Details of Studio

Just some more details inside my studio - my design wall is still blank and it has been worrying my husband. He says is bare - why????? Wait and see???!!!!

If any of my Certificate 1V students are looking - take note!! -  the studio, how you set it up, how to store your stash and stuff, what you need as lightning etc, etc, - this is one of your units. Photograph your studio - before and after shots are good.
It would be good to see some of your studios, work areas and maybe I could put them on my blog too - of course with your permission.
More to come so keep posted.
And by the way I am going to post at least three times a week - trying as before everyday was too much.

Need to think carefully about how I do this when I am away on holidays - any comments???

One of my shelves with a combination of my collections from my travels 
and threads,beads, shells, buttons etc....Everything is sorted in clear boxes
 in a single layer so I can see it easily - it saves me loads of time
Sorry photo is a little dark

Above: some of my Chinese collection and strings of beads
ready to use in my works when and if needed

This corner is my children's corner - maybe I am still a bit of a 
child?????

This is our "shrine" shelf - Chinese 'cats' and Ganesh (Indian) both for good luck  (and I have that)

Design Board - Wall - studio

Design Board - Wall

My design board or rather wall is now a blank canvas with the exception of a few related bits for my new ideas, inspiration etc.....
Now I need to start new work and use the design board
Keep posted

Removing all the bits from my design wall - half way through

A blank wall

Just a few odds and bits left that will relate to my new work

Now all I need is time and ideas (which I already have) to start new work.
Of course I cannot show the work for our SAlt group.

Keep posted

Details in my studio

These are some photos of details in my studio

The first three photos are part of my design board or rather my inspiration board - I am going to remove all of it this weekend and start afresh - new inspiration and new work work to come - TRANSITION - my word for the year and I am trying to follow my word. (see previous posts)

Above and below (detail) is my "hat" stand with strips of fabric
ready to use in my work for either cords, layering etc..
and my kitchen table ready for the coffee break that I need
except that I do not drink coffee or tea

Walking on the Beach

Walking on Grange Beach 

Grange Jetty

 This morning we (my husband and I) decided to do our morning walk down along the foreshore nearest to us - Grange Beach. In South Australia we have some stunning beaches - white sands and clear water. I had forgotten how beautiful this beach is and how lovely it was to walk along the foreshore in the fresh air and enjoy the waves, sea, sand, jetty and watching the people and their dogs, kids .... enjoying the earlier morning - it was about 8am and just so relaxing and beautiful. We often forget to take some time out to charge our batteries. Then back to my studio for some work - which did not happen but what a start to the day.

Footsteps in the sand

Seaweed - wonderful textures and colour

Sculpture along the foreshore

Grange Beach

Grange Jetty

My husband drew my name in the sand - I WAS there!!!

What joy to walk along the beach!!

My Studio

MY STUDIO - 2012

I have been very lucky to marry a builder who has built me a fine large studio. It is 120 square metres - 100 of that is my working studio and the rest is a store room full of fabrics, art equipment etc.

It was very good to be able to have a purpose built studio as I could design what I wanted - there were many considerations eg power points - number and positioning, lightning, tables - number and heights, office space, cosy space for hand stitching, sewing machine area, book shelves, storage for threads, beads and odds and ends, chairs, computer area, tea and coffee area (even though I do not drink either), and many more considerations. I call it my studio but it is so cosy my husband uses it too for reading and his tea and coffee but it is large enough to spare some times. I must admit I do get it to myself most of the time - that is when I can get to it. Starting back at work this week (I am an Art Textiles teacher at Marden Senior College) means I will not see or use my studio as much as I have in the last few weeks. I did have a big clean up especially sorting out my library but I have been working on a few project so its not so neat now as you can see in the pictures below: 

This is my cosy area for hand sewing and of course watching TV
My office and tea and coffee areas are in the back

Tables for cutting and sewing (if you can get some room) - design board in the left-hand  corner where I do my photography - door in the middle is to the store room

Looking towards the door is my sewing area and my library in the back

View of part of my library after the big tidy-up this holidays - it is cleaner and I turned over all the shelves which more beginning to bow with the weight of the books - a big job but at least it is done

My lovely Mac computer and printer  etc.....

I hope you enjoy seeing where I work and in future post I will give you some more views of my little special areas and how I store my fabrics, threads, etc to help you design your space.


Share with me some ideas or questions on studios.
No studio is ever perfect.

