Studio Notes no. 46

Hello, I hope you have been keeping well over these past few weeks. I took a break during the jubilee days and was very glad to wind down a little. I did not stay idle, as you may know I am someone who likes to keep her hands busy. Much of my time was spent working on hand stitching projects, none of which are completed just yet - I will show you one day. It was good to just make for the love of making and improving my hand stitching skills. Textiles and all things stitch related are something I am enjoying very much at the moment and these things, ideas and colours, themes and moods, will spill into my painting. And it works the other way also.

photo: a recent sketchbook page - collage

Yes, it is good to take a break and have time to reflect a little. My working pattern, as tightly worked as it is, can feel a bit helter skelter-esque*. So it is good to just sit aside for a few days and catch my breath. 

*(I have been re-listening to a lot of Siouxsie and then Banshees - going right from the start of their recording and on, because yes I am/was a bit of goth - I love their cover of Helter Skelter by the Beatles, but it is such an ear worm)

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Yesterday morning I spent some time sewing new doll bodies. It’s a process I have been through hundreds of times before - I have been making these dolls for so long now. But each time feels like an exciting new start, with the choosing of fabrics and the drawing of a simple shape. These dolls may seem simple but as I worked I made notes of the process (with the possibility of a offering a pattern and instructions in the future) and I became aware that these little personalities are far from simple to make…. A maker needs to be able to navigate curved seams (clip those curves!), turn very fiddly little legs without splitting said seams, and then stuffing a doll is a whole art in itself - there are many ways to fill a doll. I use cutting out scraps to fill feet and legs to make them nice and firm, then I stuff the rest of the doll with wool fibres. When I began making dolls, way way back, I used ye olde polyester toy filling. This gave the dolls a bouncy feel and never quite made me feel I was making something as ‘vintage looking’ as I wanted, but was absolutely fine nonetheless.

photo: dolls in progress, looking suitably odd and a little creased from being turned, with scraps to fill their legs.

I often think of the many, many dolls I have made and where they live around the world. Occasionally, a doll may send me a letter (usually via email) saying she has arrived safely and sharing with me a glimpse of her new home. This gives me such humbled joy. I get messages from people who have dolls purchased many years ago and they still look at them every day. It might be that the doll is the one thing they have ever purchased from me and so she is extra special - to us both. 

So yesterday, I spent a morning making four doll bodies - that’s just the sewing and turning etc.. I have yet to knit hair, sew/knit clothing, stitch faces, sew on buttons etc… Yes, very time consuming but worth it, I feel.

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I began a new little brown paper book - for myself. This one will be simply found papers and black gouache. The challenge to myself with this one will be that the pages shall have a summery, light-inspired feel. I am hoping to make one set of pages each day over the coming week and then the book will be completed, possibly. If I don’t get to make all the pages happen then that won’t be a problem. I will get to it eventually.

photo: first pages in a new little book of brown paper and gouache

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a few small notes from the past few week

I keep seeing goldfinches, but no flocks - just one or two. And as I typed this, I looked out the window - up at the wild rambling pink rose and saw a golden tall feather poking out.

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Talking of gold, I went to a local gold jeweller/buyer and sold a gold ring I had been holding on to. It was time. It was silly of me but I was a bit anxious. The woman in the shop was so kind and I didn’t need to tell her the story of my past - all I needed to do was part with the ring, finally. And use the money for more needful things. I am sharing this because I know I am not the only one who can sometimes cling to a past … It felt odd to have cash in my purse - I have not used cash for years…. and later, in the supermarket paying for my groceries, I had to stop my hand from shaking because I was not used to the slippy new notes.

*

The online news would have you believe that during the Jubilee celebrations bunting and union jacks may have been seen from space - but really there were few houses decorated in our neighbourhood. It was very quiet and many people had used the time to go away on holiday. One afternoon, my daughter and I went for a walk. We walked along peaceful streets, noting how quiet it was….Then, we turned into a cul-de-sac that leads into the woods - and saw a stream of bunting between houses. But it was quiet. There were tables in the street and about thirty people, sat on various chairs, chatting in a whisper and sipping on drinks. They were like quiet woodland animals having a tea party. My daughter and I, not wishing to disturb the scene - or be invited in, least we disturb the tableau - did a quick about-turn and headed toward another way into the woods….

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I have only sat on my scissors three times in the past fortnight. I see this as being some kind of progress.

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Photo: recent sketchbook pages - I enjoy making collage ‘paper dolls/figures’ very much. I usually start with painting the face and cutting it out. Then I go through my folders of painted papers….

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