A confined practice - the unlimited potential of restrictions

I've been limited for studio supplies and space for about two years, confined to a 16-square Kallax and a sewing table. (OK, full disclosure, there are a couple of bolts of PFD fabric in a back room I have accessed for dyeing). Two boxes contain finished quilts tops in need of quilting, there are protein and plant based fabrics ready to dye, hand dyed and printed lengths, my mark making equipment and a box of office supplies. The open shelves contain the things that make me smile (top row) and the resources that inspire me like books, journals and sewing supplies (second row).

The restrictions have been in terms of available space, resources and time. I'm confined to 4 metres x5 metres after having access to a large, outdoor barn/studio and an internal sewing room/spare bedroom. When we moved from Tarome we had pared down our belongings to such an extent that more than half the remaining cartons were filled with art and studio supplies. There are about 25 packing boxes of "stuff in a back room I haven't needed or accessed since mid-2021. I'm working with the equivalent of two large boxes of materials and haven't looked back. Between working in paid employment full time and studying part time, my studio commitment is carved into a busy week - five hours a week + train travel.

Being constrained resulted in infinite creative possibilities. Setting up in mid-2021, I worried about having enough materials to tide me over to the new house. Two years and three leases later, I couldn't have been more wrong. I appreciate not knowing how long the build would take. If I had, perhaps I'd have unpacked far more "stuff" than I needed. Being forced to work with a few, well chosen resources was an immediate success. I finished what I started, undistracted by all the things I could have been doing. I found a sense of purpose about the way I approached "studio time". I found a welcome discipline resulted from the multi-functional space that had to also function as my study and office. I found creativity in confinement.

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It's all in the background - designing substrate

Scaling up an image of the Brisbane River to develop the substrate for a new art quilt. Each square needs to be 6cm x 6cm to make a finished size of 5 cm square. I created a "to scale" model of the finished quilt on drafting paper. I printed an image of the river (attribution below) and then scaled it up to get a fairly accurate flow across the quilt. The substrate rightly tells the background story. It is the foundation on which the main elements or features reside. So it isn't the "hero" of the piece - it needs to be recognised and visible without overwhelming the piece. I can now easily identify which squares hold a section of the river and start to experiment on piecing, applique, fusing, printing, and painting to learn which gives the best outcome for the substrate. (Brisbane River original image: Magpie Shooter; edited version Paulguard at en.wikipedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/indix.php?curid=9724127) My foundation piece might well end u...

Book Review - The Untamed Thread by Fleur Woods

One of those books that almost needs no review or enthusiastic write up - it just is sumptuous, full of texture and inspirational stitch that's as good as chicken soup for the soul. The pages are thoughtful, intentional, about bringing meaning to mark-making and embracing where you find yourself, whereever that is. Fleaur's love of nature intersects with her strong encouragement to explore, experiment and above all be at one with stitching in the ways of needle, thread, a cup of tea and taking time. I found more than a 'how to' and more than the superbly photgraphed processes - this is a wonderful free-form meets the joy of being still. I have loved every page, some I pour over again and again to take in the rich, visual texture and find new perspectives every time I revisit. Koa Press is a New Zealand Publisher, and the book can be purchased through Can Do Books .

Beginnings of a tree

There's so much pre-work and thinking I need to do before a single piece of fabric gets cut. Weeks, and sometimes months. Moments here and there. Snatched time in between the myriad of other things that require love and attention. These are initial experiments with a large scale tree - achieving different values in tone as well as challenging the notion of colour. There is still the thing about light, and the way the Moreton Bay Ash casts off the old skin for new bark each year. It's getting close to autumn and the evening light is softening - clear, fresh yet gentle after the ferocity of summer and scorched plants. The result of this testing and resolving a whole lots of textile and artistic tensions will be at A Sense of Place exhibition in late 2024 at the Warwick Regional Art Gallery.

Ali George Artist

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