Envelope series - new work added

This is a new work that forms part of my on-again/off-again envelope series. It was kinda inspired by the 'Once upon a time' writings.

This collage may be woven, the green will be challenging as I always find green difficult to weave (don't ask me why!) but heck I'll give it ago!

Stasi Inspiration - The Lives of Others

A week or so ago, I went and saw the movie 'The Lives of Others' at ACMI which in a word was fantastic! I think that I started to become a little obsessed with the idea of listening in on others conversations and watching people's lives which essentially what we all do. I guess it has similarities with the whole absorption of celebrity and tabloid media as well, our continual desire to know about others everyday lives.

Anyway, this piece is about being a Stasi, there is something kinda powerful about it but also being very vunerable at the same time. This is just a working collage for a potential tapestry but the long landscape format is something that is appealing to me at the moment.

P.s - The movie, 'The Lives of Others' is up for an Oscar for foreign film, fingers crossed for it, I would love for more people to see this movie.

New Work - Tapestry style!

This is the cartoon (the image that hangs behind my weaving as a guide) and the original collage that I am working from for the new tapestry, "Letter To You".

The image is part of a larger collage which formed part of a series of collages and envelopes. They were like small letters and images to myself or for other people.

The tapestry will be aproximately 45cm x 45cm in size, which is quite small for me. Alot of fun to weave however!

I am a picture weaving master!

Ah the joys of translation! I am a bit addicted to translating text on internet sites and seeing my artist statement for the Munich exhibition is in German, I translated it on a website into English, it has come out quite interesting...

Da German...

Meine bevorzugte Technik ist das inzwischen fast ausgestorbene Bildweben – meine Bildmotive
beziehe ich aus der Welt der Modemagazine. Vorlagen sind Collagen von Modefotos und alten
Zeichnungen, die an ältere Schichten auf Plakatwänden erinnern.
Zeit spielt eine wichtige Rolle. Der Widerspruch ist kaum zu übersehen, der zwischen dem schnellen Fluss der Bilder in unserer Wegwerfgesellschaft und der Bedächtigkeit und Langwierigkeit des Bildwebens klafft. Wer modische Kleider in Bildwebetechnik ausführt, darf sich bei Fertigstellung nicht wundern, wenn sie aus der Mode gekommen sind.
Die Arbeit des Bildwebens ist traditionell und erfordert Geschick. Mit jedem neuen Teppich, mit jedem neuen sich in einen Gobelin verwandelnden Hochglanzbild, habe ich meine Technik verbessert. Das Paradoxon jedoch, besonders vergängliche Bilder in eine besonders langwierige und dauerhafte textile Technik zu übersetzen, fasziniert mich wie am ersten Tag. Ich hoffe, damit der australischen Gobelinweberei einen neuen Impuls zu geben.
Traditionelle Gobelins erzählen von Kriegen und mythologischen Helden. Meine Wandteppiche zeigen moderne Mythen, die von Modefaszination, medialem Ruhm und Konsum handeln.

and into english...

My preferential technology is the in the meantime nearly become extinct picture weaving - I refer my motives for picture from the world of the fashion journals. Collecting mains are collages of mode photos and old designs, which remind of older layers on poster walls. Time plays an important role. The contradiction is hardly to be ignored, which gapes between the fast river of the pictures in our waste-oriented society and the Bedaechtigkeit and lengthyness of the picture weaving. Who implements fashionable dresses in picture weaving technology, may not be surprised with completion, if they came from the mode. The work of the picture weaving is traditional and requires fate. With each new carpet, with each new high polish picture transforming into a Gobelin, has I mean myself technology improved. The paradoxon however to translate particularly passing pictures into a particularly lengthy and durable textile technology fascinates me as on the first day I hopes, thereby the Australian Gobelinweberei a new impulse to give. Traditional Gobelins tells of wars and mythologischen heroes. My wall carpets show modern myths, which act of mode fascination, medialem fame and consumption.

I have to say that I'm enjoying the term 'Wall Carpets' he he!

The tapestry is finished!

Here it is! After what felt like an eternity weaving, my latest tapestry has finally been completed.

Also after much toying with what to call this latest addition to my collection, it is now titled 'Looking Back'.

It has been quite funny working on this piece as it is very different to my usual palette but still has some Miss Mardi parts of text and torn edges.

In case you're wondering the work is approximately 120cm in height and about 75cm in width.

Hope you like!