Adventures in Crafts

My New Website

2011-04-23T10:24:00.001-07:00

I won't be updating here in the near future, if at all.

However, I am still here! Its just that now I am over at www.hollielanderson.com

See you there!

So, so sorry!

2010-12-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged here for a while, I know, I got a little... distracted by the image flooding charms of tumblr.com so I have been over there for a while, and in all honesty I'm thinking of making this into a professional blog and importing some posts into a new url, but not as yet.

Things are getting closer to the end now, with the first term of my final year as a student coming to a close. My new work is coming on nicely though and I feel happier about where it is going than ever before, although it is becoming more fine art and less traditional 'craft', maybe even moving out of the applied arts bracket, but that remains to be seen. I'd love to keep making smaller, more twee things because I think you can get too hung up on the serious work, and I need that outlet really.

Thinking about it I'll probably keep this as a blog for all of those things and have a professional website under my real name. I'm not leaving my tumblr though! I'm in love with that thing!

And just to prove I'm not dead:

Iron oxide clay is my new love. The little guy in the corner fired particularly well, hes a dark black now, lovely.

Spek soon (honest)!

Testing the limits...

2010-10-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have been desperately trying to make some kind of articulated ceramic figures for a long time now, but I don't want to drift into the realm of dolls too much, I want art figures which react to being touched and lifted, I want to put a soul into heavy porcelain.

Today I got one step closer, after much discussion and drawing the first maquette came out of the kiln looking a little like this:

A very rough maquette she is, but loved all the same! Now back to the workshop...

New Wares

2010-09-14T03:51:00.000-07:00

I have been knitting away recently, making lots of lovely new headphone earmuffs for these cold months ahead of us. This year as well as the smaller sets I have got my hands on some high quality iSound headphones which are a little chunkier (you can see them there, first on the left). These knit up into big fluffy warm earpieces and have a better sound quality for those of you who like to blast your eardrums out. I will also be opening up to commisions and this includes coverign headphones you already own or heaphones of your choice!

Have a lovely week, I will be busy settling into my new home by doing lots and lots of knitting.

London Baby!

2010-08-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well, now that I am well and truly rested from my forray into the Mayfair art scene, which is incredible, by the way, I am back to tell my tale!
After a long trip on the megabus listening to some hilarious London students speaking in very posh accents and then trying to buy drugs over the phone whilst attempting to make themselves sound less muggable by using words like "bra" and "bare good" (no doubt they have been watching East Enders lately and wanted to try some of Phil Mitchell's crack), my Mum and I met p with my good chum Rhiannon and we checked in at the Hilton. The Hilton seemed to be a little confused when Rhi and I checked in for the night at the desk, and when we got to our room and discovered this we realised why:

They were probably trying to decide whether or not to appologise to us, or whether we were in fact married, or possibly both.

After we got our glad rags on it was down to the gallery on Cork Street for lots of wine and art! A good mix indeed. There was a brief speech from the lady who organised the exhibition in whihc she explained her aim to give artists an opportunity to both raise money for charity and also to get some exposure in such a well known area of London (we were exhibiting on the same street as William Turnbull and Andy Warhol). Then all of the artists were invited to sign a piece of charity artwork.

The whole thing was completely surreal for me, I have to say. Not to mention that the prize winners have been invited to exhibit together in London within the next 12 months, so I had better get working! So I left the gallery with my eyes, ears and mind buzzing, bottle of prossecco in one hand and exhibition poster in the other and Rhi and I proceeded to run up a large tab in the hotel. The rest is a bit hazy... but the image that I will take away from the night will be the one as I walked up to the gallery of it spilling out into the street... that was one of the most terrifying and exciting moments of my life.

I am so grateful to have won a prize, and to have been chosen to take part in the exhibition at all, and even more grateful to Hereford College of Arts for educating me enough to achieve this and to the wonderful Gaz for encouraging me to have a little faith in myself.

