I have just finished another series of great workshops with Pat Archibald which inspired me to create this quilt for the annual festival exhibition. Inspired by Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto, the temple of the 3,000 Buddhas- the emotions it evokes for me- the strangeness of the orient but also the warmth.
Literally on top of the world which is also how I felt after my week doing nothing but Art. Local newspaper described the course as Stitch into Art which sums it up. I made 16 pieces mostly small but two large 60 inch by 70 inch . here is my study in greys.
Just back after spending 10 days in Japan over Easter. Cherry blossom time and also some wonderful exhibitions of scroll paintings (combining both beauty and some wonderfully comic scenes). We also met and had dinner with a Meiko (training to be a Geisha, a five year process) and two Deiko (or Geisha). Their dances where all of the emotion and story is through the hand and body movements (their feet always remain on the ground).
While in Japan we visited one of the main shibori dyeing towns where I found some wonderful fabric and I also bought some pieces of vintage kimonos from a shop in Tokyo which I can never resist visiting.
As I always do, I took both my paints and scissors and glue and made a series of collages as inspiration for future projects. Our daughter came with us and her stylish hats and dramatic art student black and white clothes may also inspire a quilt!