also sold . . . Goal #1: ‘To make work so appealing and interesting that people would want to own it’ achieved.
Happy, happy, happy! Now, to work towards Goal #2 . . . I’ll let you know what it is when I achieve it.
When you make something to give away you never quite know how it will be received . . . but you give it away and hope. Like watching a child leave home because you put everything into it that you could at the time.
Yesterday I received a gift in return. Spontaneous words of appreciation.
“Nanna, you know that book you gave me for my birthday.”
“The nature one?”
“No, the one with the photos.”
“Yes.”
“I really like it.”
And she gave me a cuddle so at this point my heart melted all over again.
Yes, a delightful, inquisitive, cuddlesome monkey.
One day Meg could be an animal trainer.
She loves being at her Nanna’s house
But the beach is what she loves the most.
Three weeks ago for her seventh birthday she received a book with 5 years worth of photos of her taken at my house . . . but I received something much more precious.
late start studio 