Bye Georgia!

A social life based update...

2010-08-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

In the meantime I have had a birthday, which was great fun, it coincided with the last week or so living in my house which has been the most wonderul, loving home for the last two years. I have made friends and family there, met the love of my life, started my own career, become myself and lauged every day. I am sad to leave but life goes on in an endless tumble through happy events so my chin is well and truly up! Here are some photos form our Shisha Barbeque, with a shot of the love tent that the great Alex helped me to ~~nail to the neigbours shed~~ erect in a sensible and safe fashion with no risk of electrocution at all.

Fun fun! I also got some amazing pressies (not least of which was a Lush box from Gaz's Mum and sister, which was very much appreicated, thankyou Ann and Jenna!), including a le creuset cauldron pot and the most wicked casserole dish, the likes of which I have wanted since I was 10, which the lovely Gazareth got for me. And a super cool desk made form branches form my Momma. Here are some more photos:

I did make some yummy soup in the cauldron, and took photos of the tasty roasted tomatoes, and completely intended to take photo of the finished soup... but... well... we ate it. So here you go.

It was SO good. ANd in other, other, very exciting news, my sister got married. But I will cover that later when I can nab some good photos, because it was a very unusual and funky wedding. Which will be illustrated below by a photo of my very unusual and funky sister and I on her hen do.

Tada! Right, I'm all caught up. I'll be posting after wednesday with news from Londinium (and many, many photos of the Hilton).

Ahh! Bad, Bad Blogger!

2010-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm an awful person, I know.

But I have been in Bristol and the internet here is SO SLOW I just couldn't bring myself to load photos onto this thing.

However, times have become so very exciting that I now can't help myself. I have had the most surreal of weeks. For the last eight days I have been living in a tent helping with an art installation at the big chill festival, this, my friends, was AMAZING. Honestly one of the best things I have ever done. I met some wonderful people, had a fab time, worked until I was tired (which I find to be one of lifes greatest pleasures) and in typical Hollie fashion REFUSED TO GO AWAY. So I stayed far longer than I was going to and stuck my fingers in all sorts of pies, made giant rust and a portamatron, which makes no sense to you all I'm sure. Here is some visual evidence of what I did though (I forgot my camera!), these are a couple of posters I made for the intallation called Dereliction Drive In, a futuristic grimy seedy world, offering discounted misbred genetically modified pets. Want one?

Haha, so that was that silliness. Another ABSURD thing that happened whilst I was away was that I was not only selected for the Cork Street Open Exhibition, from 1,200 people, but I was put on the flyer:

And THEN I was awarded the young artist prize! Yes, me. Insane. I am heading up on wednesday for the artists' reception. Hearing that you have a complimentary room in the Hilton whilst you are half alseep on the floor in a tent, covered in blue paint, is a very odd experience indeed. So, I am ecstatic, as you can imagine. And will be taking part in a curated exhibition in London next year, which is a real honour.

Phew. What a week! And in other news, I know that I promised a bit of they Boy's work, which I am still going to post! I didn't have access to a copy of the images, and still don't, but email is a wonderful thing which I will now utilise. Honestly.

Back in Bristol!

2010-07-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

I'm stating at my Mum's place for the summer, and I always forget how beautiful it is here. There are loads of little details which make this house so interesting...

I got throughhhhhhh!

2010-07-01T04:15:00.001-07:00

My antler girl and I got through to the shortlist for the Cork Street Open Exhibition.

I am so pleased I have no words!

Go me, wooo!

2010-06-23T01:44:00.000-07:00

I got a first for my work! Hurrraaaahhhh!

To celebrate and prepare for the summer I'm having a HUGE sale in my folksy shop :D

Headphones are down to £15 from £25 and the knitted toys are half price. In other news I got some great work for over the summer lined up at the Big Chill festival and hopefully Blaze studio in Bristol.

Smiles all round! I'm off to the third years final show now to drool over things I can't afford.

