Museums, sketchbooks and erosion bundles

I can't believe nearly six weeks has passed since my last post! Although I haven't actually made any more progress on project 1, I have managed a couple of trips to two excellent museums. 'Scolton Manor' in Pembrokeshire has some beautiful textiles and really helpful staff to answer questions. For such a small place, it offers so much and is very inspiring. 'St Fagans' near Cardiff was fantastic too... one of those places where there is almost too much to take in, so I plan a return visit sometime soon. I didn't pass up on the chance to take some interesting textural pictures while I was there.

I've spent so many hours reading various art and textile art books I can almost forgive myself for not completing project 1 yet. I have been looking at the work of Paul Klee, Picasso, Van Gogh etc plus have spent time trying to grapple with art history. With so many textile art books out there, it is difficult to know which of these to read, but I have generally stuck with whatever's available at the local library or any that I see recommended in the OCA forums. My favourite though for making the study of art a little more understandable is a book called '...isms' UNDERSTANDING ART' by Stephen Little.

My sketchbook has also been completely neglected recently, but as I've signed up for 'The Sketchbook Project' with 'Art House Co-op', I am at least practising my drawing for this. I have also been giving some thought to 'erosion art', which I first read about on 'The Erosion Bundle Project' website. I am seriously keen to give this a try, but am also going to be more than a little cautious as I really don't want the unpleasant task of having to removing equally unpleasant and squirmy-looking insects from my textile bundle when the time comes to unpack it...Urgh!

Starting from scratch

I decided that I really should do some sketching - or at least try. I'm not very good at it which is why I always seem to put it off. I thought I'd go right back to basics so it wouldn't be so scary! Firstly I made quite a few attempts at really simple sketches by copying out of books (this is from my Van Gogh book) and was surprised at how quickly I was then able to draw this. Although it's not great, I feel quite pleased that I'm over the first hurdle. I really envy all you artists out there...

Getting to grips with everything

This is my first post and I'm still really trying to get to grips with the idea of sketchbooks, blogs and learning logs and generally trying to get myself organised. It has been quite some time since I did any serious study and I am a little out of practice. I have at least, started to collect various fabric and yarn samples and am now working on gathering the variety of other materials needed for the course.

Enthusiasm has had me scanning through the course material at every opportunity and that in itself fired up my enthusiasm even more! My camera has already been busy, my sewing box cleaned and sorted, my fabric collection re-visited and and a new library card has been issued. In short, I'm ready to go! But...

'getting started' is the tricky bit...

And although I haven't actually done much work on Assignment 1 yet, I have begun thinking about the 'smaller' things: like parts of a pattern, rather than the whole; I have questioned why a certain theme or printing technique was chosen over others; have wondered about the endless possibilities for stitch representation; have learnt the very basics of photography and have reminded myself of how to work with wool.

Last month I visited the University of Glamorgan's graduate exhibition of historical and theatrical costumes which was well worth the trip, but of course led to further textile related questions which for now - with the school holidays about to start - will have to wait... although a trip to The Museum of Welsh Life may be in order.