what would we do for conversation ...
if it wasn't for the weather!
after such a lovely day on Saturday
the last few days have been thick with fog and Cornish mizzle
from one pier to the other you can hardly see the lighthouse
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on Monday I was at the exhibition with Jo and
during the afternoon I took a little break and went for a walk
it was really quite chilly as I watched a couple of doggies
playing in a shallow pool of water at the bottom of the pier
and admired the markings on the pier wall
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a heavy mist hangs over the cottage rooftops
taken through the library window
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so perhaps a bit of colour will brighten things up!
on request ... here are "a few" photos of my work
currently on display in St. Ives Library
until 31st March
firstly my St. Ives seaside quilt
which most of you will have seen before (yawn ... sorry!)
but has never been on display in St. Ives until now
"St. Ives seaside art quilt"
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it measures one metre square and is made from hand dyed silk (back and front) with applique cottages, reverse applique cobbles, machine stitching, hand stitching, shells and beads as well as melted sheer fabrics and plastic which generally appear in my work. The seaweed was made from melted chiffon, plastic and also folded/scrunched silk but there is also some real dried seaweed sewn on there
"the blue sky was merry"
a framed stitched collage
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a scene I created inspired by the harbour at high tide
textures were created by machine stitching into layers of fabrics, wool tops, scrim and melted sheer fabrics. On top I like to add french knots, beads and little shells to encourage you to look into the scene
happily ... "the blue sky was merry"
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I've created lots of new postcards to add to my collection
featuring combinations of Cornish seaside scenes
mixed with different aspects of textiles that I enjoy
this one features lovely tones of blue/mauve found on mussell shells
a still life I made with mussel shells and seaweed
St. Ives harbour, a stormy beach scene at Godrevy
and natural dyeing with red cabbage dye ... yum!
"mussel blue" - postcard
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"storm over Porthminster beach, St. Ives bay"
a framed art print
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"forget me not"
a framed mixed media collage
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mixed media collage - calico, waxed paper, waxed fabrics
real pressed flowers, silk, lace, some stitches and a button
inspired by the colours in my art print
and because I love wild flowers and
the randomness of an unorganised garden
just as well as I have no time for gardening
this is my garden
"forget me not"
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this new postcard represents my love of beachcombing
and the inspiration I find from just being on the beach
it features a monoprint, the harbour, some beach finds
beach streams (painted bondaweb) and some
lovely colourful houses I photographed at Dartmouth
"beachcombing" - postcard
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"St. Ives cottages, cobbles and lichen"
a framed art print
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"lichen"
a framed stitched piece
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hand dyed cotton, silk and chiffon
textures created by folding and melting
with free motion stitch, french knots and a few beads
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"the sea and the wind"
a framed stitched collage
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a nestle of quirky cottages on a windswept beach
the sea is rough sending up spray and surf
mixed media - cotton, folded fabrics, hand stitching , scrim
shimmery melted sheers, shells, beads and text
"the sea and the wind are roaring now"
"pebbles"
a framed art print
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"the sky was cloudless and bright"
mixed media stitched collage in a box frame
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mixed media
my own photograph of St. Ives harbour stitched to calico
with linen, cotton, vintage knitted piece, limpet shells
lace, rafia, cloves, hand stitching
and some machine stitching
inspired by the brightness of a winter day in St. Ives
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a new postcard inspired by snow and snowflakes
little cottages by the sea in winter
and a mini tag book I made for Tag Tuesday
"St. Ives snowy cottages" - postcard
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a new postcard inspired by Cornish mizzle
and the beauty of St. Ives in winter
even on a grey day
"a misty day in St. Ives" - postcard
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"moonlit waters"
framed mixed media stitched collage
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mixed media
melted chiffon, silk, mulberry bark, scrim
free motion machine embroidery
hand stitching, pearl seed beads
water effects created with melted acetate
over pre-printed fabric with moon shapes
I used my most valuable piece of vintage lace on this one
so will not be sad if it does not sell ;o)
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"pebble textures"
a framed art print
"the shoreline"
framed mixed media collage - stitch and wax
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I think this is my most favourite one
mixed media
melted acetate, silver paper, waxed paper, torn chiffon
a fabric pre-printed with a pebble design, scrim
and melted plastic on a lace background
it features the little Alfred Wallis style cottages that I love
a piece of flat slate pebble with text and beads
"the shoreline"
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"thrupenny purple"
a framed mixed media stitched collage
fabric, paper, lace, silk, stitch, melted sheer fabrics
beads, sequins and a and a vintage purple stamp
featuring our beautiful Diamond Queen
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"recycle bird"
mixed media collage in a box frame
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"hear a bird sing"
mixed media collage - paper and stitch
with pressed berries
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"autumn landscape"
there is a little hilltop cottage
beyond an embroidered woodland
of machine embroidred trees
and lazy daisy stitched autumn leaves
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the landscape layers are hand stitched hand dyed silk
with fly stitch umbel shaped seed heads
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"indigo light of the storm"
just a small piece I added to the bottom of our exhibition poster
melted chiffons on hand dyed silk and scrim
I dyed the silk and scrim with blackberries
and decorated with beads and
bits from my sewing box such as hooks and eyes
"seaweed"
framed mixed media waxed paper collage
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I enjoyed creating this piece
especially layering the mix of papers
I used a mix of waxed mulberry paper, hand painted papers
waxed tissue paper and shiny silver papers
with sheer fabrics and plastic which I love to melt
free motion machine stitching
and a real piece of seaweed
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a new postcard
it features one of my stitched hearts
some rust and peeling paint (recurring theme)
a photo I took of cottages at Dartmouth with rust texture added
rusty ropes and fishing nets, tie dye and rust patterns
"inspiring rust" - postcard
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the last of my new postcards inspired by sunny days
my paint palette, Mousehole, details from my stitched hearts
and one of my watercolour paintings
"turquoise waters" - postcard
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if you are interested in any of these pieces
they will be available for sale in
my shop after 1st April 2012
please email me - charleyarry23 at aol dot com
for more information (no obligation whatsoever)
framing details, sizes, prices or to reserve
INSPIRED TO STITCH
1 - 31 March 2012
St. Ives Library, Gabriel Street, St. Ives, Cornwall
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Jo and I each have a wall in the exhibition
you can just make out my other art quilt hanging there
the white, silver and red "St. Ives Seaside Cottages"
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my work is on the long wall opposite the windows
so it was hard to photograph the work
without getting lots of reflections in the glass
some people like to be able to touch textile work
others like work to be protected and dust free
I chose to frame most of my pieces under glass
because it can always be removed later ... according to taste
obviously the art quilts are not under glass
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"meet the artists"
during the month Jo and I have spent some time
at the exhibition and it's been lovely to meet lots of new people
It's an opportunity to talk textiles and about the inspiration behind our work, share techniques and offer a selection of other textile goodies that we cannot otherwise leave unattended at the exhibition ... art cards and prints, textile art hearts, beaded mermaid scarves, pin cushions, beads and textile inspiration packs
I also brought along my stuffies that appeared
in the magazine "Cloth Paper Scissors"
and at my next "meet" I will have my sketchbooks
from The Sketchbook Project 2011 and 2012
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Jo will next be in the Library (upstairs)
Tuesday 20th March 2012
from 12 - 5 pm
this is some of Jo's beautiful work
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and I will next be in the Library (upstairs)
Tuesday 27th March 2012
from 2 - 5 pm
hope to see you ♥
over the next week I will be adding the finishing touches to