FINITO!

2010-06-10T03:52:00.000-07:00

I got there! Finally! Here is my little exhibition space...

We don't get a whole lot of space, as you can see, but I've made the most of it! Here's a rundown of the collection that I haven't featured yet:

A tapestry made from the dreamers and ribbons

Porcelain head with tiny brass key and roses

Hulda, who I can't believe I've left out until now! Shes a good 'un. She's the lady who fell in love with a bear, her dress is made form human hair (as is her real hair), she has a miniature portrait of her beloved on her breast and a porcelain torso with vintage feather stuffed fabric legs, she comes with a cloak and a hair adornment. She deserves more of a show, so I'll take some better photos of her later.

Well, thats it for second year... I hope the tutors and gallery guys like it!

Things are...

2010-06-04T01:57:00.000-07:00

... coming together now. My final collection for the year is finitio, the books are getting filled in and I'm looking forward to a mini road trip this weekend with my Bro, Harley.

In other news, I have a treat for you all. I want to alert you to a wonderful illustrator, and her blog. Introducing the work of Jester...

Jester's work is absolutely beautiful, and her 3D diaramas are imaginative, dark and fun. I really urge you to check out her blog, which can be found here.

Have a lovely weekend, all! Enjoy yourselves in the sunshine!

LOL SWANS.

2010-05-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Now we all know I love antlers...

2010-05-22T12:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.antlermag.com/

GO GO GO.

I'm about to be disowned...

2010-05-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

I've been featured in my first ever Folksy Friday! Alongside the very talented Beautiful Skin, I am honoured. Check it out at the wonderful blog over here.

In other news I have a new tattoo, which I have lusted after for years and been perfecting the designs and colouring for... but, um, my lovely Mum, Liz, who is ever so supportive and whom I could not study or function without has not seen them. And she's not a fanof tattoos, so I am going to leave it optional for you to look mother dear (I can cover it in your presence if you like)! If you do fancy a gander, however, click the jump.

Thats my christmas cancelled. I love you Mum! Haha.

Desk snapshot and current work

2010-05-12T02:41:00.000-07:00

Heres my latest desk fiasco:

Remember those long wobbly things? Well they're coming along quite nicely...

These are made from beautiful sari silk remnants and woven on a big ol' table loom with faux pearls and chains woven into the fabric. The smaller one has some antique keys and jingly bells stitched in.

Not long now until the collection is finished!

My little fatties...

2010-05-12T02:32:00.000-07:00

...are finished! This is one of the pieces I will be entering in the Cork Street Open Exhibition. They all pull out and can be played with!

Roses...

2010-05-12T02:22:00.000-07:00

One piece down... ohhh yeah...

More sneak peeks...

2010-04-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

These little guys have a bright future ahead of them, and a nice log to live in!

Just a Quickie

2010-04-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Some current maquettes...

Updates and some plugging...

2010-04-08T01:44:00.000-07:00

Well, there is a sure lack of recent work on here, but unfortunately its the easter break which means no kilns, studios or indeed much work for me! I have finally finished that essay though and I'm spending my three weeks off in Bristol.

Yesterday I went to see the Alinah Azadeh exhibition currently on in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. If you get the chance GO! It really is something, and the other artist Rosa Nguyen's work is beautiful. I couldn't do it justice writing baout it here, but seriously, set yourself an hour or so and go and see it.

In other news I'm going to give someone very dear to me some serious credit here. Most of you will know that my lovely Scouser is a blacksmith, and if you didn't, he is. He'll hopefully be starting the artist blacksmithing degree in september, but the course he is on now have aranged an exhibitiion at the Salbox gallery and Gaz's work was included, now I'm very, very proud of him and I think he should be too, but hes not a blogger and never will be, hes just not a computer person, hes a blacksmith so essentially a luddite, so I'm going to post his pictures here as soon as I can get my hands on them.

