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

An Imperfect World?

At this time of the year after the longest day as passed,  I am drawn to think about what is new and what becomes a memory. I have spent the last few weeks working on pieces from my future exhibition in Alsace and for the Art Textiles:Made in Britain at the Festival of Quilts later in the week. This is a significant time, when we need to mark the events over 100 years ago but the one thing I have discovered whilst travelling is how alike, rather than different we are. In Freiburg, I spent last Sunday walking around small allotments where families, gardened, children played and just relaxed in the sun. I did the same with my grandfather who would keep one row of veggies in his garden just for us to do pick and eat when we wanted. Most were beautifully kept but my eyes were drawn to one with a lonely bench and weeds growing through. I wondered who gardens, or had gardened there?

Each of the gardens were little home form homes reflecting those who worked and relaxed in them. Conversely, outside these garden spaces, wildflowers and 'weeds' are allowed to grow down the middle of the road and roadsides. We live in an imperfect world..thank heavens and no amount of gardening will keep 'tidy'.

Rake and Magpie (private collector)

I ran a workshop in St Ulrich with Quiltstar which explored the notions of imperfection in 'New from Old Textiles' each student used an old fragment of cloth and reconstructed it anew in a short exercise

 

 Before starting exploratory projects in reconstruction. (thankyou to the students for permission to use the images of work in progress)

                                                              Annett Andersch

                 Sophie Maechler (left) and Eliane Schurgast (right)

                                                    Karin Thalicker.

and they made some more contributions to Tea Flora Tales..please join me and add to these piece at the European Patchwork Meeting.

Finally, snippets of the exhibit 'Common Place' in Quiltstar including a 'selfie' in the window

More details on exhibitions and events  and workshops can be found one www.casholmes.blogspot.com

There and back again

Well the 'word on the bird' is that she is back again.  This little bird has migrated to the West Coast of the USA.

My last point of call was St Diego and I made some garden sketches in friends gardens.

Went off for the day flying with two friends..One of whom is a pilot. Never been in a small plane. The images below are of the mountains and Los Angeles as we flew. Note the Queen Mary in harbour. I even took some stitching with me but for once I could only look.

 

 Had a lovely Japanese meal at a small coastal town North of Los Angeles .Loved the teapot and bowl.

 

 Whilst back to earth, workshop commenced. A few folded drawings from a quick warm-up in my workshop in San Diego NTC Point loma. hosted by the wonderful Jane LaFazio

 And some more contributions for Tea Flora Tales from some of the students who attended. Brilliant artists by the way.

Some more Tea Flora Tales and some book forms in progress form my second workshop in St Diego with the San Diego Book Arts

 

It was a wonderful finish to the marathon tour. Had a day off in the hills overlooking the desert of California during the time the roads were closed to high rise as the fierce Santa Anna winds blew.

 

Some lovely shadows on the blinds which helped keep the equally fierce heat and winds from the desert at bay. Finally, as the sun came down on my marathon trip a last walk on the beach.

Thankyou to all my friends on the way who made this trip so rewarding in so many ways. For the laughter, warmth and companionship.  See you again soonish.