Month: November 2021

Brilliant fun day printing with textile artist, Alison Hulme

Posted on by Ros Lomas

Textile Artist, Alison Hulme first visited our group to give a talk in June 2019 and we were keen for her to return to organise a workshop but Covid arrived and one cancellation after another.

Yesterday however, fifteen members had a really fun day when Alison showed us her various techniques for printing on cloth.  I have never seen a tutor arrive with such an enormous car load of materials – blankets and material to cover each table, loads of paints, fabric to purchase, screen prints by the hundred, gelli plates, baby wipes, kitchen roll and even her own washing up bowls. 

Alison started the day by introducing the group to screen printing.  For me this was the first time I had used the technique but I must say I really enjoyed it.  

At lunchtime Alison enjoyed what she said was a 5* lunch provided by Ann but it was a quick break before we were back in action again.

We were now introduced to gelli plates, stencils, foiling and the use of several other mediums most of which are available from Art Van Go.

The utility area in the hall was alive all day for members to choose paints and to wash out the screens, scrapers, rollers etc.  It was great to see everyone mucking in as there was a lot of washing and tidying up to do.

The day went amazingly quickly and we all went away with a great selection of samples, some of which you see on this blog.

Thank you Alison, you  were a very generous and incredibly well organised tutor and did not stop all day!   We look forward to a return visit.

Report and photos by Ros

Alison’s website: https://alisonhulmetextiles.com/

Alison’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Alison-Hulme-Textiles-1475530686059890/

Magic Christmas Workshop

Posted on by Ros Lomas
RL Xmas workshop AL

A very big “thank you” to Ann, Lindsay and Nikki for organising a truly brilliant Christmas workshop.  We spent one and a half hours on each project, learnt a lot, enjoyed delicious home made cakes served by Vernice and left with a lovely variety of ideas for Christmas.

 

Ann’s Workshop – Printed Christmas Cards

Using acrylic paints and a variety of tools we prepared two large sheets of mark making papers.  Ann showed us how to choose interesting areas to cut up and how to display them on a card.

Lindsay’s workshop – Christmas Angels

Lindsay showed us how to make angels to hang on a tree and decorative parcels for Christmas treats.  We used pipe cleaners and sheers for the angels and glitzy fabric and tinsel for the packages. 

Nikki’s workshop – Christmas adornments

In Nikki’s workshop she showed us how to make Christmas adornments. The example we were shown was a poinsettia flower.   We layered various sheers, needle felted some wool tops for the centre of the flower and were then shown how to create and embellish the flower.  This could be done by hand using a hoop or by free machine embroidery.  

Members contributed home make cakes for sale during the day and Vernice kindly served them and prepared drinks.

RL Xmas workshop VC 1

Report by Ros

Photos by Ros & Vernice

Drawing the Line – Bobby Britnell workshop

Posted on by Ros Lomas

The day after her talk, Bobby lead a workshop on Zoom.  Twelve of us had been sent a materials list and asked to prepare some card frames to use for our work.  Bobby spoke to us directly and supported her instructions using PowerPoint.

The course was entitled Drawing the line but we started off using our frames to create various squares in our sketchbook to show different tones using a graphite stick and we used paper resists to extend the exercise.  Having established the basics Bobby then asked us to use a thin line to create the tones instead of the graphite stick.  We then introduced a textured background of gesso and tissue paper and Bobby talked about how these designs can be transferred to textile projects.

During the day Bobby introduced us to a wonderful variety of artists who use tone in one way or another in their work. 

Thank you Bobby for an inspiring workshop.  You were very generous with your techniques and suggestions and I know we all left wanting to take your ideas further.

Below is a selection of members work.

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Ros

For further information about Bobby’s courses and workshops at Moor Hall Studio:  https://www.bobbybritnell.co.uk/courses

Textile artist and author, Bobby Britnell from Moor Hall Studio

Posted on by Ros Lomas
Bobby B 2

Bobby Britnell was the speaker for our November meeting on Zoom.  She started her talk, My Creative Journey by telling us that she was desperate to leave school and her first jobs were making glamorous theatre costumes and she mentioned buying fabrics from Borvick Fabrics in Berwick Street, London.  After a few years in industry, Bobby decided to go to the Battersea College of Education and then went on to teach at a secondary school in Guildford for 12 years.  While working she took a City & Guilds course to expand her knowledge. 

In 1986 she moved to South Shropshire, taught City & Guilds Design courses, got involved with school and community projects and the Julia Caprara  School of Art.

Bobby then went on to talk about the Moor Hall Studio where she offers a great variety of textile and art related courses (see link below).  Music and dance are important to her and she showed us a pieced quilt entitled Morning Star with musical notes on it, another was inspired by the moves of a Morris dance and a third showed a scarecrow wearing a tattered jacket inspired by a traditional story. 

Bobby is a long standing member of the Textile Study Group (see link below) and talked about a challenge entitled “Not what it Seams” in which she constructed a 3D 8” high curved vessel and then took it further by constructing a large version sitting on a plinth which she could get inside.

An important period of Bobby’s life started when her son suggested she go to Uganda and she set up the Kisaabwa Project, which they registered as a charity.  The aim was for it to be sustainable and eventually independent.  A local teacher gave up his job to head the project which included basketry, making brooms, mats and making bark cloth.  

I found it fascinating to learn how the bark on the tall straight Mutuba tree is cut at the top and bottom, peeled off and the trunk is then carefully wrapped with fresh banana leaves to encourage regrowth.  To find out more look on Bobby’s website (see link below). Bobby has used the bark cloth for a lot of her work and one major project was inspired by the traditional omweso game.  The registered charity was shut down 4 years ago and the project is now self-sufficient.

Following on from Bobby’s work with bark cloth she then went on to talk about Jose Hendo who is a fashion designer who uses bark cloth for her work.  There is an interesting interview with Jose and the Costume Society together with photographs (see link below)

Another project which I remember well, was when Bobby worked with Janet Middleton  to challenge people to create children’s slippers using bark cloth.  These slippers were displayed at various exhibitions around the country and then auctioned to raise funds for the charity.

In between teaching, designing and creating her own work, Bobby has still found time to write a book entitled “Stitched Textiles:  Flowers” which is readily available from booksellers or on the internet.

This was an amazing story involving many different people, countries, materials and techniques and we thank Bobby for sharing her experiences with us.

Bobby’s website: https://www.bobbybritnell.co.uk/. 

To subscribe to Bobby’s newsletter either use Contact on her website or email bobby@bobbybritnell.co.uk

Bobby’s courses at Moor Hall Studio:  https://www.bobbybritnell.co.uk/courses

Bark cloth details on Bobby’s website: https://www.bobbybritnell.co.uk/about/bark-cloth/how-is-bark-cloth-made

Textile Study Group: https://textilestudygroup.co.uk/

Jose Hendo interview:  https://costumesociety.org.uk/blog/post/an-interview-with-jose-hendo-part-1

 

 

Report by Ros

Photos taken from Bobby’s presentation with her permission.