Blue Fish

An inspiration for this fish came from ceramics. I have quite a collection of images of marine theme ceramics. Their sculptural forms and details always attracted me. I'm quite happy with this fish even if some stitches were required.
Obviously I've used a lot of cords to highlight the shape. The texture (the bulbous shapes) was created by lumps of half-felted wool covered with a piece of margelan silk and then felted together. Kind of nuno felting. This silk fabric features very loose weave.

  

2017 plans

After 2016 sum up it's just logical to write plans for the next year - 2017. I have plenty 😊 ! And make some resolutions as well.
They may be divided in a few groups:
 
ETSY - try new products for sale - cushions. Traditional, with floral front panels and whimsical fish shaped.
           - look after the shop better than the last year, keep it well stocked. It's a tricky part, actually.
 
Fairs/Exhibitions - This requires a careful planning. I do not drive so I need to fit any fair outside York in my husband busy schedule.  Had to drop idea of applying to a few just because of this reason. Anyway I'm going to try two new fairs/exhibitions still. Hope they will be OK. Also I'll stay with two-three ones I took part last year and they were good. But some of applications will have to get through selection panel and so it could be problematic.
So  - ask some friend with experience to help me to write good artist's statement.
      -  I do need a good website of my own as an artist . Blog and Facebook is not enough, I think. 

Shop/Gallery - still unfamiliar territory, a lot of ups and downs. Need to do smth about it, just do not know what exactly.

I want to do something new - try more new techniques or learn how to paint properly or ... or...!

Not all is hard work, here is a fun part coming: I'm going to Italy in early May for the next Feltrosa festival. This year it will be in some lovely place just 40-50 km from Rome. Spend a week in spring Italy - it's something to look forward to!

This is my new fish, just to keep spirits high!

The first fish of the autumn

Summer - time for holiday, getting away, family time etc - is over. We are in September now, autumn is arrived. Back to work, and here is a new fish - the first fish of the autumn:

Silk laps on the top of the body and wool nepps with some silky staff on the bottom.

This is a new fish I'd made just before I've left for Feltrosa.  I needed it quick so it's a repeat of my recent fish and it's inferior to the original (happens often with copies)!

Felted Fish

 

VERY close-up of details

YFM demonstration

Today I did a demonstration in our felters group on textured felt. Quite a wide subject! I decided to talk about "cracked mud" technique - about basics but mainly about very different results could be achieved when use this technique creative way. This fish I've made specially for this demo:

The shell "Alphabet cone".

Back to sea life!
I always wanted to make some shell with elaborate shape - conch, may be, or nautilus... I was rather busy recently so put the idea aside for a long while. But last Friday visiting Leeds Felt Group exhibition I saw amazing small sculptures of various sea shells by Margaret Chalmers and it was the last drop! The very next day I got up early and by the night finished my first shell. Wisely I decided on the simplest shell shape possible! And here we are:

My first try on sea shells! This shell is "Alphabet cone".

I'm not very happy with a result but I've got an idea. If I'm to make a similar shell again I'd change:
- a resist, see picture below (make it narrow and long);
- the ridges to be more prominent;
- overall piece lighter in weight and firmer;
- the colours brighter with some pattern.
I do not think I'll repeat this particular shell but I will keep in mind all the point above when it come to the next one!

The picture of a resist:

Yellow Fish

It's mainly purple, actually, but the light colour prevails and I like contrast...

Surface design

I work on surface design techniques applying to my fish creatures. This one is rather small:

Here I tried to make gills more interesting and, of course, the eyes, again! 

Back to reality...

Being SO slow to come back to work and reality! I made quite a few pieces but mainly orders and some repeats, nothing to show actually. But this fish was finished yesterday. Colours are different from my usual choice and I tried some techniques new for me:

Fish, fish, fish...

All my fish've gone to London, these are more pictures of some of them

Being away for a week... Keep posting some fish from my flock:

New Fish

Try to keep up with Facebook for those who avoid social networks...
One of a few fish made for an exhibition: the glamorous one!

Turquoise and Copper

Another fish.
You may notice that this is a repeat but I do like turquoise and copper together!

Felted Fish

Prehistoric Fish

I've tried to create a "toad skin" effect:

Also I've worked on eyes to make them very prominent like chameleon's eyes:

Everything is more or less OK but there is no shine on the skin as I expected. I created this effect using a lot of nepps and silk squares so the shine was intended but it's very dull instead!..

Any ideas why? I'll post a question on the forum...
 
 
 

A fish and a fish

I've made two new fish, the first one is colouful, somewhat a repeat, and the second one is in more restrain colours and I like it more. I think these simple horizontal slits add some movement.