 |
| we had frost last night and an hour's extra sleep: we now live in winter-time |
 |
| dead hare |
 |
| red |
 |
| tree lion |
 |
| willow-lace |
 |
| borders alongside the corn and wheat are planted with insect-attracting-flowers, these insects are supposed to eat the crop damaging ones |
 |
| beautiful sun today |
 |
| two tone |
 |
| Here's a sample of Mia's fabrics: linen and cotton and velvet and mixed cloths. Mia is 84 and has worked mainly with leather, making bags for many years, and she has also dabbled in working with fabrics and painting. At this time in her life, she has decided certain activities are just too much and she will concentrate on drawing and painting. After visiting our exhibition she fell in love with my work and rang me to make a very generous offer: would I be interested in some linens? Would I indeed?! So last weekend I visited her and came away with two bin bags stuffed with glorious cloth. |
 |
| butterfly, peacock and flower motifs |
 |
| the exhibition was a roaring success; my father sold two thirds of his collection (he had 38 pieces) my mother sold all (21) her dolls' dresses and I sold 19 (of 21)...you can imagine we were all three delighted!! I've had such wonderful feedback from everyone who visited, I'm still floating. 100% of my parents' earnings and 20% of mine go to a good cause: a Fillippino family of five, consisting of the mother Vilma, who works in Singapore as a nanny (and hardly ever sees her own children) and whose three children are looked after by her aunt in the Fillippines (there is no father...)the two elder children have both enjoyed a good education these past couple of years, in part thanks to my parents, so very soon they will become independent and be able to help themselves and their mother! My parents met Vilma when they were visiting my brother's family whilst they lived in Singapore about 7 years ago and Vilma was their nanny. My mother decided she wanted to help her and has done ever since. |
 |
| creams |
 |
| and colours |
 |
| lion sits well with home-dyed fabric |
 |
| start of something new |
 |
| two fresh bundles in walnut-dye+onion-dye+elderberry remains+rain |
 |
| 'weaving and embroidery art' by Jo de Jong, Amsterdam 1933 a friend found this book and thought it would interest me, so for the time being it's staying with me |
 |
| dreamt about a new piece: a nine-patch made with prepared canvas and raw linen, I 'll paint in oils on the white and stitch through all of it and I'll make a stretcher for it |
 |
| these past couple of days, weeks even, have been hectic. During and after Sunday's opening of the Family Exhibit I was flooded by emotions, came back home yesterday afternoon and have the rest of the week to enjoy the autumn break with the boys, I am calming down and looking at house and garden again: all those fallen leaves, the dust indoors, we're laying new floors in the childrens' bedrooms (my husband's ailing mother having to move yet again.....and so her year old laminate-floor is the perfect revamp for their rooms, more practical as well) No need to feel empty! the dog keeps me moving on p.s. change of plan: the laying of the new floors is so tedious, I have decided against it! I'll tidy and clean and sort out the mess that is their bedrooms and the husband will have a new floor for his shed |
 |
| my mother's dolls' dresses on display |
 |
| several of my dad's vases |
 |
| husband looking at painting |
 |
| the photo's were taken before 'the crowds' arrived |
 |
| the family exhibit went very well: my father sold 11 pieces, my mother 12 and I sold 13! So you can imagine we were/are happy and it was great fun talking to people and how lovely they reacted to our work; there were several woman who were rather overwhelmed by my painting/mixed media pieces and the textiles, with the various home-dyed fabrics: not often seen apparently...... so I'll keep on going On the organisation side, it was truly a family affair: our combined art pieces of course, our two boys helped out by answering the door, hanging up coats and serving drinks, my husband, brother and sister came along to assist 'wherever neccessary' and an aunt from Denmark came to stay for a couple of days, to help out as well; oh yes and a cousin and her husband from Jersey happened to drop by, so all in all a good family get together And of course it would not have been such a success without the guests who came, saw and bought! If you're in the neighbourhood: Sunday 21 Oct. is 'open house' again, I will be there too; the exhibit is in my parents'house: Bredestraat 3 Maastricht The Netherlands |
 |
 |
| 'meeting' 50x50cm 2010-2012 |
 |
| finally 'motherhood' is done, 67x177cm 2012 |
 |
| dye results: on the left walnut dye, the two larger strips in the middel: left was wrapped around banana-peels and right was wrapped around copper pipe; the two strips on the right were dyed in onion skins, the brighter version had onion skin bits tucked into the bundle, resulting in more colour |
