'THE ZEN OF ROAD TANKERS'

'GOLDEN SUN'

Top of a large silk hanging.

I was studying the creative Way of Zen, working from the Soul Centre; Japanese Culture and Art.  This piece is taken from a study of a beautiful stack of the backs of road tankers, in this case, huge cast iron ends rusting in the rain.  I don't think anyone else could see the beauty I saw in the circular shapes of the tanker.  It's all to do with the inner vision.  Once that is gone, here is a mere road tanker.  I loved the fact that some tankers were strangled by pipes, snaking around their bodies.  I loved the fact that some carried toxic waste and others carried liquid chocolate!  They carried everything.  Bringing 'Zen' simplicity into the imagery, the space, not as a background but as part of the design

made me work with the Soul and not with the eyes as we do in the West.

'GOLDEN SUN'  hanging, and

 'BIRTH OF CHOCOLATE'

In my studio as part of 'Art Trek', the Open Studios Event. 

The simplicity of 'Birth of Chocolate' belies the real amount of work that went into the process to reach this final image and I love it.  It amused me that a tanker would carry a whole load of liquid chocolate.  Imagine diving into that!!  The white chocolate, the dark with a touch of orange, the milk and plain.  The other image is called  'ALIENS',  part of a hanging developed from enormous stainless steel tanker rears glistening in the rain.

Colour Trends: Maison and Objet Jan 2012

Colour Trends: Maison and Objet Jan 2012

'REVOLUTION'. Opening a new collection of Pure Silk' WEARABLE ART'

'WEARABLE ART'  My new collection of silk scarves arrived, 'REVOLUTION' and I couldn't wait to open them.  Created for the strong woman, and our multi-cultural society.  I imagine these selling in Europe, London etc.  The inspiration for these unique and special designs was four-fold. 

'ANGELS'  (lovat)

 Quality Crepe de Chine silk scarf before sewing as I opened the parcel.

1.  Firstly, my visit to the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy, London. encouraged me to be brave with colour, dynamism and originality.  His use of purple with lime green, orange with scarlet etc. blew me away.  His talent and inovation has to be inspiring.

'SATSUMA WOMAN' and 'ANGEL FEATHERS AND LIME'.

2.    I love working in meditation, surrounding myself with an array of brushes, tools etc. and working directly        onto the silk.  The study of 'Zen' linked with a love of Japanese culture and the work of the Masters.       Working from the 'Soul Centre rather than with the eyes' created beautiful imagery of Angels, butterflies etc. which I was able to transfer into the computer to create wearable art.  Working in meditation from Sound was amazing.

'MOONBEACH'  

90 cm silk scarf awaiting cutting and sewing

3.  Copying these 'Zen' images and working with them digitally is exciting.  It has taken me some time to be happy with computer creation but recently, I realised that the method is not important as long as you are being creative and working from the Soul, interacting with drawing and 'hands-on' design.  My next phase will be screen printed images with 'free' design created in Healing Meditation.

'COSMIC TANKER WHEELS'

90cm, Crepe de Chine Silk Scarf

4.  And my fourth inspiration - the backs of road tankers!!   Again the Japanese influence, geometry, the circle, Japanese culture, asymmetric design placed in space.  And when I discovered that tankers carry liquid chocolate - well, if that's not inspiring......?  I will have to show you 'The Birth of Chocolate'

'REVOLUTION' collection

'PATH OF THE FIREFLY'

Pure Silk Long wrap 45cms. x 183cms

'SHRIMPS AND MERMAIDS' Sik Scarf

Another scarf created from images drawn directly onto the silk in meditation

'COSMIC TANKERS'  Pure silk Art Scarf. 90 x 90cms.

Whale Tankers allowed me to photograph tankers whilst being made.  Some of the pieces

are as striking as an Anish Kapoor sculpture.  I saw the 'zen' in the roundness of the backs

of road tankers and especially loved working with the septic tanker.  To make a stunning silk 

knowing it was a septic tanker, but up to me to make it beautiful, was a Joy and a challenge.

