Barkcloth to Artcloth

BARK CLOTH TO ART CLOTH
one small step towards a brighter future

I am so excited about this project and being asked to take part in it. Janet Middleton, the director of 'Star Child Shoes' approached Bobby Britnell in 2012, wanting to support the charity, 'HANDS UP FOR UGANDA' and they came up with the idea of a collaboration between Star Child Shoes, Bobby Britnell, as a textile artist and the crafts in Kisaabwa.
First let me tell you what this particular project is about:

• Promoting the ancient art of making bark cloth, a traditional material to Uganda and other countries.
• Growing more Mutaba trees (bark cloth) to facilitate the project and create employment. 
• Creating awareness about the Kisaabwa Project and 'Hands up for Uganda'.
• Linking with artists, makers, enthusiastics, supporters in decorating a piece of bark cloth.
• Creating awareness that shoe making is still healthy and alive as a craft at Star Child Shoes.
• Transforming the decorated bark cloth into art shoes.
• Developing and promoting the craft skills in Kisaabwa.
• Bringing all this together to share with a wide viewing public in Birmingham and London in 2014. 

http://www.handsupforuganda.org/up-and-coming-events.html

So I have received my barkcloth and spent the evening creating my own 'styled' dandelion on the front. I can not wait to post them and then see them made into a pair of shoes. I will post more picks when I get them xx

 This is the barkcloth as it arrived. A lovely surface to work on. I began by appliqueing a tweed style fabric with muslin on the top. Free machined with gold thread.

I then used one of my favourite homemade stamps (thanks so much to my friend Jane...long story) and appliqued felt on with additional mini circles of the barkcloth.

After free machining a little more I began hand stitching finishing off with french knots.

Start your workbook in a day workshop

Just spent a lovely day in my studio with 6 lovely ladies working on their workbooks. The morning was spent experimenting with colour and printing. The idea of the day is to try and break down the barriers we all put in front of ourselves that stop us from 'doing'. It was a very relaxed day but everyone worked really hard.

  

  

    

We explored our own hand made stamps, a range of media, use of text and doodling. Everyone produced some fantastic work and have made a start on their books and I hope they will continue to work in them. Take a peek at some of the work done xx

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

 

If your are interested in coming to a workbook session check out my availability page for more information xx

Angie Lewin preview

Totally excited this evening as we went to the preview of Angie Lewin's work at the YSP. I have waited a year for this and it was well worth it. Her work is exquisite! !! On show was a range of prints, soft furnishings,  water colours and sketchbooks. If you can get over to see it you will not be disappointed,  and I will be going back a number of times I think. It is lovely seeing to work for real and the detail and skill that goes into her work is amazing.
The main purpose of my visit was to select a piece of work for my 40th last year. As the preview was on the day after my 41st it was fate that I should find my piece of heaven. Print no4/150 became mine tonight, pictured at end of blog.
I had a lovely evening with my family and met a lot of like minded friends there too.

Work up and ready at Heart

I popped into Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge today and my work was up ready for the preview next weekend...