Well hello

Just spent several hours updating my site thanks to a very nice lady  at University…who has been helping me figure out word press which is not at all intuative….websites are an anathma to me but I’m hoping it’s looking a bit prettier now.  Its also serving as a bit of a displacement activity for not doing work..I have been making these though….

and doing lots of drawing…… and lots of prevaricating…

When I got back from the Knitting and stitching show last month  with the Embroiderer’s Guild -was helping out on their stand – promoting the Guild, the Worlds Longest Embroidery and the Hardhome tapestry…  I read Nicky Barfoot’s post of the Knit and Stitch and thought ah well don’t really need to bother to do a new blog  now as she pretty much said it all!!!    Thanks Nicky! The other thing I did like was the woman who was doing things with taxidermy ..she recycled old taxidermy items and added stitch to them..they looked great.  Great to see Marks and Stitch doing so well…. and also loved the guy opposite – the weaver with the body stuff going on.

Liss in Stitches Exhibition was successful with lots of lovely feedback…….blink and you missed it…

….finding it really hard to keep up with everything but I’m managing to keep getting to my Art History Lectures and working on my ‘pack of cards’ and just seeing what happens.  I’m keeping a sketch book so tending to write lots of things down and draw a  lot and hoping to  block out some time to actually do more making in the near future…been doing hand stitch which is portable too..what do you think Sarah?

Finding that I really need to focus  on what I have done and not on what I haven’t  done …… otherwise it gets quite depressing. So much to fit in!

Just got back from a week in Amsterdam was great..was inspired by Picasso, Tinguely  …. the Rijks Museum and the  Sedeljk.  More than the museums the place is just full of inspiration from the canals and buildings and great Art Galleries for the well heeled client..amazing what art is for sale!!!  Banksy, Klein, Koons,  Hirst as well as  Picasso and Van Dongen….wow!

also loved the story of the Beguin women and want to include that in my work too…..Beguine**** … the start of the 12th century, some women in  lived alone and devoted themselves to prayer and good works without taking vows. At first there were only a few of them, but in the course of the century, their numbers increased. These women lived in towns, where they attended to the poor. During the 13th century, some of them bought homes that neighbored each other, and finally formal living spaces and some formed a community called a béguinage. Beguinages tended to be located near town centers and were often close to the rivers that provided water for their work in the cloth industry .

Still madly searching for inspiration…went to the Tate on Saturday evening and am now in love with Wilfredo Lam…one of Picasso’s mates..this is his version of my favourites….. Madesmoiselles d’Avignon..also liked LouiseBourgeois Artist room.. and it was great to see a Leger painting in the flesh…

And  now I am trying to stop going off on a tangent and go back to my mitochondria and under the microscope….. to help me stay focused….. am off to collect some more  images and then draw them ..going to mark up a  grid on my studio wall at uni and see what happens…..watch this space….

PS How are you Sarah? Are you ready for your cruise?  I will email you the book stuff!x Promise!

PPS Helping out at an Amanda Hislop workshop on Saturday..hoping for more inspiration!

PPPS Making stuff for Christine Watkins Art House Open Studios in Romsey first weekend in December. Looks like there’ll be lots of lovely things to look at and buy.

PPPS looking forward to Livvy Stainer’s  private view at the Flora Twort Gallery in Petersfield this evening..it’s on for a week….so get there quick!