For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Tuesday, March 15, 2011

more hardware...with paper this time.

I nearly never came today, there were plans for spring cleaning you see. Well you have those plans to thank for me being here because in the course of clearing out all those cobwebs I came across these. You may have seen some of them before in the dim and distant past, some probably not. Anyway I got to wondering why am I keeping them...I tell you I am in a proper let's get rid of it mood. These were made when I was at Uni, got top marks for these too...very pleased with myself I was. Sorry,., I'm babbling again, some time today, in between the cleaning, I intend to put these in the shop. Worth a try I think...

We have paper with zips, paper with hooks and eyes, even paper with press studs. There is pricked paper, printed paper, beaded paper. There is pleated metallic silk tissue, freely smocked metallic silk tissue...I'm exhausted just thinking about the hours and sweat that went into these.......best days of my life...
AND....the hooks and eyes are done, are you proud?

11 comments:

Joanna said...

Very proud of you, well done! Nice work! At least you are encouraging me to get on and produced things, just not quite on the scale that you do. Must get on, or that PhD in procrastination is looming (defining sustainability next :o))

deanna7trees said...

so proud, but i must say i would not get rid of those pieces you showed today. they should be in a scrapbook for your children and grandchildren to have some day. they are special and beautiful.

Lois Evensen said...

Oh, yes, so very pretty! Isn't it fun to come across forgotten items when cleaning and straightening. I so often get sidetracked when I start such projects. It's so easy to stop and play with the things that I find.

Anonymous said...

It's fascinating to see what you were doing at college and then look elsewhere to what you are doing now, and to see the development from one to the other.

Gina said...

They're lovely and would make a nice display framed together.

Gayle said...

I don't always leave comments but I am always in absolute awe of your creativity. :-)Gayle

Tammie Lee said...

amazingly creative Karen. Wildly fabulous.

Suztats said...

Good on you, Karen! I think these pieces from Uni days would look wonderful framed into one piece and hung on your wall! Inspiration, good memories, and art all rolled into one.

Jane said...

These are amazing, love the one with the zip

Heather Woollove said...

Wowie, Karen!!! You are moving in a whole new direction. How wonderful each piece is!!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

My eyes popped wide open when I saw the first photo - I couldn't believe I was at the right place!! I'm in total like with the blue piece and combining zippers and paper? You're a brave brave woman!