I'm off out today with my sister to test my new Diana Mini camera, I'm very excited about this. Its a beautiful day and I hope you all enjoy it!

Disaster!

2010-03-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as I was having a tutorial with Ken Eastman, an extremely well respected ceramicist, I slammed my research folder into my figure who is vomiting roses and smashed her arms off... needless to say I was devastated and my stomach felt like it would fall out of my bellybutton, added to which the look on Ken's face of utter horror made me feel even worse, yet all I could manage was a quiet "Oh.". I tried to remedy the situation by calmly standing her back up and brushing her shattered hands onto the pile of crap beneath my desk, at which point I realised I liked her more with no arms, so I said "I like her more with no arms actually" which earned me a look of concern, possibly for my mental wellbeing. That first interaction kind of set the tone for the whole tutorial, which was interesting, yet it was like discussing glass blowing with a double glazing salesman; we may both use clay, but theres a world of difference between a modernist potter and a figurative artist. But all in all, he is a very interesting man and meeting him was well worth those mortifying twenty minutes.

I also have my dissertation question ready to go, I think. I've given up on my previous idea about power figures and totems, I just couldn't find a hook. So my new question is:

Self expression through art, an innate or a learned practice?

Any thoughts? I've got about 1,300 words of poorly scribbled notes, so if anyone knows of any links or has an opinion on the subject I wold love to hear them!

Now... off to tackle Hulda.

Some new things...

2010-02-25T02:40:00.000-08:00

My new project has begun, five months of solid making ahoy! Also a little preparation for my application for Hereford Craft Fair is in order. SO, first things first, the newest figure-in-the-making is based on the pagan Scandinavian superstition of never saying the word for "bear", it was considered disrespectful to the bears themselves and they would seldom mention them in conversation, however if they really had to then a euphimysm would be used. This new one is called Hulda Falls in Love with Soggy Brown Mead Paw. Hulda means obscure secret, and she needs a hair wedding dress which is proving to be a little harder to make than anticipated. However, perseverence is key! And the maquettes for her hair corset are coming on.

I have also finished two pieces! Yes, finished, really and truly! THese two go together as a set and they are based on people very dear to me, but don't ask who, because its a secret.

These are a little larger than usual, and have no textile clothing per se, although they do have human hair.

THe first one is stuffing herself with feathers

This skirt was made from textiles and then transformed into textured clay using slip and glazing techniques which I am developing,

The second figure is vomiting roses.

I accept that yes, they are a little scarier than usual, but these two are made from quite a raw emotion and I wanted to keep that in them. They have got quite mixed reactions so far, some people just can't go near them, some want to cuddle them.

I'm still alive, just one laptop down, so back to using computers at uni only I'm afraid. I'm also a little ill at the moment so I'm less active on the internet as I'm less active in university, hopefully this will all be over soon though! Now... off to clog a sewing machine up with hair...

Internet time!

2010-02-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Hello again lovelies, well, today was an exciting day indeed! I finally got around to updating and publicising my Folksy shop, which is in no small part thanks to the help of some lovely models, who are all extremely talented artists themselves, namely Nelle, Amy and Ita! I also gave the layout of this here blog a little tweak into something a bit brighter and I achieved one of my self set, really silly milestones and got onto the "What's Hot!" list on Craftster.org! I am so happy about that last one that I feel a bit silly about it, but it's always been a dream, again I'm sure its partially thanks to the pretty ladies modelling (especially Nelle!), I have pictures!

The new shop of Holandricon

That's my work (and Nelle's nice hair) second in on the top over at Craftster. Its my new knitted headphones, available in the store.

I was also featured over at Wool And Wire, another first! I'm a happy bunny, tra la la la la!

Finished!

2010-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

I know they say a piece of art is never truly finished, but seriously now, I'm done. Enough from me, I'll let Georgia mark 2 take it form here:

She'll be one of the pieces I'll hopefully be taking to Hereford Craft Fair this year, my application form arrived in the post this morning! I'm in the process of designing a whole host of figures and some more articulated ones. But I do know one thing, no more chairs! Phew that was hard work!