Family

My family at Xmas

Ken working on paving at the back of our house

Ben my son in Port Villa on holiday over the Xmas period

Ben, my son and his wife SArah at Port Villa

Word of the Year

I am back now from a holiday break - thinking, resting, sewing, reading, eating and sleeping.

I wanted to start the year off with a clear indication where I am, what I want to do etc... so I have stared with: - 

“Your Word of the Year”

I have been following Christine Kane for the last year and have decided to take on board her word of the year ‘project’.

Below is a bit about Christine:

About

christine

While Christine Kane is best known for her hip and catchy songs, and the down-to earth wit of her live performances, her fans

and students share that they are inspired most by her message of living authentically, courageously,

and successfully.

Christine’s philosophy is that you are the artist and your life is your work of art. That, she says, is what it means to “Live Creative.” From her years of touring the country to her wildly successful women’s retreats and coaching programs, her message is clear:

You can create your life exactly as you want it.

Christine has now mentored and coached over 500 people in her Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program and Uplevel Your Business Program & Blueprint in addition to live events and weekend programs.

Christine has released 7 CDs and an award-winning DVD in her expansive career as a performer and songwriter. Borders Books & Music named Christine one of the Top Five Recordings of 2003, the Washington Post called her “a petite powerhouse of a singer.”

Below is an exact from her ‘philosophy’ about the

Word of the year

introduction

Years ago, my friend Kathy LaMotte introduced me to the Word of the Year. Kathy never liked New Year’s Resolutions, but choosing a Word to guide her through the year had long been a favorite ritual.

What I’ve learned from putting this ritual into practice is that Intention — even in the form of a single word — is unfathomably powerful. Resolutions are fine, but they are often motivated by “shoulds.” As such, they remain trapped in the “Should Realm” — in our heads.

A word, however, contains energy, images and meaning. These are things our hearts and souls get excited about. And this is how transformation begins. Rarely does deep transformation happen because of “Shoulds.”

Look at her website for more info and subscribe to her mailing list – it is well worthwhile

So what is my word for 2012 ?

I had to look carefully at where I wanted to go in 2012 – ask myself several questions and come up with my word for the year.

It is TRANSITION

Definition: A change from one state or form to another, any act or process by which a thing becomes unlike what it was before or the unlikeness so produced; we say a change was taking place.

And words that are related are: - passage, passing, shifting, jump, leap, variation, conversion, transit, changeover, alteration, evolution, growth, modification, turning point, turn, switch, progression etc…

My second word is REGENERATION

Definition: reestablish on a new usually improved, basis or make new or like new.

And words that re related are: - renew, reform, restore, reclaim, rejuvenate, recreate, reawaken, restore mend, reestablish, rectify, mend, reinstate, revitalize, reawaken, replace, shape a new, give a new life or energy etc….

So what does that mean? Well I will endeavour to apply this these words to my daily life both professional and personal.

And as Christine Kane says there are three elements to consider when you chose your Word for the Year and they are: AUTHENITICITY – AWARENESS – CLARITY.

So look at her website and think about what would your words be for 2012????

 Look out for more regular posts now.

2012 - Happy New Year

Hi Everybody

Happy New year and all the best for 2012!!! A new year of great possibilities

My new quote for the year is:

"What you are is what you have been. What you will be is what you do now." Buddha

I have been thinking very hard about where I want to go in my textile work - whether I want to write more, exhibit, teach more classes (outside of Marden Senior College where I am a full time teacher in creative art  textiles) or what .... so I have not been blogging for a while. I have made some decisions about what I want to do with my future and will share with you them later. Of course teaching will always be the biggest part of what I do but I want to be better, more prepared  and more efficient. So I have been planning, pondering, thinking and jotting things down so that is why the blog has taken a back seat at the moment.
And of course  Xmas and New Year with family has had a part to do with that too.

And it has been HOT - up to 42C

I am back from a 'vacation' from my blog -  I have been working very hard on new pieces of work for our SALT (South Australian Luscious Textiles) exhibition group - this is a group of five textile artists from South Australia who have come together to challenge ourselves by to preparing work for an exhibition. We are a very devise group with very different styles of working with which has been and is exciting. We will let you know when and where we will exhibit when we get things finalised. We now have a body of work together as we have been working all 2011 on 4 pieces each.
We cannot share the work with you yet but I am working every day on my art.