Playful Processing...

This my attempt to be quicker and shorter with my postings. Playful processing is my

bloggity blah blah blah today.

In order for me to process any little inspiration, I have to play - whether it be flowers, leaves, bark or a passing conversation, I have to put it down into a collage, a drawing, a photo montage, a meal or a poem. Sometimes years go by for me to actually understand what drew me to that particular moment of 'buzz' in my head. The off shoots, or as I sometimes call them, my sidebars, are often part of the network that one small leaf, bug or moment can produce. A warp most often results, a theatre set, or just a simple arrangement of some collectibles.....a moment of design, colour and composition. All of us are composing without awareness, so we are practiced. The next step is to somehow record it,  if you wish or translate it in some fashion- it isn't necessary, but it sure does assist in creating and developing our art. It is like anything we learn; one practices, one gets better.

During a week of thinking of little art pieces to enter the Portals (Cowichan Valley Arts Council Gallery) Teeny Tiny Show, I attempted to do the above - and I had a great time. However my photos aren't that great (good excuse anyway), but I had a great time with this small goal I gave myself for the week. And did I learn something from this? Yes, I want to do more!!!

This is one of my exercises this week - the cedar bark, I will post the resulting piece but it isn't a great photo. The technique is thread painting on raw silk using my sewing machine as my brush, oh,  and it somewhat an abstract piece! The small piece of 'cedar' gave the 'reader' a clue as to what it might be. The best part was it was fun to do.

The other piece was also fun to do - my virginia creeper. Again, same technique and my photograph which I took outside my studio, I changed it to black and white and printed it off on some silk - it is almost a hologram (I think that is what it is called), with the structure of the silk - very subtle, but when you see it, it is like a little surprise. One has to see it in person to understand. So my inspiration....

and the resulting piece...you can see a little of the above picture on the silk background and the 'leaf' is of course all raw silk....

Now, my little pieces have a neighbour - an Alison Irwin paper weaving - absolutely delightful and I feel honoured to have such a neighbour!

Alison sent me this photo to replace my inadequate recording - this sets it off perfectly. The title is Black Poppy.
So enough for today. Play - it is good for you!