A Thousand Paper Cranes - Week 9

Wow, some full on creativity this session!
We set up the two workstations, as last week; with two tables set for calm and careful concentration required for silk painting and guttering; and two tables set aside for batik.
The batik unleashed a burst of energetic fabric painting, dripping and splashing onto an array of vest-tops and bags, each with a unique set of colours and mark-making.

These reminded me of paintings by Jackson Pollock, and the Stone Roses iconic album cover. It was such an absorbing and engrossed activity! Those splats up the wall said it all. A chance to be unbounded, with so much to express and vent.

"Loving this. Could do this all day!"

I was fascinated by the variety of approaches to applying the colour.

A batik bag created last week was painted in a very considered and delicate manner, that still allowed a element of experimentation. The result was colours that flowed and seeped into each other, mixing and combining in that lovely free way of watercolour paint. But, this was applied in a very thoughtful way, so slight and delicate an effect. The colours look almost whispered onto the canvas. It requires a lot of skill to know when to stop, to boldly pronounce, 'that's enough, I'm happy with the way it looks."

This was an interesting contrast to the high energy approach.

Adding a second layer of wax, and darker layer of colour to enhance the pattern.
A similar free painting approach was applied to the scarves. The fine silk fabric encourages this kind of watercolour mixing effect.
A happy accident led to the discovery of a great new technique. Silk paints had been applied to the silk while it was still folded, so the colours seeped through and splodged on the plain fabric underneath. This created beautifully unpredictable contrasts of colour.
Excellent results!!

A Thousand Paper Cranes - Week 8

We set up two areas with different textile processes to try out; mark making with gutta and silk dye, and painting with hot wax.

The designs the group developed were inspired by images of patterns and prints, Indian henna and rangoli designs. We made outlines and marks with different coloured gutta, observing how different hand pressures changes the flow of the gutta paste, considering our own ways of being delicate and precise.

“It’s tricky to keep my hand steady to make a smooth line.”

“I feel like I’m icing a cake.”

Whilst our gutta was drying, we applied hot wax with different brushes to make marks onto cotton and silk. Here we made bigger strokes working with larger tools and with more zest.

“This was a technique I loved doing when I was at school.”

Once the wax was dry, we could crack and scrunch the fabric, then add blends of silk dyes within and amongst the wax. The unexpected resist effects gave us lots of pleasure and ideas for ways of continuing in our own development next week.

As we are nearing the end of the project, Rozi and I are reflecting on what the sessions have offered to the participants we have met so far. We hope during the sessions they could:

Think about something else.

Release some tension.

Be curious by responding inquisitively with materials and finding solutions.

Overcome a challenge despite difficulty such as very low energy levels or low self-esteem.

Be creative by exploring their own potential through a range of tools and materials.

Try out an independent idea or a new endeavour.

Think critically, by learning from unexpected surprises or  mistakes.

Take inspiration from others and fresh resources.

Be ambitious by raising their desire to fulfil a task and attend a whole session.

A Thousand Paper Cranes - Week 7

A very creative session.

We started with making some shadow puppets using templates and samples.

Meanwhile, Bryony transformed the dining room into an installation, with 2 washing lines across it, and various pieces of fabric hanging down.

I set up the projector to show the animated loop of photos that were created last time we used the OHP and acetates. The hanging fabrics were various nets and cottons, so the projected images shone through and created intriguing multi-layering. This had created plenty of interesting angles to photograph. When the puppets were finished the experimenting with shadows began.

It’s impossible to resist trying hand shadows which added to the sense of play. The addition of coloured acetates gave incredible results. Even some dried weeds from outside were used to cast shadows like tree branches. This is a trick from live-action filmmaking, where an array of items, used to create shadows, are called ‘gobos’ or ‘cookies’.

The shadow puppets were hinged with split pins and it was easy to attach sticks to the pins. This meant we could hold the puppets at a distance, and manoeuver them around the projected image.

The Polar Bear stomped and climbed across wintery landscapes.

The owl swooped and prawled through the moonlit cloudy night sky.

One lady was so completely immersed in the ideas of layering, colour changes, texture, photography, spontaneity that she expressed she didn't want the session to end. The approaches we were exploring gave her lots of ideas for developing illustrations of storybooks in the future.

The camera was fun to use to explore the effects of the light playing on the layers of fabric, how the images altered through the layers, the shadows distorted on the ceiling. With such a wintery theme, one of the images has been chosen to use for ArtLink’s Christmas card.

I turned around to fetch something, and when I turned back a photographer was lieing on the floor, capturing a marvellous view. The silver sequins on one hanging sheet caught the colours from the projected photos. They shimmered and sparkled.

Such a fun and experimental session, it was remarked ‘It’s good to take the strait jacket off’ with a bit of creativity!

 

A Thousand Paper Cranes - Week 6

This week, on special request from the participants, we created a spooky mood for Halloween. Together we created our very own glowing patch of pumpkins for the dining room.

The group came with lots of enthusiasm and ideas for making masks and pumpkins of different shapes, colours and sizes. There was some wonderful raucous laughter as many of us were learning how to work with willow for the first time.  It was lovely to hear some real belly laughter today.

Our recipe for creating a glowing willow pumpkin lantern

Ingredients:

Willow sticks

Masking tape

Cling film

Tissue paper

Glue

Brushes

Scissors

Electric T-lights or glow sticks

Our Method:

Each of us softly bended 4 willow sticks into hoops, careful not to snap the willow (and flick into others’ eyes!) and we secured with masking tape. This required us to stretch our arms wide and use parts of our legs to mould the willow around our knees.

 

We attached all 4 circles together in the middle, to form something which looks a bit like a giant segmented orange.

In pairs we helped each other to wrap the spherical structure in cling film to make a firm object. This bits quite fiddly, so two pairs of hands is a good idea.

We built up the entire outer layer and texture on the surface of the pumpkin with small tissue shapes and glue onto the cling film.

Scatter in a bit of team work and patience!

Sprinkle a bit of glitter, threads, sequins and some black silhouettes.

Pop in a T-light and glow stick. And voila!

We lowered the lights and watched the pumpkins glow and flicker.

“I’m going to give my pumpkin to friend.”

“Mine’s really wonky. But have you ever seen a perfectly round pumpkin? I don’t think so!”

One participant was discharged today and she kindly let us share this quote.

“I want to say before I leave, this has been really fun. It’s one of the very few hours in the week when I don’t have to think about my disorder. It’s been a massive help."

Bryony and Rozi