Mmmm. Well, I’m not that happy with this as it is. I haven’t used up all of my time – so I am going to try a different route altogether with my remaining time – about 4 hours – but also using Frame, Fracture, Form.

I now finally understand the ‘content doesn’t fit the form’ arguement! I really like a lot of the details and imagery on this form, but don’t like the ‘body’. Would have prefered to have seen this as a flat piece. HOWEVER, I do rather like the form – it would need some work and some stability (even in these small pieces, the felt can’t really hold itself up – which I thought it would) as it is really wobbly and perhaps that is my problem with it. I would really like to see ‘pottery’ forms (either slabbed or flat pieces wrapped into forms) done in something plain (like cream/white) and have mark making on them in threads. Think this is something I might like to try down the line. Might be particularly good with the lights of New York to abstract stuff out that way. Bright colours, flashes etc. I was looking at interfacing last night – thick and thin and seeing what might be possible to use that to create more support to the fabric. Some is iron on – good – but might be too thin, and others might be too thick and need sewing on. tsk. Still, something to think about there.

Back to this project.

I did like making this individual pieces. I didn’t replicate the image literally – I made a basic background and then picked out elements of each area of the image and put them in the relevant areas on the frame. So not only were the slabs fractured, but I also fractured the image as I created the piece. I didn’t want to over-think the structure, so I randomly took pieces to make up the form. The form is made solely by felting the seams. Which I quite like and is interesting an technique to make a larger pieces with.

The final scribble is a small test based on the Alexander McQueen dress I saw last week. I thought this would be a great way to make landscapes as the additional layers on top make the previous ones recede. Thing is, this net is too course. It gets in the way too much. I went to Dunelm (SO my favourite shop these days) and got some cream organza. While this is a lot sheerer, it is also a bit too sparkly… and normal voile is too thick. So I’m going to have a go a frame, form and fracture with this. If it works, this will open up a whole new avenue for me in making landscapes in layers in a different way – which I am very excited about. This will take less time as machine embroidery is very quick and I should be able to make a small-ish test piece in the 4 hours. I will use the image to ‘draw’ directly onto the fabric with the stitching.