Developments

I can't believe it has been a month since my last Blog! But it kind of reflects where I have been ie not really sure where to go and lacking confidence. It was Photoshop or the lack of which has shown me a way forward!. Having lost my access to Photoshop when my hard drive went I bought Photoshop Elements thinking that it would fit my requirements. Should have checked!!
So I was faced with my scanned images of the 'snow mark making' and how to develop them into designs. It was back to basics with photocopier, scissors and glue and in the end I am pleased. The lack of technology led to using methods which are more tactile, more direct and I think more appropriate to my practice. I'm sure Nick will disagree!.
I have been introduced to the work of photographer Nicholas Hughes and he talks about the 'reaction to media led sensory anaesthetisation, and ... an attempt to restore a sense of the natural in the cultivated, somewhat synthetic spaces'. The process of being physical involved in the process of developing repetition, scale and relating the parts to the whole seems to eliminate the 'anaesthetisation' when the technical stages interfere with immediacy and tactility. So I feel that this process is appropriate and allowed me to collage the images to scale.
I trialled the designs by grouping the images into 3 groups ie stubble, tracks and furrows with some overlaps which would be translated into wax resist.

 I enjoyed the interpretation of stubble because it related to mark making and could be treated as individual stalks or grouped. Looking closely at the joints in the stems which were originally taller to support the ears of corn, the structure began to have a bamboo look. I need to avoid this as it has already been mentioned that my piece for the Bishops Prize has a Japanese feel to it.

 The tractor tracks continue to challenge me as their order is very specific and the relation of one mark to another is strong but by placing one shape at an acute angle to another this is lost. The pattern made by tractors is particularly special as I bought a wool jacket in Ireland where the seasons are represented by the colours used to design and knit tractor marks. I also included other marks which were largely determined by the tools and the way they delivered the wax to the fabric.

The fall of snow was quite light so it tended to settle on the tops of the furrows which accentuated the 'disappearing horizon' effect. Also the photos I had taken showed the lines at angles from the middle as well as from the right and left which helped to create a patchwork affect.

I didn't use this view in the designs but think it would work instead of the 'bamboo stubble'. I would wax out the spaces between the trees ie the snow but need to trial on a piece of fabric first!