The day started with a paper exercise building up layers of rubbings in tonal shades of white, grey and black. Sections of the paper were cut and passed on to the next student. Examining these papers up on the wall in a series helped us distinguish areas of heavy and light tone, and also the relationship of pieces of art with their surroundings – discovering how they interact with the piece of work next to it. Appleton encouraged us to think of work on different planes and from varying perspectives. She explained that for exhibition displays she considers placement on floors as well as the wall space.
The tonal drawings were used as ‘food’ to inspire mark-making with interesting fibres, pulling and distorting yarns by teasing them out. We experimented rolling yarns around our fingers, tearing light sections and letting them float down onto the base and streaking them across the surface in specific directions. Two very fine layers of Merino wool were then placed onto these fibres, at right angles to each other.
Handy hints – laying wool fibres onto a bubble wrap base and using the insulation lagging for pipework (instead of the traditional rolling pin) encourages the felting process.
Jeanette Appleton Background information:
Appleton is part of the 62 Group of textile artists, a very pro-active collection of artisans.
Appleton has travelled extensively and this nomadic nature clearly feeds into her work. Early pieces, such as WalkSwimAbout have areas where the top layer has been snipped away - this came about because Appleton had no access to a sewing machine so she chose to add the top layers of mark making using this technique. She uses photographs, often of aerial views of landscapes, as inspiration, cutting and tearing them to explore proportion. Sometimes language or an expression can be enough to inspire a series of work.
One of Appletons major breakthroughs came when she was asked to take part in the group exhibition called ‘Through The Surface’ which took place in the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham. She explained that she was delighted to be invited to take part, but couldn’t believe it when she found herself in Kyoto giving a talk about her felted artwork! Appleton said other people often have almost more faith in her abilities than she does herself and this gives her the encouragement to push a project on.
The final piece for this exhibition was 28 ½ metres long, suspended from an extendable rail, which took 12 people to hold in position when installing! Appleton explained that both the environment that you create the work in, and the final exhibition space have a great bearing on the work you produce as an artist.
| | A recent trip to the V&A museum in London included a visit to Mary Butchers Studio space. Mary Butcher ia a contemporary basketmaker, she explores 3 dimensional forms using materials including barks, string, washing line wire, willow etc. The V&A invites contemporary artists to take part in a 6 month residency. Butcher told us that she is trying to walk one gallery in the V&A each week. For example during the baroque exhibition she produced swirled washing line wire towers inspired by the lavish costumes on display. The previous week she had searched for baskets in amongst the armour gallery. Butcher explained that as part of the residency she is encouraged to expand her personal development and showed us some metal swirled structures she has developed alongside an jeweller. A photographer had also visited the studio and used an old technique of Chromate photo developing - the willow objects are placed on a piece of chromate soaked paper and left in the sun to 'develop.' The solution is then washed off to fix the image - an x-ray appearance is achieved. My favourite part of the studio was Butchers 'visitor book', she is asking all visitors to write their name on a length of paper cord, then this is knotted and strung up from hooks on the wall. |
Painted wrapped willow whips, twined together using strips of silk gauze. The start of a subtle willow sculpture...
