March

 I have decided that this is the completed version for March for now.  That isn't to say that its finish but for now it is, much like a painting.  Sometime, you need to leave something for awhile and then decide if its finished, usually if you feel that way, there is something there that is nagging but its unclear what.  That is the way for this one.

This is the picture I started out with and there is no way I captured the luminosity of this scene but I tried.- Image removed  see this bloggers post on copyright

The process began with felting very broadly onto a piece of craft felt, then some embroidery and free machine stitching, finishing with the beading, followed by more embroidery. 

I think stretching it (the process has warped the base fabric) and providing a backing sheeting might make it clearer, we will see.

As a teaser, here is the beginning of April which is actually much further on and probably as close to being finished as this March is.

 

Well Its been a long long time between posts

but finally I feel ready to post about my progress.

Basically, I came to the end of February and thought to my self - this is not going to work!  It is way too ambitious and I am letting myself fail again.  So I changed course :)

I am still working on the calendar idea and fortunately until this year we have had lots of pictorial calendars in the house.  As I was wondering what I was going to do with this project I spied another calendar just lying on my work desk from last year and so the project was renewed but on a must more modest level. 

this is the photo for January (Talbot Bay on the Buccaneer Archipelago)  and this is what I have created so far from it.- Image removed see this blogger's post on copyright

The base is a white felt rectangle bought from any craft shop.  On that I have needle felted the main colors and then I added embroidery and some beading. At the moment I am not sure if it is finished or not but the main components are there.







This is February, a wonderful photo of Thring Rock on the Canning Stock Route, Australia

Image removed - see this blogger's post on copyright

The based is exactly the same as the previous month  although a lot of this was felted on my felting machine (which I bought rather impetuously last year. Little did I know the needles are outrageously expensive and very fragile!)



Unlike my previous attempts at this project in January where I tried to make so sort of progression from idea to form, these works are purely reacting to what I see and feel about the images in front of me. There is no extensive drawing  or wondering what is going where. I just place the wool roving on the felt and punch away!  I think they are working so much better because of that

This is the one I am currently working on, Sunrise over the Thomas Rive, Cape Arid National Park.- Image removed - see this blogger's post on copyright

This is my is my progress so far.  Again the base is a white felt rectangle with wool roving needled felting.  Then I embroidered the top  and then free machined the middle bit.  This is a new technique for me and I am loving the texture it gives me. I have feeling this is about half way done.




I am feeling so much better about this project than I did just 2 weeks ago and know that this is the right direction for this year.   From last years failed attempt and this year's failed beginning, I am realising that much of my art is based purely on instinct and not on planning.  If I think too much about it, I freeze up and become overly concerned about what I am doing.

As for the previous work, I am still going to work on them as I have January and February started but now the pressure is off, maybe they will evolve and grow into something I want to share but but not at the moment.