Obsessions and Collections

Early in June my exploration into the idea of "Obsessions and Collections" began with five textile and bamboo spoons.

A growth in the making.

What makes a collection? When does a collection become an obsession? What one might think is obsession, to another is a collection? These are just some of the questions that come up when thinking about this topic.

As a child, I remember my mom having a little spoon collection. Collectables from different travels. These spoons were displayed in a wood display case. What about the empty spaces in the display? Is filling the spaces where an obsession begins?

I imagine a collection of textile and bamboo spoons hanging in an enlarged display case. Should I make 15, 30, 100? Will the process of creating the spoons, and the number needing to be created consume me?

The first spoon is titled growth:


small organic root clusters, the beginnings of growth

The next is untitled:

mended

The third is migration:

a natural progression

The fourth, heliciculture:

snail farming

The final spoon, Colony, was chosen to be exhibited at Medalta's Spoon Me opening September 1, 2014, with the opening reception on August 28th, in Medicine Hat. The exhibition closes on November 30, 2014. Spoon Me will also be available online, on Facebook, and the spoons in this international exhibition will be for sale.

Here is a sneak peak at Colony, when it was a work in progress:

Check out the exhibit in person or online to see the finished Colony. I am excited to attend the opening next week and see the spoons on display and the artists that are able to attend the opening. One of the other artists, Sean Whalley's work looks like it may fit with  my theme of "Obsessions and Collections."

Where do you draw the line between an obsession and a collection?

The Beginnings of a Multifunctionalist Lifestyle

10 weeks ago, I started to make a habit of creating or working on my multifunctionalist art. It started with a poem:

 My goal was to daily document through Instagram this commitment to my creative need.  Most days, I do work on something. Some days become too busy, but the intention to this drive; this productivity is there. I am daydreaming or building in my mind my multifunctionalist creations.

Here is a short journey over the last few weeks.



Sometimes it might just committing to being in the kitchen. Trying something new or creating my own recipe.

Or an exploration of an idea: when does a collection become an obsession?

And some more explorations:

What will happen over the next few weeks? I hope my multifunctionalism continues. What are you creating?

Baby Blankets!

I have been busy weaving and knitting baby blankets in the last few months. Here is a sample of what I have finished.

I completed two baby blankets based on the pattern called "Magnolia Blossom" from Design Challenges Monograph One - S.S. Piroch, page 59. This pattern was sent out as a sample exchange from Handweavers, Spinners and Dyers of Alberta.

The warp is mercerised cotton while the weft is Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. I did one with a green variegated weft and another with blue variegated weft. The warp is blue & green in blocks.

Blue variegated weft.

Blue baby blanket

Close up on the blue blanket

Green Weft

Close up of Green Weft

 

 

Another baby blanket project features houses and flowers. The weft is mop cotton yarn and 2/8 cotton and the warp is a variety of colours in 2/8 cotton.

Some flowers have stems. Other flowers do not have stems.

On one side of the blanket the houses and flowers are indented while the other side the houses and flowers puff out.

 

The final blanket is a Wave Blanket pattern which is from Loop Knits

I have made this blanket before and it fun to knit. I used Bernat Handicrafter Yarn which makes it very washable.

 

 

First Woven Basket

Last Friday I took a woven basket session with a Lethbridge Weaver Member. It was a great session.

 

 

I made a small basket out of reed.

 

 

I really enjoyed working with the reed and the process.

 

I plan to get some more reed and explore with different shapes and forms.

 

 



 

mycoderma aceti

Mycoderma aceti, or mother of vinegar is an organism that transforms wine into vinegar. Like its namesake, this representation of the transitions and transformations that occur during pregnancy starts with the felted husk over a webbing that transitions from an empty uterus to a full living organism through an infusion of air via artificial air pump controlled by the viewer. Without the interaction from the viewer the mycoderma aceti transitions slowly back to its original form.

A recent creation!

Thaw Hut Competition

@djcworkshop and me (@ms_kittyblack) entered into a Thaw Hut Competition for MADE Edmonton.

Our Thaw Hut submission was accepted so we are headed up to Edmonton next weekend to build our project.

To learn more about the Thaw Hut Competition visit the website located here: http://madeinedmonton.org/thaw-hut-competition?id=721

To see our submission and sketches visit these two links:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djc_workshop/8338358128/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djc_workshop/8330082775/

Rug Exploration #2

This weekend I attended a toothbrush rag rug class. This technique to make rag rugs is quick and portable.

In a few hours I was able to complete a small rug.

Weaving Rugs: starting the exploration

Rug Number One: Still on the loom.

I have started the year off with weaving two rugs. These two rugs have started an interest in exploring weaving rugs. My goal over the next few months is to design and plan to weave some rugs of my own design. I will also need to reorganize my temporary studio and set up my loom.

The first rug was woven with selvage ends from upholstery. Using this material for the weft created very interesting textures and colours.

Close up of the weft on Rug Number One.

Rug Number Two was created on the same warp as Rug Number One. The warp is 100% cotton and a lovely sage green. Rug Number Two is made of rag weft that I created from dress shirts.

This rug was woven in a Rosepath weave.

Rug Number Two

These two rugs aren't the first of my rug exploration. Last year I wove a rug with white, pink and orange wool on a grey cotton warp. I love this rug and hope to weave more rugs with wool. My past rug explorations also explored different techniques such as hooked, locker, knit and more. My braided rag rug class in 2011 at the Galt Museum  was a success and I brought numerous samples of different techniques in creating rugs.

Woolen Rug