Elena Deshmukh

Before I started this course I bought the most beautiful card I had ever seen consisting of a lovely, detailed picture of a bird and flower, with a tiny amount of very fine gold embroidery. It was designed by a very talented, in my opinion, artist called Elena Deshmukh. Her work is exquisite, like Claires Final Major Project (see earlier posting).  I regularly check Elena's very high quality website (www.elenadeshmukh.com/) to keep up with her new card designs and just wonder at the wonderful imagery that is combined with  vintage props and moving birds. Her work is truly inspirational and is itself inspired, like alot of mine, by flowers, butterflies and vintage/Victoriana. If only my cards were so beautiful!!!!!

PPF

Having spent the last two weeks mounting research, I have now  realised how much I have neglected my PPF file................so creating will have to wait whilst I try and work through the list of work to.  Hopefully, I can then get back designing.............................!!!!!?!!!!

INSPIRATIONAL EMBROIDERY!

Had an inspirational Embroidery workshop on Tuesday :-)

We were shown amazing work by leading textile designers,former students and our lecturer Claire Baker who studied at CCAD herself and produced the most EXQUISITE  designs for her FMP.  They were soooooooooooooo beautiful that they were the reason I undertook this course, six years ago, in the hopes of learning how to design such beautiful things for myself.  Unfortunately I am not so talented and somehow, I am very sad to say, my projects have not taken an embroidery route.  Having been reminded of what I had planned to do, maybe there is still time to do some innovative oriental card and gift?  I hope so, but if not then shall have all the time in the world to explore altered art, paper sculpture and  beautiful embroidered  work like Claire's once I am finished in a few ( help) months time!

BIRTHDAY visit to Damien Hirst Print Exhibition at Bowes Museum!!!!

Had a lovely day yesterday wandering around Barnard Castle's old antique shops and visiting the Bowes Museum, for a birthday treat. I had been wanting to go and see the Damien Hirst exhibition since I read  that a number of his recent works were on show locally.  As I am very interested  in butterflies generally (have always loved them and have a small collection of Chinese embroidered butterflies) and for my final major project in particular, I wanted to see how Damien Hirst had dealt with the subject. Although not usually keen on some of his work I did like the momento part of this show.  It juxtaposed black and white skulls with brightly coloured butterflies, against a black background, to great effect as my photographs showed. 

I have always loved William Blake's (and the ancients) idea that butterflies are dead mens souls, which is how, it seems, Hirst sees them too. This made the combination of beautiful butterflies and skulIs completely acceptable!!! I loved the vivid colours chosen for the butterflies, my favourite being the beautiful blue one.

Got three for the price of one with this picture- butterfly/medicine label style prints and my son and I !!!!!!

mounting research................

Have just spent the last two weeks mounting my research. It seemed a good idea, for a number of reasons.  Firstly, I had so much information in my research folders that it needed reviewing (along with ALL my work, half way through the project) as well as being assembled in a more interesting informative way for assessment. Secondly, with time drawing on I felt it was better to do it NOW rather than at the end of the project when time is short and stress levels high!!!!!

Easier said than done.  It has brought all creativity to a complete standstil as well as turning my kitchen into a replica of the municipal dump!!!!!! I am now desperate to finish mounting all research to date and getting back to the real reason for being on this course......CREATING beautiful imagery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY 2011!!!!!

After,snow and Christmas stopped play FINALLY starting to get back to work....SLOWLY