Happy New Year...

2010-01-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

We saw in the new year outside Gloucester Road public toilets, but unfortunately, much like the actual pubs, we could not afford the entry fee. We also hope that yours was slightly less seedy.

Yesterday I went into the fridge and found....

2009-12-14T02:04:00.000-08:00

This on my shelf:

It would be fair to say that my housemates are a little strange, and apparantly come bearing polish gooseberry jelly.

In other news, this little lady is the subject of my attentions at the moment.

She is still in progress though so its not time for her grand unveiling yet!

Artsite 3

2009-12-11T04:55:00.000-08:00

Anyone in Hereford (or otherwise) would be wise to visit Artsite 3, a wonderful temporary christmas shop right next to the cathedral and information centre which showcases the work of local contemporary makers, and its SERIOUSLY good stuff! I'm doing a couple of days owrk down there and selling a few things (almost all of which have sold now). The last of my current dolls are there and hopefully soon I'll have a few knitted head phones too. Its open until the end of December and really worth a visit!

A quick update...

2009-11-30T01:59:00.000-08:00

A quick insight into my new project...

Mysterious, no?

Await but a few days and all will be revealed! But for now, let me introduce you to the other labour of love that the Scouser and I embarked on last night...

THE MINCE PIE BISCUIT MILKY PLATE OF DEATH

Oh yes... we spent an hour pulling change out of the sofa so that we could get in our pyjamas and eat cake...

That is a packet of mince pies, a packet of cookies and a tin of evaporated milk, all baked to perfection! Yum yum.

In our defence we are students. STUDENTS. And yes, he is still wearing the wolf suit.

I am feeling a little disgruntled.

2009-11-17T02:08:00.000-08:00

I had a tutorial/group crit yesterday. For the last few weeks I have been developing a ceramic figure and I was finally getting to a place I felt happy with when this bombshell was dropped on me "Is it craft? Because if it isn't craft then you're in the world of art and you have to stand up to artists, its not as easy as craft"

... well. I have lots to say about that, but I will spare both you and the keyboard the majority of my rant.

In essence, why oh why must we compartmentalise everything like this? Can a piece of work not just be what it is? Who decided that Tracy Emin's textile pieces were art, or that Grayson Perry's pots are craft? My work has a thought out idea and concept behind it, sure, but shouldn't everything have some cognitive function backing the design process, or are we going to class everything with a meaning as FINE ART now? ANd whilst I'm on that, whats wrong with using a craft medium to produce artwork, why not blur those boundaries more, maybe one day they won't be there any more and students like me won't feel pressured to chop the head off of their models, hollow them out and turn them into a novelty cookie jar just to fit into someone else's opinion of art vs craft.

I'm really quite annoyed about this.

Any opinions?

Long time...

2009-10-27T05:15:00.001-07:00

... no see, eh?

Well this past (internet free) month has been rather exciting, what with a total change in direction, various crafty events and not to mention the start of a new term. Georgia and Rosa have been sold, and there are a few more dolls on the way for a craft fair in Hereford coming up, details later, I'm not sure on them myself just yet, and then I will be stopping making them. Not because I don't enjoy it, but because I have a new love: LIFESIZE FIGURATIVE CERAMICS. Muhahaha.

Now, I have two questions 1: Does anyone know where I can get hold of some antlers and 2: How in the world am I going to attatch slip cast ceramic antlers to a 5 foot something clay woman? Well, really I think thats a question for the ceramics Technical Demonstrator. But seriously, I am in desperate need of antlers! Something I never thought I'd say.

So that is life as I know it for now, as soon as I have the first naked lady out of the kiln (if I can ever fit her in) then I shall post photographs, until then I'll be concentrating on the three projects, two essays and two presentations and one craft fair I have to do before christmas. Why can't student life just stay easy?

