Making Zen 2026
This last week has seen the free online workshops for Making Zen 2026. This programme - a marketing programme of sorts, offers several short tutorials (about 30 minutes each) by art and craft makers over the five days. It is a bit of a marathon and I find I need to choose the tutorials. Alot of my art practice focuses on recycled/reused/foraged materials so the example above is one of the items I created. It is made from an old pair of jeans with embroidery embellishment. Inside the roll there are three pockets for tucking project/tools in. I couldn’t follow the process of the tutor so I just made up my own pocket structure.
In the middle photo below you can see that I have used the jean pocket to create an additional external piece for the pouch. Unfortunately, the top of the pocket is slightly wider than the cut out denim substrate, so it introduces and interesting bulge to the project. Nevertheless, it was a calming and relaxing way to work while sitting with my husband.
What is my current Textile Focus
My interest in textile art is wide and varied. My focus at the moment is on completing panels for my scholarship project Parallels in Maori and Celtic customs and art. I am currently working on a Tromp L’oeil piece that represents the Winter solstice coming through a gap in the hills that was important to both cultures in mapping their seasonal world. the centre piece is hand embroidered and now I am trying to complete the effect of adding small pieces fabrics to create the effect I am looking for