I need colour. Bright, breezy, uplifting, zingy colour.
Lovely Layers of Colour
I have been playing with acid milling dyes. Changing ecru yarn into vivid leafy green gorgeousness.
Dyed Blue Faced Leicester Drying
Natural (ecru) Yarn
prior to dyeing
I struggle with what type of artist I am. I always have. I’ve envied people who KNOW exactly who they are and what they do. Ceramicists, photographers, painters. However, I transcend so many different media: glass, batik, dyeing, textiles, paper, paint, knitting, patchwork, quilting, jewellery…. the list can go on. I cannot stick to just one thread of artistic expression as one idea spins off into another medium and the shapes, styles, and skills learned transpose into and tumble from discipline to discipline.
A realisation settled in me during the latter end of 2013. It struck me. What I work with is Colour. My medium is COLOUR.
Giant Peas?
My artwork is driven by exploring colour, familiar shapes and always results in something tactile.
Something lovely to touch and feel, to use or to enjoy.
It is the colour, not necessarily the medium, that helps shape and formulate the creation of a piece. The medium is the vehicle to explore the colour and shape.
That is why shapes, curves, the feel of the thing, tumble from fabric to glass onto paper and back again.
Colour of water at
start of dyeing process
Almost Done!
NB change of colour of dye bath
Instead of fighting this delicate dance, I now feel peaceful realising I DON”T JUST HAVE TO BE a glass artist, or a quilter or a printer or a jeweller… I AM WHO I AM.
I am a person that loves exploring colour. It feeds my soul. It gives me peace and restoration.
For me, colour is wholesome, like bread and water.
I need to play with colour. That is it. I am creative and artistic with colour.
Delicious Citrus lime
Whatever the medium.
Colour shapes it.
I wonder what shapes your work?
Anne x
Wow Annie, the depths of discovery! To me you are an amazing multi-media artist with a passion for anything tactile and beautiful – you yourself are a wonderful array of colours, both in personality, dress and creativity. So 2014 is going to be exciting in the Gallery!
For me, its words…..
Elizabeth, you are a great encourager. It’s amazing how long it takes to recognise our passions. They often get clouded, out of focus and lost in the mist. Every now and again, we reconnect with our passion and it invigorates us.
Oh how often this subject comes up eh? How we struggle with pigeon holes and being labeled as one thing or another. What are we? What do we do? How do you label someone so unique and skilled as you. To me you are a sunny butterfly flitting from flower to flower tasting a little of each colour and leaving behind little butterfly footprints of creativity.
As for me? No idea. I’m just glad I get to sit amongst your flowers.
Hi Fiona, it’s a good thing to sit in each other’s gardens of creativity. I’m glad I get to sit amongst your creativity too. x
Like you I like all sorts of creativity and I have also wondered why I don’t just go down one road so to speak; I love all sorts of projects and have so many things ‘on the go’ and so many ‘waiting in the wings’ but at the end of the day I guess it is what makes you happy that’s important.
I went to a lovely exhib last week at Nature in Art near Gloucester (http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/); to see work by Kathleen Matthews (here is just one link if you would like to see a bit about her her work http://www.yarnsandfabrics.co.uk/2013/06/18/stitched-textiles-landscapes-by-kathleen-matthews/) .
It was good to see and speak with her and see a project ‘in the making’ and to see her beautiful work; she dyes her own fabrics and yarn which in turn will inspire what ‘picture’ she will stitch and quilt. I have yet to try dying though; I’ll put it on the ‘to do’ list …………one day! Have a colourful day 🙂
YES. I totally get what you are saying Anne. What a wonderfully freeing revelation. Let colour be the goal, be it with thread, wool, beads or paint. You are inspiration in a chunky sweater my lovely friend.x
Sometimes it can take a while Janet to get to a point where the ‘revelation’ becomes clear. The clarity it brings is definitely freeing.
Oh boy, finally someone has been able to articulate my frustration!
You and I share the same idiosyncrasies Anne – I usually state that I am “Jack of all trades, master of bu**er all”, as I regularly turn my hand to working with and teaching so many disciplines with varied media but fail to label myself as anything particular, including “artist”.
Now if only I can find a way to make my fortune based around colour…..hmmmmm…..
Hey Andrea, if I can carve out a living from colour and turning my hand to many things YOU certainly can. x