ebb and flow ripples

"ebb and flow ripples"

handwoven tapestry, 2020

*SOLD*

materials: cotton, linen, rayon and wool. Woven at 10 warps per inch on cotton warp.

size: 40cm square (including painted wooden frame.)

A tapestry reflecting the ebb and flow of the tide at the Sand O' Wright beach in Hoxa, Orkney and an exploration of knotting, subtle tonal blending and textural changes through varying warp and weft thicknesses.

The photographs were taken this afternoon (09/12/20) at the Sand O' Wright beach. I've been waiting for nearly a week for a dry and relatively clear day to take photographs. It was a bit windy so slightly challenging conditions for carting around a camera bag, tapestry and a board to protect the frame from getting wet in the sand. I chanced my luck seeing how close I could position the tapestry next to the shoreline without getting swept up in the tide and I succeeded!

detail

detail

In progress - November

Here are some images of what I was working on in November. I finished the piece this week so I'll be back soon with finished images and details.

ebb and flow notation

This is the second piece I was working on last month. It's a continuation on the theme of tidal line cycles which I always enjoy working from. I've actually been sitting on this particular idea/composition for a few years with the drawing pinned up on my studio wall all this time. I recently came to the conclusion that I was making it too complicated. (Who, me? Never!) It's all about the fragmented scatterings of the end of a wave against the subtle, tonal gradation of wet sand. Sometimes less is more.

It's a shame that it doesn't particularly capture on camera, but there's a shiny, blue rayon yarn (the tall cone in the photo below) running through most of the background which gives the tapestry a really lovely shimmering quality. The shiny background and the low relief tufting create an unusual surface which play with the sense of depth and can change quite dramatically in different lighting.

"ebb and flow notation"

size: 65 x 22.5cm (not including painted wooden frame)

materials: cotton, linen, rayon and wool. Woven at 10 warps per inch on cotton warp.

*SOLD*

Side view to show the low relief depth of the tufts.

in progress detail.

in progress on the loom.

horizontal rhythms, Echna Loch

It's been a while, but I have still been busy working over the last few months. I recently finished two smaller tapestries and I'm sharing the first one today. 

 

This piece was directly inspired by a view from a walk I took on Burray a few months ago, looking across Echna loch to Scapa Flow with the road sandwiched in between and the hazy hills of the West Mainland in the distance. I was really struck by the flat, horizontal planes of texture and colour against the gentle, undulating hills and immediately felt it could make a subtle yet visually interesting tapestry.

Although I photographed the finished piece outside the gallery (in South Ronaldsay) at a different time of year to the inspiration source, the colours and landscape echoed the tapestry rather nicely.

"horizontal rhythms, Echna Loch"

size: 19 x 62.5cm (including the painted, wooden frame)

materials: cotton, linen, viscose rayon, wool.

woven at 10 warps per inch on cotton warp.

 

*SOLD*

woven detail: I used a mixture of handtufting, single warp and double warp weft to create textural variation between the horizontal planes.

 

in progress on the loom

 

Somewhat naively, I thought the simplicity of the composition would lead this piece to being "easier" to weave. Sadly, as the photo above demonstrates, this is not always the case! It sounds completely ridiculous, but I was stuck for a full week on finding the correct combination of yarns for the blue tones to put above the tufted "land". I think I wove and unwove that area at least 4 times!

new tapestry art prints

Just a quick post to say my three latest tapestries are now available as art prints from the gallery's website. They're listed under "Jo art prints" in the "Shop" drop down menu:

https://www.hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/product-category/jo-art-prints/ 

summer haze

'Summer haze' 

Looking across the sea to Rousay from Aikerness beach. 

Size: 93 x 23 cm approx.

Materials: cotton, linen, rayon and wool. Woven at 8 warps per inch on a cotton warp.

 

*SOLD*

Detail shots:

over half way...

I thought I might have finished this piece by now (ha!) but due to a couple of distractions towards the end of last month my progress slowed down. I'm over half way though and the upper section should be easier. (Ha, again. Famous last words.)

Here are a few photos of my progress so far:

new work and the creative process

After finishing "beyond the horizon" at the end of April I spent last month in my sketchbook and studio developing new ideas. I now have two pieces ready to work on and this week I warped up the loom and started the first piece. It's the smaller (and less complicated) of the two so I thought it was wise to start there.

The following photographs give a rough insight into my process from the last few weeks.

I spent the first couple of weeks working in my sketchbook. I've been feeling very driven by colour over the last few months so I've been favouring acrylic paints and oil pastels over charcoal or pencils.

 After identifying what I was interested in I projected my drawings and paintings to get an idea for scale if I chose to develop them into larger tapestries.

 Translating my painting into a linear sketch which will become my tapestry "cartoon." This will be tied directly behind the loom for me to work from.

 Where colour/tonal changes are very subtle or complicated I've employed the use of coloured pencils to help me understand what I'm doing!

All warped up and ready to start. I decided to weave my initials and date in the bottom turnback (hem) of this piece.

beyond the horizon

"beyond the horizon"

size: approx. 71 x 23cm (28 x 9 inches)

materials: mostly a combination of cotton, rayon and wool, and a small amount of linen.

woven on cotton warp, 8 warps per inch.

*SOLD*

 freshly cut off the loom and lying on the floor

Finishing the back: the top and bottom are turned under, like a hem, and webbing tape is sewn along the edges to prevent the ends from poking out.

A small baton sewn on with d-rings attached, ready for hanging.

detail shots: 

weaving horizons

I appear to be on a weaving kick at the moment. For whatever reason it's working with my current sketches and ideas. The day after I cut down "bright and blustery" I warped up my next piece which is based on an oil pastel sketch of a horizon. It'll be approximately 70cm  x 23cm (27.5" x 9") when completed. I have a much bigger piece planned after this one which I'm even more excited about.

Although it feels incredibly strange to be closed and so quiet at this time of year I am making the most of the COVID-19 lockdown peace and cracking on with work in my studio. I'll be updating the gallery's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts at least once a week with my work as it progresses as well as more frequent posts here (hopefully!)

Hope everybody is staying as safe as possible during these strange, worrying times.

The oil pastel drawing the tapestry is based on. Although I have an enlarged linear sketch of it tied behind my warps to work directly from (seen in the photo below) I like to keep the original drawing nearby for colour reference and to ensure I don't lose any subtle nuances in my translation.

Half way mess, time for a tidy up.

Over the horizon.