Update!

2009-09-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the dolls which I am displaying at the Small Gallery until the end of October, they are £65 each, and yes, I am open to commissions! So, here are the introductions:

Luke

Sadie, who can sit on the edge of a shelf or on a flat surface,

Georgia, based on the painting I did a little while ago,

and Rosa, who's body is made of feathers.

This doll was made for my good friend Rhiannon's birthday and is based on her,

A roundup of all the girls (and boy) so far!

Also, I had to include this as it is adorable (well, it would be without the tobacco anyway), I finally finished Gaz's fleecey wolf onesie, it even has a tail! ... Shame that the chest hair makes it look like a prop for a 70's erotica reproduction of Little Red Riding Hood.

Just a Quick Post

2009-08-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'll elaborate on this further when I have more money to spend at the internet cafe, but anyone wanting to catch a doll or two would do well to go to the Artisan Yarn Gallery in Capuchin Yard in Hereford from the 9th of September, and for the duration of H.Art week as I am having a little teeny exhibition. Photos to come!

On Hiatus

2009-08-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

Hello all, this will be my last post for a while as my beloved computer, Malachai, has a-sploded and due to my housemate leaving I will have no internet in the home for the forseeable future, so this may be the last post for a little while!

In other news, I am making a doll which I am SO SO SO proud of. But, alas, I cannot post any photos just yet as she is a birthday present for my chum, Rhiannon. Suffice to say she is smooth and sleek and turning a little '20s, which was a total accident but if that's what she wants then that's what she gets (I'm talking about the doll here, not Rhiannon).

So, Jareth and I will be travelling back to Hereford tonight, along with all of my work, paintings, dolls ect. and the £30 worth of Lush products which I couldn't resist. Hopefully the river will be nice and warm when I get there and I can go for a late night dip before bed, ahh, Hereford, how I love thee.

FREAKOUTARGHHH

2009-08-08T02:53:00.000-07:00

I am SO CONCERNED abou this next year of college. Everything hinges on it. I just. I can't even put into words the stress I am feeling right now. Its amazing, I've never got like this before. I actually quite like it, its a comfortable weight. You knwo how there's stress that feels sickly and depressing and drags you down and weight that bolsters you and gives you somthing to hold onto? This is the latter, but still...

I need to get some stuff together for next term. Books and such. And fabric. And yarn. And supplies. And canvases. Lots of stuff.

Also I recieved a lovely thankyou card from Celia for the chicken, apparently she liked it. Its so nice to be appreciated.

On a sad note, the Smithing Scouser has gone back up north and I cannot afford to see him for a month. It'll give me something more to look forward to than finding out who is living in my house next year though, another thing I am slightly nervous about.

Antler Girl

2009-08-06T07:44:00.001-07:00

Here is the product of my last four hours alive:

I haven't painted in almost a year, and then it was with acrylics. I haven't touched oils since my 18th birthday, which was a while ago now. So I was quite pleased with myself for this. Again, camera quality photos are not great, but it will do.

I've had an idea for a show, if I ever get the chance to do one. I want portraits of all of the dolls all over the walls, some huge ones and some tiny ones, just covering the walls in frames and then the dolls themselves everywhere, with fake hills and upside down lamps and crazy crap all over the place, so that they inhabit their own little imaginary world in a sort of dreamilke way. I know what my dolls are about now, too. They are portraits of an aspect of a person, they are all based on people I know, and something about them, like when you see someone and think "wow, look how fragile they are" or something like that, the way you can see an adjective just as well as you can see their face, and in our mids we all have little images of the people we know, and we move them around in our minds when we think about them and imagine what they would say in certain situations, we play with them like dolls. And thats what these are, they are the physical image of the mental dolls of people. Does that make sense? Maybe not. Anyway, I'm going to make the doll of her soon. Shes a startled, alert, kind of a person. Shes pretty strong and tall but extremely timid. The kind of person who could snap your spine with one push but hides behind trees at loud noises. I like her a lot.

