The Pacific Ocean was a starting point for the theme of Cultural Patterns. I chose the paddle as an emblem of connection between humans, their environment and the spirit of the land. The paddles would also have been used for discovery and as gifts and for trading, exchanging cultural pattern and styles. Three paddles were painted on board the Endeavour by draftsman Sydney Parkinson (1769) on a voyage of Captain Cook. There was no written language on many of the pacific islands, art held sacred information, often painted with plant colours vanishing soon after made. In response, my papers have been hand-painted with plant colour extracts – madder, weld, sorghum and persian berry and treated with light sensitive solution and printed with imagery reflecting aspects of the fluidity and direction of water.
It was an honour to exhibit works on paper with talented artists Bukki Adeyemo, Jan Cook, Line Le Fevre, Jan van der Linde, Rachel Preston, Cherry Taylor, Lauraine Turner and Sarah Wilson as part of the Advanced Textile Workshop at Morley College.
12th – 21st March 2019 at R.K.Burt Gallery, 57 Union Street, London, SE1 1SG
Ceres are a trio of eco-conscious designers with expert knowledge in dyeing and printing natural dyes onto fabric and paper. They have extensive experience in hosting creative workshops.
They will be hosting a weekend of Botanical Screen Printing using biowaste from Brixton market and local grown colour on textiles and paper on September 15th/16th, see eventbrite links for details, all ages welcome.
Florence Hawkins is a graphic print designer, fascinated by the chemistry of natural colours and their interaction with each other. She is skilled at developing collaborative workshops in natural dyes and foraging; linking plants, people, pattern and design. Flo’s most recent project is as organizer of the cookbook project between LCC students and the Jamyang café, this will be published in 2018.
Zoë Burt is an artist and designer, and holds workshops at education, design and horticulture venues. She lecturers at Morley College and UAL, and gives talks linking plants, fashion, textiles and sustainability. A recent collaborative book made with artist Marianne Wie, Nature Journal – seasonal creative projects – is currently sold at Kew Gardens and the V&A, alongside their Fashioned from Nature exhibition.
Lara Mantell is a textile designer specialising in screen printing onto fabric; her drawings and paintings of landscapes inspire her work. Lara researches printing with natural dyes and colour modifiers; and she has developed teaching materials, creative workshops, and presented research at UAL staff conferences. Lara is specialist print and dye technician for BA/MA textiles at Chelsea College of Art, and teaches courses in drawing and textile design at UAL and City Lit. Ceres
Looking forward to curating this textile show by the talented Advanced Textile Workshop students from Morley College responding to the magic of natural dyeing, the revelations of printing and the mysteries of textile construction. Themes transformed include the River Thames, road markings and personal journeys. Techniques involve surface design, hand crafting and machine stitch, felting and applique.
Cover Version blueprints by Zoë Burt for Studio 73 group show
SIDE A:
I am deeply connected to blue and can’t stop making blueprints – a magical process of camera-less photography. Stairway to Heaven is an all time Ledzeppelin classic from 1971 (the year photos of the earth were first photographed and seen from the moon) the song threads a folkloric tale, otherworldly, connecting heaven and earth. This particular print is also inspired by the Lambeth visionary artist William Blake from a 1793 engraving ‘I want I want” from a tiny book called The Gates of Paradise for children. In an anthropocene age of consumersism this image playfully resounds with the restless human spirit
& SIDE B:
Sound and Vision by David Bowie contains the lyrics “Blue Blue Electric Blue”… that’s the colour of my room where I will live. Being a Lambeth resident for many moons, I resonant with this tune.. Electric Avenue – a nearby street and the first to get electric light in London; Davis Bowie’s connections to the Brixton area and my love of the colour blue and making cyanotype prints. Blueprinting or cyanotype is an exciting way to create an image using sunlight and water. Cyanobacteria emerged billions of years ago absorbing water molecules from hydrogen and releasing oxygen as a by product thereby conjuring the first life on earth – ultimate blind blue green algae visionaries in a way. Bowie sings ‘waiting for the gift of sound and vision’ – sometimes it flashes down and connects us and inspiration follows….