Winter's End

 Winters End ( 50 cm X 75 cm) came about as a result of a trip through the Eastern Free State literally at the end of winter, just before the first spring rains. The Earth was bone dry and the grass not much better off. This is my interpretation of that time.

Close up of the Winters End quilting.The one thing that contributed the most to the success of this piece was the use of acrylic felt as batting. It quilted easily and did not "puff up" the quilt and contributed to the texture of the piece without overwhelming it.

                                                   

New Work

Its been difficult to settle down and produce new work- mainly because I am so busy in my other job of running a hand dyeing business. Hand dyes are not exactly top of the pops in the South African quilting scene- especially locally produced hand dyes. If it comes from the States- even though the fabric is made and printed in China or other Far Eastern countries, for some people, it has to be better than local. Funny thing is that I have American and European customers who can't get enough of my fabric.

Be that as it may, I managed to produce a couple of small pieces:The one above is Desert Pan.

Here is Earth Warming:

This was in response to all the discussion about global warming. Is it or isn't it? Some scientists reckon that is the lull before a new ice age but no-one really knows.

Rain in the City was in response to the moans and groans in a guild where the challenge was to use greys.

When I started this quilt I couldn't stop and it just sort of "flowed".

I was very happy with the result.

This is a detail of some of the stitching.

Antarctica 2007

December 2007 was the time we took to go to Antarctica.

Two years later I am still trying to process what I saw and felt on that continent and get it into some kind of workable art - and not succeeding too well. Lots of staring at the photographs I took and lots of sketches later, I am still no nearer to getting a piece that means anything.

Antarctica had a huge effect on me and I would go back tomorrow if I could.From what I understand from others who have been to Antarctica, it seems to have the same sort of effect on them. If nothing else, the place is so vast and so-o-o- quiet, that it cuts one down to size very smartly. Its incredibly beautiful, very scary, challenging and almost impossible to describe if you haven't been there.

Your perception changes, your ideas about light and colour change as do your ideas about who you are and where you fit in the scheme of things. I believe that every polititian - especially those with over inflated egos- should be forced to spend a couple of weeks in that environment.

Scale and distance are deceptive and you don't have the reference points you would have in other parts of the world. You are surrounded by the most incredible pristine white, deep blues and greens, turquoise and jade along with violets, purples and lavenders. Its another world- almost alien

While on board the ship, I learned a lot about Antartctic art which deserves considerable study- except that there isnt much information about it in South Africa. Alan Campbell of the U.S.A. , Jenni Mitchell of Australia,Sue Lovegrove from Australia,Scott Hanson fron U.S.A.are all artists who have benefitted from their country's "Art in Antarctica" projects. Unfortunately, South Africa does not have a similar program.