 

'Cosmic Tankers' scarlet and black

RAINDROPS ON ROSES

After a great productive day in my textiles studio, sheep maaing at the back door, I was delighted to find inspiration right outside my door.  My new collection of silks, 'Revolution' arrived and I was excited to open the parcel.  Outside the door my Acer was covered in raindrops as was my hanging basket.  Armed only with my little Fujifilm, I took a few pictures.

 

A single raindrop.

 

And several raindrops.

 

 

Raindrops on a scarlet geranium

 

 

And a pink geranium

INSPIRATION IS FOUND EVERYWHERE

With a love of flying, my husband, Mel took me to a fly- in at Dunkeswell Devon.  Although not that interested in flying, I love the lines of the planes, and the parties were great!

My two flying stories: 

A friend took me up in his Cub.  The sun was setting and there were a lot of bubbly cumulus tinged with red in the sky.  We flew above the clouds and it was stunning.  Even redder tinged clouds from above and I saw my first round rainbow on the clouds.  He put the shadow of the plane in the centre.  Stunning!  I was almost sold.

My second flying story was when I went to a small fly-in locally.  I was bored.  Then an interesting guy flew in.  My eyes lit up. He was a real character and we met up with him quite a bit later on at Cranfield.  He was an ex Luftwaffe pilot who had flown in from Germany.  We chatted and he asked me if I would like to go up in his plane. Exciting, I thought.  Yup.  I'm up for it.We went up and up, above the clouds. Beautiful.  Then he said, 'I think I will take you back to Germany with me', and I realised I didn't know this guy at all and I had told noone I was off on an adventure.  Just as I was wondering if I had been mad, he took me into a spiral dive.  Terrifying but the best flight I had had.  He was a display pilot at the major fly-in at Cranfield!!  Eeek!!

Beautiful lines, the wing sweeps and curves as the sun sets

fascinated with lines and geometry, I can see designs here

A cockpit

and an engine

.

A plane in the setting sun

Under the wing. 

GORGEOUS SUNNY DAY!

How we pine for a hot sunny summer.  It is gorgeous today but my studio is like a sauna.  Within 5 minutes I was pouring, dripping and I had to leave.  I daren't touch my lovely vulnerable silks.  I went up there to photograph my silks with my new camera but it was just too hot.  How often do we say that??

'Blue Angel' scarf.  Pure silk.  Bespoke design,  70 cms. sq., 90 cms sq., 135 cms sq.  Experimenting with watermarking.

'Zen Awakening' scarf.  \pure silk.  Exclusive design.

'Angel Moon Stole. 

These designs have quite a story.  Each was inspired by the study of 'Zen' on my M.A.  Ultimately, after much  deliberation, I worked, in my studio, whilst in meditation, directly on to the silk. I surrounded myself with various brushes and tools.  I used a layering of dyes which were not compatible, steaming them at times different to those recommended.  I often screen printed a 'base' design, a structure, and then meditated, and whilst in meditation, printed blind onto the silk.  Some of the images looked like Angels, birds and other creatures, quite amazing.  As the Zen Masters do, I worked from the 'Soul Centre' rather than with the eyes.  Working in meditation from sound was an amazing experience.  Other senses, such a hearing, were magnified, isolated, as in those of a blind person.  I opened my studio doors.  My sheep collected outside one door, maaing gently while in the field opposite my studio, buzzards gathered being dive bombed by crows.  Their peace, their fear, their squawking as they dived, the contented pheasants gently clucking as they gathered stray corn, the sounds all went into the pieces.  Later I took these images into my computer to create the above scarves.  Hopefully, they will contain the healing elements which come with the 'Zen' and healing meditation.

I am planning to work this way to produce my beloved Opera Capes and jackets.  Watch this space!!!!!!