It's been a minute - not!
And in between, I have (finally) dove deep into the making in Ireland: Currently, I have pieces in THREE exhibitions! All of these new pieces incorporate wool raised in Ireland AND Cyanotype printed silk fabric. This method is a new endeavour and one I plan to continue to explore!
Sculpture in Context
If you look carefully, you can see my piece in the number 4!
While I am (naturally) proud of all of my work, my installation for Sculpture in Context, at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, is titled 'SeeSeaBlue', and has been the BIGGEST opportunity for growth.
First of all, there are no hats in this work. Instead, there are three elegant windsocks made of wet-felted Galway Co-op Wool (immaculately cleaned by my friend at WoolStore Ireland). The piece captures the wind most beautifully and sits within the space of the garden so happily.
Below is a short video of the piece.
Skills?
Each windsock combines felted Irish wool with Cyanotype prints of seaweed collected at Sandycove, Dun Laoghaire. I've become skilled at using my vintage sewing machine to make French Seams. Each seam is sewn twice! I went through a lot of spools of blue-coloured, cotton Gutermann thread. Plus, I learned how to make eyelets using a nifty grommet-making device. Oh my brain! Lastly, and most importantly, I learned from Sculpture in Context organiser Jackie Ball how to adjust the height of my piece so it wouldn't be blown away to Howth! In actuality, the windsock poles extend all the way to 4 metres/12 feet!
Note: I did not make the poles. As my experienced artist friend Annika explained, artists don't make their frames, so it is okay to purchase the hardware.
Where: My piece is situated in the 'Wild Ireland' section of the botanical garden, where the coastal plants grow. National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Rd, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 W0Y0.
When: Sculpture in Context runs until Friday, the 10th of October.
Photo of my hats in the gallery - they are under glass.
Common Threads Exhibition - National Design and Craft Gallery
As part of Feltmakers Ireland's joint exhibition with the Quilters Guild of Ireland, I have two hats in the exhibition, 'Common Threads', in the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland gallery - the National Design and Craft Gallery. Sarah Ross beautifully curated the show. I am also proud to have been involved in the behind-the-scenes application process on behalf of Feltmakers Ireland. Lots of learning there, too!
When: The exhibition runs until Wednesday, the 1st of November.
To see more photos of the opening (which I missed as I was travelling in Vietnam(!), visit the Feltmakers Ireland blog. (As the marketing person for the guild, I wrote the post.)
50th Anniversary Exhibition - Irish Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers
PPos
Poster for the show
Lastly, I have one felted hat made of Irish Cladoir wool at the group show of the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers (IGWSD). There are so many amazing woven pieces in the show. My hat has Cyanotype printed silk, which I then over-dyed with Dyer's Camomille.
Where: DLR Lexicon Library and Cultural Centre, Queen's Rd, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 H283.
When: The show runs until Friday, the 19th of September.
Stay tuned for future projects containing Irish-raised wool and Cyanotype printing. I have THREE fleeces to process (wash and card). There are so many new and excellent growth opportunities since moving to Ireland!