Zoom – a blessing or curse

I write this today, having spent over 6 hours on Zoom. I started with a CQ West group meeting – http://www.cqwest.uk. We have been meeting on Zoom during lockdown. It has changed the way we share and resulted in a couple of smaller interest groups within the main group. Zoom sessions are certainly easier with small groups. But definitely better to meet than not. Today, we spent a lot of time discussing alternative ways of exhibiting – in smaller groups as 20 artists require a big space, virtual galleries, more local venues. It is all so unknown. Whilst the UK is opening up after lockdown, due to social distancing, the audience capacity in venues is less. One of the big unknowns is how many galleries will financially survive the pandemic.

A little work – I like to stitch when travelling in the car, on a plane or anywhere that I might be bored. I have a large pile of felt pieces which were cut from an old felted blanket. I made marks on the squares with black acrylic before I began stitching them emphatically with the marks. I am discussing how to frame them with a friend – here is a prototype. The frames will be quite expensive but it makes the pieces look good.

Hope you are keeping safe and well – the easing of lockdown seems more weird and complicated than being in total lockdown.

With best wishes

I like colour

I like colour – I like to dye my fabric in rich colours. Very often my fabrics are not dyed for a particular project. They happen because I like playing with colour and feel a need to dye fabric. These fabrics fell into the “I need to dye and print” activity mode. I made them last week. I had to use a dryer to dry the breakdown screens – the weather here has been so wet that the screens had absorbed water from the atmosphere.

Currently, I am doing a sketchbook/drawing inspiration course with Susan Yeates, http://www.magenta-sky.com/. This month, the theme is colour. I am working with yellow – it is bright and cheerful. I have been taking photos of yellow objects and painting in watercolour which is not a medium I use very often. From my breakfast bar, sunflowers which are in abundance in the shops in the UK at the moment.

As well as collecting images and objects in yellow, I am supposed to be drawing them – time to stop procrastinating and start drawing, I think.

I hope the sun is shining where you are – the French celebrate Bastille Day today. Keep well and safe.