“As Ye Sew, So Shall Ye Rip” Anon.
From the manner in which a woman draws her thread at every stitch of her needlework, any other woman can surmise her thoughts. Honore de Balzac
Reflecting on the mark making of the last entry, I felt the need to introduce an object in an attempt to begin to synthesise the 2D and 3D elements of my practice. The leaf idea was spontaneous, and suited the purpose, in that it is flatish and an organic object, which relates to my practice of interventions with organic objects.
(Fig1.) Began again with repetitive mark-making using white ink, it felt deliciously naughty and took me back to childhood. However results hinted at ancient universal patterns Aboriginal? (Fig 5 detail) And I got that weary been-here-before feeling.
If I stitch fast enough, does it count as aerobic exercise? Anon.
Where the idea to start sewing the leaves originated I don’t know except that a lot of my recent work has involved textiles and sewing in some way: http://www.ruthgeldard.com/ My first idea was to use a machine (Fig 2) but there is no setting for “leaf” tension and soon; mess began accumulating, thread started breaking and my studio looked like an unsupervised Nature Table, in frustration I moved on to hand sewing.
Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage. Elizabeth Zimmerman
It was like getting into a warm bath, the scent of the punctured leaf the delicious feel of the pink silk as it slid through the glossy leaf, sensorially satisfying (Fig 3.) Having stitched blanket style around the edge I went further and picked up the stitches and crocheted. I felt peacefully domestic with the repetitious movements of the hook.
Asking a seamstress to mend is like asking Michelangelo to paint your garage. Anon.
Having established for myself in previous work that sewing can be drawing, up to this point I was happy that I was, still “drawing” but then I went a subversive step further (Fig 4) and indulged the desire to “mend” and darn natural holes. I can’t tell you how delicious that was and how satisfying but I am not at all sure it could be classified as drawing.
May your bobbin always be full! Anon.
