I have at last completed the two vessels started on a workshop taken at Hawkwood college near Stroud. The workshop was lead by Gisela Warburton, a very generous tutor. She showed how to make these vessels and how to really think carefully about how we could add or decorate using Line. We painted twigs from the surrounding woodland and also strips of fabric and studied the relationship between them when placed together on a plain white sheet of paper. We explored possibilities with placement, weaving them together and recorded the shadows created by light falling on and around the material.
It was a very thoughtful process, slow to come to judgement and selection, giving a meditative quality to the making. I have enjoyed making these and taking time to finish them. There is satisfaction in observing closely, mulling decisions over in the mind. Sometimes making is spontaneous and quick and other times it is good to slow down and contemplate options.
Scraped vessel
This vessel was painted black first then covered with white paint that was scraped back.
Here I have used just white paint to add a line or two and to fill the upper space with finely cut thread to create a texture that looks stitched.
Janet Edmonds 