Mood Boards

In the last few weeks since the end of my touring exhibition I have been restyling my studio in order to get back to producing a new body of work. Its always good to rehang notice boards as you see images in new conjunctions and sometimes they spark an idea. Here is the new arrangement over my desk.

Sissinghurst late July

Dungeness

Just returned from a few days on the south coast. Revisited the strange landscape of Dungeness at the southernmost tip of Kent.

It is a great beach for picking up flotsam and jetsam. Here is a little installation of messages in bottles and just a few of many weather worn jelly shoes.

Surface Decoration

Today I have been preparing examples for the Surface Decoration summer school I will be running on Sat/Sun August 7th and 8th in conjunction with Horsley Printmakers. If you want to experiment with mixed media and use printing techniques in unconventional ways to create beautiful designs on paper and fabric then there are still 2 places left.

To reserve a place email; info@horsleyprintmakers.co.uk

Lovely wallpaper

A lovely wallpaper design seen at the Geffrye Museum ( www.geffrye-museum.org.uk)

Geffrye Museum

In London today to see my daughter's final degree show which has been transported to The Rochelle School in Shoreditch, not far from Brick Lane.It was unbelievably hot but found sanctuary in the gardens and the reading room at the Geffrye Museum ( www.geffrye-museum.org.uk) It is a Museum which specialises in middle class interiors and at the moment has an exhibition called " A Garden within Doors; Flowers and Gardens in the Home" which was delightful. It runs till 25th July.

Dumfries Museum

Here are some inspirational textile pieces I have seen today in Dumfries Museum

Book of fly hooks for salmon and trout fishing. These were used on the river Annan in 1860. I love the way someone has sewn pockets into the book for the hooks.

A sample book from a tweed mill in Wigtonshire c1920

Tiny practice pieces sewn on to pages within a portfolio format. These illustrate the remarkable skills acquired by young girls during their "education"

Knitting recipes

A 1989 Japanese book on on Sanquhar knitting