Lace Lines

I have had a busy Autumn as we head into winter and as the days grow colder we see the lacy lines of trees and plants more clearly 'etched against the skies' and shadows of trees strongly cast  against the sides of buildings.

 
I was delighted to exhibit in Memory Cloth at the Museum of Kantfabriek in the Netherlands. This exhibition included installations along a collective theme of lace and textiles with the artists Glenys Mann (who originally devised the exhibition), Els Van Baarle, Cherilyn Martin and myself  creating their own pieces in relation to the theme and to the space.(exhibition ends 4 January)

Cas Holmes

Els Van Baarle

Glenys Mann

Cherilyn Martin

General view of space

Images of lace making machinery and lace in the space and even on the roundabout near the museum.

And a video of lace being made

 

I was fortunate enough to be invited to run a workshop in their wonderful studio space and we looked at ideas relating to lace, lines and layers. A few details of work in progress below by kind permission of the students, including making rubbings in the factory and cutting up lace scraps.This workshop was full. I am returning to the Netherlands with Zijdelings in Tilburg in mid March with  full details on my blog

Thinking of the lace and the way it reels its way out of the machines I created some new pieces: Lace Flowers unfolding forms combining an old book on lace making with Kantfabriek lace and lace floral curtains. (These are new pieces and are not on exhibition.)

 

Over the weekend we visited another town and a wonderful Christmas house as part of the annual De Roze Engel flower shop display.

Seasons Greetings and here's to a peaceful 2015 for everyone

Edgelands and Autumn

We are well into the Autumn and enjoying the latent warm weather of an Indian Summer. The days although bright in Kent are getting shorter. November is around the corner and this year more than any other we think of the past. 'The Gardens and War' exhibition continues at the Garden Museum until January.

                     

It is also time time to tidy up in the garden and mine has been neglected with so much building work going on in the house but the Bees are enjoying the late sunshine on our hedge and makes me realise how important the edges of our gardens and  the hedges around our fields are to wildlife.

I have had my head down getting back to teaching at Adult Education and handed the copy in for my next book in this month but also managed to squeeze in a lovely visit to Sew Not Strawberry Jam in the middle of the Kent Countryside to run two one day workshops with a look at the surrounding hedges and landscape for inspiration.

Examples of student work in progress. 
Quick sketches in the garden and of plants

Layering Images in Stitch Sketch workshop

Momigami paper for Postcard Places

and a few views of the lovely garden with Geese. Just love the bright pegs.

 

Finally, I am delighted to be exhibiting with Anne Kelly in Connected Cloth at Crowborough Arts Centre, with Anne Kelly, 31 Oct - 13 Nov

Free as a Bird

I have just returned from a week in  St Marie aux Mines in the Alsace as part of the European Patchwork Meeting. I spent most of the summer flying around and doing 'my stuff'.(more about that later) It makes me realise that freedom to be who we are is often taken for granted which is why I am delighted to support this fundraising event organised by St Peter's Church  at Boughton Monchelsea village Hall. You can own an original Ralph Steadman or even a Cas Holmes You can send closed bids by email to stpeters.church@btinternet.com  (with your contact details)

So thats the most important event. 
In was delighted to be in Alsac. The European Patchwork Meeting was amazing and the team brilliant. I was drawn once again to the back of things and spaces where weeds grew up in empty building spaces.

 

Works by other people (I only managed a brief visit to other galleries and events)

 Kate Dowty On the left her exhibition was next to SAQA exhibition Wide Horizons  with a detail by  Sophie Furbeyre, on right

Mirjam Pet-Jacobs SAQA

A couple of details from the Japanese Kimono show

  Norwegian Group Sting

The prizewinning piece by Monika Schiwy,Breaking Through for the competition Imagine left and
Marianne Burr (USA), Cosmic Communication who won the
Apliquick's Prize

You can see more on Gudrun Heinz Bernina blog

And of course, I exhibited as well in Spaces, Places and Traces. A glimpse of some of 40 yards and Flowers of the Field, plus Tea Flora Tales





and an animated version of Tea Flora Tales