Tags
artist, arts, Donna Wilson, feathers, gouache, painting, project, tree house
So now I have my new life I Australia I’m starting to fill out all the good stuff, the things that make me feel even richer than I already am through creativity and learning.
I signed up for a new yoga class which finally started it’s new term today which was fantastic held in a girl guides wooden hut overlooking the sea. I have never done a yoga class before but it had a lot of similar stretches to Pilates so some of it was familiar. I found it gave me a great stretch out, not too hard and all the balance stuff I had done in Pilates really helped me.
The other thing is exploring my creativity. So all the things which inspire me are being painted and documented and explored and I’m now on a path. I have no idea where I will end up with this but I know I want to knit some beautiful and fun things at the end of it.
Its the start of a collection, which I am for now calling “A morning walk” as all the things I am exploring their pattern and colour are found on the walk I do every morning to the village and back with George.
Here’s a feather and its amazing colours
I used gouache paint for this and Im very pleased with the colour matching.
Next step is I’m working on whether it will work repeated somehow and then how and what shall I print it on. I’m playing with some colour blocking ideas for some knitted cushions and when I look at this painting I think it would be gorgeous printed onto silk fabric and made into a dress.
I have a collection of other inspirations which I’m going to work on in a similar way. I am really enjoying the painting, it really makes me look really hard at what colours are actually there and sometimes they’re not what I think they are. I feel like an artist painting within the trees in a tree house.
Coloured leaves, these are really interesting, dark reds and purples on the outside, greens on the inside with tips of yellow and orange
Anyway, its kind of fun because I don’t know where I will end up but I do know that I’m on my way and sometimes I have flashes where I can imagine a potential outcome but then it goes away as quick as it came. This is going to be a totally natural process.
I will knit again, I will make things again, this is the hard bit, figuring out what and why, and where to get yarn etc. At this time it’s great to get find things for extra motivation to keep the beleif in knowing it all will come good, soon I’ve just got to keep on working.
Donna Wilson Interview
The best thing is that I have the space and time to allow myself to do this, the last time I did anything close was for my final project at Uni, there I explored memories and colour and translated that into knitting, I came up with great results. This time I am exploring my everyday experiences, pattern and colour, so I have my fingers crossed.
Writing for my book has halted, I’m going to hop between two projects so when I run out of steam on one I can go onto the other for a break.
I have a friend staying at the moment, we’ve been cooking and painting together and yesterday we went Op shopping (that’s charity shopping to anyone not down under) and so we’ve been having fun, I found a couple of great things so I’ll share those later.
MEL! I love the painting works in progress…you should make some cards out of them. I just cannot wait to see what you come up with.
I snuggle on the sofa with your ‘melin maildy’ cushions every day and your hot water bottle had its first outing two nights ago. I think the scarf will have to come out soon too.
Keep posting you sketches and new work ideas, it’s really inspiring!
anja x
Thanks Anja, it’s so nice to hear some encouragement, I might not end up knitting at all, I might well make cards, silk, cotton or linen dresses as it’s more suited to living here anyway so it’s kind of scary not knowing where it will end up but its nice to use the inspiration I have around me to get going.
Tomorrow I am meeting some well known potters and painters which will be nice.