A project started as Covid lockdown ends with TOPstitch. My aim is to explore ways of depicting lines within the landscape in textiles & stitch, also mixing media and layering. I start with no preconceived ideas, and am looking forward to discovering where this project takes me.
I’ve scrolled through the internet for inspiration and found pieces by many artists including Norma Stephenson, Debbie Lyddon and Sayward Johnson and am now wondering how I can capitalise on these inspirations.
Below are trial pieces, not all are sucesses…
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In April 2022 I sketched in paint and writing my walking path through the woods.
Trees yet to come into leaf, green fields glimpsed through them. Ancient coppicing evident.
Birds dart in front of me, from branch to branch, from tree to tree, tracing swooping lines, momentarily seen.
Insects, some silent. Bird song.
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It’s now January 2023, and I’ve been continuing experimentation.
Taking inspiration from colleagues, other artists and social media posts I’ve painted a variety of grounds with emulsion paint, and stitched and printed into them.
Threadheads are contributing to Norfolk Makers’ Festival 2023 with “Journeys”. We shall be displaying ideas for paper folding and creating “journeys” for display and for public engagement:
To create the “raphia” landlines, I bonded plain white recycled tissue paper to muslin, painted it with emulsion paints and then stitched into it with a fine wool thread couching down the “journey”.
I then lotus folded two pieces, glued them together and made covers.
My fellow Threadheads are doing the same. Do visit us at NMF23 on Monday, March 13th.
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Taking the idea of the painted background further and keeping “Landlines and Journeys” simple here’s another prototype piece being developed…
The ground is created as before, bonding to muslin giving the tissue paper “wet strength” so it accepts paint. Trees are stitched using canvas stitching and printed with Markal sticks.
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May 2023
Pieces being worked for the next TOPstitch exhibition. “CONNECTIONS”.
At the Anteros Gallery in November 2023.
Frances Overy 