I have done a bit of sploshing on the Arches, and I wanted to echo these Assyrian wall carvings [British Museum booty] to suggest the salt marshes and reeds. hmmmmmmmmmm
Also I am finishing this colourful portrait which started when I saw a Japanese bloke who was free machining faces, a long and often boring technique which seems to please the viewer as they can see it takes time and apparently skill, so they sold well. I should never have sold my own self portrait however, I wanted to show it off and put a silly price on it and someone bought it.
Then I was left with this last face and what to do; after a visit to Freda Kahlo I wanted to to be her [the way you do, without the back ache of course, and probably without Diego Rivera, tho I am sure he was very personable] so I started the winding lock stitch in place of her exotic leaves. Maybe I have done too much, maybe not enough.
Last week I gave my SLAPPERS stitching group a workshop on............getting in touch with their emotions and thus deeper into their work [pretentious, moi?] it went well and some tears were shed to prove it - which was OK in a small group who trust each other but I must have listened to myself a bit too as I threw caution to the winds [and priorities] and went full steam ahead with another Big Woman project this week. I sketched out some dancing figures, traced them and am now moving them around to get a gleeful feel.
Hopefully it will be fun stitching them, rather than the hassle most things become after a while, but then I get to that smooth zone where I know what I have to do and for a few weeks/days - then I am engaged and easier to live with.
Or maybe not, the Three Muses below I painted and stitched and then totally lost confidence about 18 mths ago. Since then they have been pinned on the wall shouting at me to finish the grass you arse- but I just look away and mumble I can't be bothered. However the photo looks OK so maybe they can ease into my hands soon, if I can fix that leg.
Today I am off with L to try and persuade a cafe owner we know that she would do well to put up our Big Women exhibition in January.
A deadline always helps.
