Kingfishers

As my projects moves forwards and I consider the elements of nature I want to specifically focus on and study I focused on my surroundings and the places I had visited for inspiration. As I see the River Derwent almost every day on my journey to University, and enjoyed following it through Marlock on my walk, I decided that I wanted to paint an oak tree, as Derwent mean 'Valley thick with oaks'. Birds also fasinate me, so putting a bird into the tree seemed highly natural. I chose to study a kingfisher, as it is a bird I love but have never seen in the wild.

I looked to Morris for inspiration in my work, and sought to create a large scale repeat unit, reflecting my own obsession with nature, and the local nature which inspires me daily. I used unity and symmetry when designing, in an attempt to create a harmony within the design.

Snow on Snow, Snow on Snow ...

Here are my Nine completed knit samples based on 'In the Bleak Midwinter ...' I experimented with different materials as yarns such as dental floss, ribbon and organza, as well as more conventional yarns. The photos are predominantly close ups and arty shots because the samples have not yet been mounted, but I do still think that you can get the overall feel of my work. All of these samples will contribute towards my final garment section, at this stage im leaning towards making a sleeve. Further photographs will follow when my samples are mounted and ready for display.

Sample One:






Sample Two:





Sample Three:






Sample Four:






Sample Five:







Sample Six:










Sample Seven:








Sample Eight:



Sample Nine:

In the bleak Midwinter …

A new semester and a new project begins, and still I’m attempting to catch up with my blog to focus on current work, a task that there just doesn’t seem enough hours in the day to accomplish!
The project, much to my delight, is entitled ‘In the Bleak Midwinter …’. The subject is very fitting as the assignment was given to us on a day thick with frost and snow, the landscape on my journey to university was the image of ‘bleak’, yet I did find myself, as always, looking to the trees and their bare twisted shapes on the snowy horizon. ‘Id love to do a project printing tree silhouettes and gnarled shapes’ I pondered, congering up all sorts of ideas in my mind. After displaying my work for assessment I received the next assignment, excited and eager I returned home to begin it.

After a little investigation I soon discovered that ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ was a line taken from a Christina Rossetti poem. Being a Pre-Raphaelite obsessive I jumped at the chance to drag my favourite art movement into the equation in some minute way. As the idea of the poem began to escalate I found myself painstakingly writing out the poem, one line on each page, with the intention of it being a running theme and a mild commentary on my work. Pleased with my flow of ideas (even if I was creating excessive work for myself as usual) my enthusiasm for the new project was quite simply anything but ‘bleak’.