magpie of the mind-cas holmes: Text

Paradox mid 16th century (originally denoting a statement contrary to accepted opinion): via late Latin from Greek paradoxon 'contrary (opinion)', neuter adjective used as a noun, from para- 'distinct from' + doxa 'opinion'.

Sometimes the juxtaposition of 'opposites' or looking at things from a different perspective can provide a new source of ideas and lead to new directions for your work. I recently visited the house of a friend and was drawn to a set of glasses placed in a window which also looked out onto a garden.

Similarly, I enjoyed sketching this collection of objects through a window of a greenhouse.

Similarly, these wonderful Indian panels are worthy of a backside look.

Bringing the outside in has been demonstrated in the wonderfully framing of one of my crows by the owners. He is placed in the trees and more relevant shares a space with Quintin Bell's characterful ceramics. Bell was also a writer and the biography of his famous aunt, Virginia Woolf: A Biography, 2 vols (London: Hogarth Press, 1972)

Above sits a striking print by Ceri Richards showing a detail of a Crane (below sits my Dungeness stitch sketch). He was commissioned to illustrate the poem The force that through the green fuse (1933) by Dylan Thomas for Poetry London (xi/3, 1947) which led to further paintings and lithographs related to Thomas's writings and to the work of other poets such as Vernon Watkins. Bringing together different forms of artwork and interesting juxtaposition of styles. (wonderful to be in such exulted company)

I trained in Fine Art as a painter but use cloth as my medium, paradoxically things have gone full circle and II now 'paint with cloth'. Often these disciplines are seen as 'opposites' in the creative field....I prefer to see their connections . This detail of 'Crane', one in the series of 40 yards, uses the backside of a lace curtain and leaf print for the starting point.

Finally, serendipity sometimes plays a part. As I was writing this, I was working in Wales on a one day workshop with Itchy Fingers textile group. The focus being either Dylan Thomas or Serendipity.(Images permission of the group)

Esyllt Jones

Looking at the back of patchwork and a jug.(Enid)

And not forgetting poetry and music, the stuff of life.

Though I am more of Sylvia Plath Fan: from her poem Blackberrying:
Overhead go the choughs in black, cacophonous flocks—

Bits of burnt paper wheeling in a blown sky.

Theirs is the only voice, protesting, protesting.

Inside out, back to front, back to the beginning.'Art is not real? it is a representation.' and equally, the artist's studio...the world is out there. see my Extreme Stitching article. on Textileartist.

Hempel's ravens (the confirmation paradox)
While taking a group of benefactors on a tour through the new aviary they had just helped to build, a noted ornithologist commented, "And here we have two of the finest examples of ravens that I have ever seen. Notice the lustrous black plumage for which all ravens are famous." The ornithologist continued his lecture, commenting on the corvine feeding and nesting habits as well as on the birds' legendary role as harbingers of ill fortune.
When the ornithologist had finished, a young man said, "Sir, excuse me, but did you say that 'All ravens are black'?"
"I don't know if I said exactly that, but it's true. All ravens are black."
"But, how do you know that - for certain, I mean?" asked the young man.
"Well, I've seen a few hundred ravens in my day and every one of them has been black."
"Yes, but a few hundred are not all. How many ravens are there, anyway?"
"I would guess several million. As for your question, many other scientists, and non-scientists for that matter, have observed ravens over thousands of years and so far the birds have all been black. At least, I don't know of a single instance in which someone has produced a non-black raven."
"That's true, but it's still not all - just most."
"True, but there is other evidence. For example, take all these lovely multicolored birds we have seen today - the parrots, toucans, the peacocks -"
"They're lovely, but what do they have to do with your claim that all ravens are black?"
"Don't you see?" asked the ornithologist.
"No, I don't see. Please explain."
"Well, you accept the idea that every new instance of another black raven that is observed adds to the support of the generalization that all ravens are black?"
"Yes, of course."
"Well then, the statement 'All ravens are black' is logically equivalent to the statement 'All non-black things are non-ravens.' This being so and because whatever confirms a statement also confirms any logically equivalent statement, it's clear that any non-black non-raven supports the generalization 'All ravens are black.' Hence, all these colorful, non-black non-ravens also support the generalization."
"That's ridiculous," chided the young man. "In that case you might as well say that your blue jacket and gray pants also confirm the statement 'All ravens are black.' After all, they're also non-black non-ravens."
"That's correct," said the ornithologist. "Now you're beginning to think like a true scientist."
Who is reasoning correctly, the ornithologist or the young man?

Falletta, pp. 126-73

A different place and time when on holiday or as part of work travel can provide new approaches for your work. A recent visit to the south of France to Studio Preniac during early harvest time gave plenty of inspiration. Text and images can both stimulate and be collected as a resource.

Montcuq market text and images in the produce stalls and Graffiti on a door in Cahors.

This piece, a detail from Indian Journal uses woodblocks and roofing felt. We were extending the house at the time. People generously sending in pieces for Tea Flora Tales

have used a variety of text and images.This work will be shown at The Beaney Gallery, (Canterbury Museum) from the 30th November.Details of this and current exhibitions can be found on my blog.

Picasso and the cubists used text and images in collages referring to everyday objects and scenes.The definition of collage, as found in the Oxford English Dictionary, is “an abstract form of art in which photographs, pieces of paper, newspaper cuttings, string, etc. are placed in juxtaposition and glued to the pictorial surface.

Picasso "Still-Life with Chair-Caning

Kurt Schwitters

Taking their inspiration from both photographs and drawings made on location and the text and images found on route with their own collections students on the course at Preniac developed their own textiles collage pieces reflecting everyday references. Thankyou to the students who kindly allowed me to use images of their work.