"Make it New" an exhibition by the textile art forum in co. down

The Textile Art Forum

presents

Make it New

an exhibition of textiles at

Ards Arts Centre,

Newtownards Town Hall,

Conway Square,

Newtownards,

Co Down, BT23 4DB

Official opening: Thursday, 3rd February, 2011: 19.00-21.00

Exhibition runs from 2nd - 25th February 2011

Opening times: 10.00 – 16.30 Mon - Thurs, 10.00 – 16.00 Fri - Sat

update from Jan

Well hopefully we all made it through the rough weather in December and all of you are being as enthused as I am right now. I'm finally getting my head around the new theme and sketching out ideas (some off the beaten path but will lead to great conversations in Ballyduggan) and will hopefully have done some samples for the signature piece within the next few days. I'm including the final hexagons - other than the one I may bring in March for me - that was part of the cushions I made for each of my sisters out of fabric that they would have used in the 1960's. I will hopefully post either some sketches or samples within the next couple weeks and do look forward to where each of you are going with the theme "Stitching the Legend".

december arrives...by Amanda

I promised an update mid-November, well, it's December now, other projects pushed their way to the fore and Forum work is waiting for attention. I have spent a month developing a character design for a pre-school children's book. This is almost complete now so will be sharing that on my own blog before Christmas.

Life is full, Stitching the Legend is still in process. Sometimes it takes months of waiting before an idea sparks the project off again - it's all part of the creative process. The Ulster Musuem has a small costume display which includes a beautiful Schiaperelli gown. I'm not sure what the fabric is because there is little detail and you can't touch it to find out! I'm guessing it's silk crepe de chine. The colour is a muted soft pink so that will have to be included somehow into my Schiaperelli piece for Stitching the Legend.

Here's a quote from the famous lady herself:

'Never fit a dress to a body but train the body to fit the dress'

Back onto the exercise bike for me then!

eager to stitch

Seeing the cartoon, Amanda, makes me eager to get back to this project. Until I get a 'thumbs up' from the surgeon, however, I continue to be limited to thinking and researching. See you all at the Bee Hive on Saturday. Frances

looking ahead by Amanda

Our Make it New work is still available for exhibition until next summer but meanwhile Forum members press on with our new theme 'Stitching the Legend'. We are planning for and looking forward to our next residential week in March 2011 when we will be focusing on the theme and working together to bring our ideas into reality. Meanwhile Autumn is here, the weather is cooler and the days are shorter, the perfect season for turning up the heating in the studio and spending time in creative mode. Each Forum member is busy with their own lives and work, slotting in Forum time whenever possible. For me, October is an important month for updating my own website and for working on the allotment, planting fruit canes etc -November /December are my forum months so, all being well, expect an update from me mid-November, maybe sooner if inspiration takes over and I start working through the night!

update from Amanda

The exhibition is in progress, so while we wait to hear the responses of visitors, work continues on our current projects. My Stitching the Legend pieces are in the 'thinking' process. Who knows how long this will take - while I meditate on the work so far and make decisions about the next step my fashion icon outlines stare at me from the wall of the room where I work waiting for inspiration to hit.

Until I have further news here are a couple of photos of the fabric collage that I made to accompany the dress in the current exhibition. Photographs of my model have been transfered onto composted cotton, applique has been added and the resulting quilted piece stretched around a frame. The colours are muted yet earthy, the message is gentle but potent - 'Respect the Planet' - Let's take care of this wonderful, unique place we call earth.

more Cavan exhibition photos from Jan

Finally back looking at the pictures I took on the current exhibition in the County Cavan Museum in Ballyjamesduff I thought I'd share the following from the exhibition. When we were in Ballyduggan, County Down in March of 2010 one exercise we all did was to do a self-portrait as a single line drawing which was quite entertaining and both Frances and Amanda managed to get their drawing moved to a composted fabric and included in the exhibition as seen here:

Here are two of Esters rock pieces; one with the rocks as separate pieces incorporated into the wall hanging and one that was one piece of fabric that with the use of just threads she created the same effect - most amazing when you sit and really enjoy the work done:

The final series of Will Tell pieces that I did were done with the original design (using only arrows - palms depending on how you see it) that incorporated fabrics from the Escheresque series and while not as striking as the red/yellow series has a unique quality with the different fabrics and threads used in the quilting of these A4 pieces: