Postcard 6

19.11.07

"Mechanical Drawing - the Shiffley Project " came into being from trying to save an "endangered "machine . I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and so was lucky enough to be able to work on this incredible machine and submit a piece of work for the exhibition which opened at the Holden Gallery MMU on November the 16th and is touring . Please see www.miriad.mmu.ac.uk/schiffli for more details .

My latest poscard is a celebration of success .The machine is safe.

Shadows

Referencing back to previous work and how images and themes recur I am drawn at the moment back to sillouettes of trees and tree canopies . Whilst collecting images for my work on Chorlton EES this year I also collected photos of the shadows cast on treetrunks , previously at the National Wildflower Centre photos of shadows from plants growing in crevices on the rooftop walk . Image far left shows "Passionflower " flags usually displayed in an installation restricted to glass cases but casting interesting shadows . I had thought at the time that this reflected the demise of the destruction of the rain forest that ultimately al that would be left is the shadow or memory of the plants once abundant . Recurring theme developing in my work is endangered species and the impact of human activity on the natural world alongside raising the awareness of how dependent we are upon nature.

Postcard 5

11th november 2007

Leaf Fabric

On my walks up to the studio I have been aware of the leaves dropping from the small trees in the windy courtyard . The shape and colour is fantastic . I have several times thought about working directly from nature , (the last time were some wonderful green sycamore keys that were blown off in a storm in the spring that I didnt follow up ) actually scanning in so this time I decided to follow it up .

In an attempt to get to grips with Illustrator and Photoshop I have created samples of fabric that I then hope to experiment with using the laser cutter .Souvenirs of Autumn

Tord Boontje

"Toord Boontje" written by Martina Margretts , Rizoli , New York 2007


Try to get hold of this book if you are interested in finding out about an inspirational designer of lighting, furniture , fabric, wallpaper , ceramics who follows his intuition and is incredibly successful !
P130 " Midsummer Light
"I thought that you could cut paper so that it would become like lace and if it was centred it would drape like a fabric."
He uses dye cutting and laser cutting alongside more traditional forms of creating , continually drawing and experimenting !
His inspiration comes from a variety of sources images picked up along the way but with a focus on his childhood , winters of ice and snow and a love of the forest . He now lives and works in a forest in the south of France .
It seems that this kind of inspirational design is born out of a collection of souvenirs recorded memories in drawings and thoughts . Therefore does it follow that all designs are souvenirs in some form ? Based on the past recent or not .
(Sorry about the mirror writing on the text ! Try to decipher it its really interesting !)

Postcard 4

"The Beauty of Poor Things" a quote from a book on Toord Bontje . For me the obsession in our society is with perfection , fixing things and not being willing to look at the darker side of life . Also our relationship with consumerism goes hand in hand . We think if we buy more stuff it will heal a wound , fill a gap but the buzz is only temporary .If we took more time to really look at the world around us we could fill that gap with sensory experiences that are completely free.



Postcard 4 writing
Hi Morgan
You know what I said about did I want replies from these cards well actually that would be Fab! New temporary address: Clipper Cottage, 1Glebe Hall Cottages, Mawgan, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6AD. (How weird is that!!)
I collected the image from a circular walk round the course from Mylor Bridge via a famous old (smugglers) Pandora Inn 13th century, for a coffee and a gaze at the boats. How can things such as dead leaves and feathers from a foxes kill still look so beautiful together? I move into my new place tomorrow. Am reading a book on “Toord Bontje “ designer (Habitat flower lamp hangings “garland” ) His work has a magical fairytale quality to it _ “art , technology, ethical and environmental concerns “ Worth a read if you can get hold of it – beautifully set out – amazing images . Also have had input on Photoshop and Illustrator!! Am having fabric digitally printed from a leaf (overleaf)
Much love Rowena

postcard 3

Poscard3 writing

Hi Morgan
A visit to Manchester for a week and the 5 minute presentation on “Collections “and personal circumstances prompted this. What do I collect , memories , is this a memento or a souvenir .My fridge door is a collecting point for Angie's chicken drawing , your little happiness card , Ellen’s cat drawing from a visit this year , a strip of prayer flag from the Buddhist Temple at Kapilavastu Nepal , a bookmark from Paris, my cats, the Buddha card from my mitra ceremony , etc Does everyone have such collections ?I suspect they do . Film to watch “The Wrecking Season “by Nick Darke Book “You Can find Inspiration in Everything “by and about Paul Smith. Much Love Rowena

postcard 2

Postcard 2 sent on the
25th October

I have been having trouble saving and down loading my postcards so apologies for the state of this one . I shall have my own computerdown here by next weeek so the problem should be solved ! Also realised that the writing is difficult to read so for future ones the writing will be typed !!

Souvenir (thesaurus)

Souvenir (thesaurus)

keepsake , relic , memento, autograph , not forgottten, of lasting remembrance , evocative, commemorative, nostalgic, treasure in ones heart , ensshrine in ones memory , keep in mind, recollect , recall , recapture, reflects, review, retrace, put in mind of .

Does a product become a souvenir

or

Is the souvenir the product ?

Do we create our own souvenirs ?

ie The purple velvet bag discarded by Monica down the side of a chair , with a rose from my "Wedding Adornment" Exhibition sent to Morgan as a birthday present and displayed in front of her slate works ( from her Fine art degree show ) the photograph of which creates another souvenir for her and me or is it a memento ?

Can a memento be a souvenir ?

the Boyle Family

http://www.boylefamily.co.uk/
I am just at the beginning of investigating the work of the Boyle family . My initial rection is one of relief that as I collect drawings and photographs that seem to be random and question their validity and relevance to my work I realise there is no set way of doing things no set ideas of what art is .
Quote from website "Their aim continues to be to try and make art that does not exclude anything as a potential subject. "

Quote from Robert MacFarlane

The Wild Places p76

"In a land as densely populated as Britain openness can be hard to find .It is difficult to reach places where the horizion is experienced as a long unbroken line or where the blue of distance becomes visible .Opennness is rare but its importance is proportionally great .Living constantly among streets and houses induces a sense of enclosure of short range sight .The spaces of moors ,seas, and mountains couteract this uninterrupted space - a metaphor for freedom and opennnesss can sometimes bring those feelings fiercly on . "

I have just come back from a week in Manchester with a brief but welcome foray to the Howgills .As soon as I reach the city the world closes in and the stress levels rise , constant noise of traffic , the view only of the next building . The piece above (with close up detail ) was in response to my enclosed Manchester garden . My own private green open space however small . It is one of the pieces for the Sedbergh exhibition .
Driving up the motorway to Farfield Mill, Sedburgh to put up the exhibition "Stitched Up"I could see the horizons expanding and feel the same expansion in myself. I need to embody these feelings in future work imbue it with a sense of freedom and invite the viewer to participate .Is there a sense of space in this piece ? Comments welcome please. It will be interesting to see how the work changes as I respond to my new surroundings .

I read the above quote on return it sums up my feelings .