My favourite class

I went to my Pattern and Meaning Class today and had such a lovely time.  We were experimenting with more pattern making.  I used my new A3 size screen, and created some lovely line patterns. I worked on various rich silk offcuts (supplied by the tutor Kelsey) and printed in grape and dark chocolate onto deep jade, raspbery and charcoal grey silk.  I had some cream silk blend satin of my own and  used devore and chocolate binder to print onto the same piece, which looked lovely when devoured.   The fabric has a silk warp and polyester weft.  My theme keeps coming back to Dad.  The devoured silk is translucent where the lines cross the warp, but when the line runs along the warp, the polyester hangs loose, looking like it has been shredded.  And it represents the deterioration of the personality with Alzheimers.  The chocolate print shows the beauty of things we love (eg plants) but the additional line drawing of devore, combines it with deterioration and degradation.  When I come to display my work for mid semester assessment, I think this may be one of my key pieces.  Kelsey also asked me to display my paper pattern, which shows how I photocopied my repeat 9 times and stuck it together, to check whether the repeat worked well.  I had one area where the pattern had a tram line across it, so in my sketchbook I drew a red alteration to show how one leaf needed to bend, so that it was out of alignment with another leaf to prevent the tram line forming.

I was very pleased with how my new silkscreen design repeated.  It dovetailed into itself really well, and I was able to see through the screen well enough to be able to place it correctly most of the time. 

I printed some copies into my sketchbook, as Kelsey said I should work into the design to create variations on a theme.  Add more background, create form with mark making etc.  She also advised me to look really closely at the Esher photocopies (thistlehead and forest puddle) in my visual diary as all the clues were there.  So I have a happy evening ahead of me.  I need to do lots of prep at home, and take prepared drawings to class, as I can use the (free) photocopier there.  The problem with creating design using the Notan principle (dark/light) is that when I want to do a 9 patch (3 x 3) to see whether the design multiplies well, it uses excessive ink (c£22 per cartridge) on my home printer.

 Also where I had left my P&M visual diary lying around, and also my moleskine, another student had a look at it and was really complimentary, which did my ego a power of good.  I am really enjoying taking my moleskine with me everywhere, and I am starting to see patterns wherever I go.  I'm still not drawing enough things, but the fact that I have the moleskine with me, makes me look more.  I just need the time to stop to draw things.  But I'm usually rushing to class.

Mind you, I saw some lovely patterns in the plants outside the studio today. And tomorrow I have a class in the same block, that starts at 1030.  If I get to class at 9am, I could have over an hour, collecting patterns.  What an appealing idea!

During the day I had the chance to get on weighing scales.  And they confirmed what I thought!  I've lost about 6lbs since I came here.  Yippee!  And not before time.  I'm still on the lardy side, but less lardy than I was.  If I can keep this up, I will be really pleased.  I suspect the difference is that I'm walking for at least half an hour a day, to/from the bus stop, and I've virtually stopped eating chocolate because it is twice the price in Aus, compared to the UK. 

Jim looking out over Canning River, two minutes from home

I've inherited my Mother's chin!

And then I got the bus home.  Jim met me at the bus stop and we had an idyllic walk back to the flat.  The sun shone, the promenade at Salter Point was beautiful, there is clean air, bright light and everything is well with our world.  I feel so blessed.