... sometimes you make something and look at it and just say "Why?"

2009-07-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

It was my ex-boyfriend's Mum's 50th birthday party the other day. Quite a gift conundrum I'm sure you'll agree. So I thought, hell, I'll make her something, I love Celia, she's really a great person and a proper Mum and family person, you know? She also LOVES her kitchen. So I thought, hey, she likes the same sort of style as I do, I'll make her soemthing small and pointless to clutter her house (why i thought this was a great idea I do not know) so I thought I'd make a lavender bag... in the shape of a bird... yeah... I don't know, I really don't know what I was thinking. Anyway, she seemed to like it, and it was the first thing like that I've made with any real success, and without a pattern, too! So, here it is, Captain Useless the Feathered:

He is full of rice and lavender from the garden, made of offcuts, silk and buttons.

I crocheted this huge chrysanthemum for it too... cause birds have flowers, yo. God... I really... *hangs head*. Look at me trying to hide in those photos, heh heh.

In other news, new quilt on the make, this fabric is DELICIOUS, I mean, really!
So its that cotton top and then a thick woven cotton bottom, its like really soft sacking material. Still needs edging and I think lots of cream crochet work for this one. Well, thats all for now :D

2009-07-10T04:59:00.000-07:00

This is more a reminder to myself than a proper post but I'm havign my tattoo filled in on the 10th of september. Hopefully I will have the warp/weft ambigram ready for the other arm aswell! I don't think I ever posted my tattoo when I got it done, but its basicly a souped up version of the knit/purl ambigram that is already on google and such, but I had to steal it, I just had to. Its going to have its partner on the other arm and probably eventually have more swirls and crap coming off it, so then I won't feel so bad about having nicked it, even though I did change it... a bit... look at me trying to justify myself. Amyway, here it is. My homage to knitting.

2009-07-10T04:36:00.000-07:00

So my burlesque lady has been put on hold for now, not least because its the end of term and I'm franticaly trying to get my Hereford home in order before I go and house sit in Bristol for lord knows how long, and then go to Sonisphere festival with my good friends and Scouser. But aside from that, a new craft challenge has arisen: OPERATION NICOLE'S WEDDING.

Nicole was going to go to Vegas and have some kind of rocabilly/shotgun/expensive thing which reminded me of our father in many and varied worrying ways, but she has changed her mind and wants more people to be there (I could not afford Vegas on my student loan) so instead shes having it in England and having a huge picnic. However, this means that she needs picnic quilts and cusions for 80 people. And some bunting, because why the hell not. She wants a country garden/Laura Ashley/Attic mess style load of mismatched textiles (aka:my style, which is fortunate).

So, here are my prototypes. I'm trying to do this on a budget of £200. Can you hear my teeth chattering? No? Well that would be because I ground them all down in my sleep last night whilst I was dreaming about Fabric Land. Anyway, here goes:

This is the quilt prototype, its 1mx1m and made from heavy pinstriped cotton on both sides (I'm going to substiute the bottom for calico for cost and waterproof issues), with rather thick acrylic wadding in the middle. The corners are gold silk and it had embelishment in the corner. The edging needs doing still, and I'm probably going to use a nice thick ivory ribbon fot that, and some buttons for the middle, stitched on with thin ribbon tied in a bow.

Close up of the corner. The roses are made of gold silk and taupe cotton, there are some tiny silver forks sewn in there, then some knitted stuff (because I had to use SOME knitting, yo) and the back is some gauze which I used a needle to pull up strands of warp and weft to ruch and then tied in knots.

The back of the cusions. Half gold silk and half taupe cotton. I'm going to stitch these shut once the pillows are inside, or maybe button, I'm not sure yet.

The fabric for the front of the cushions, one is teal and gold polkadot silk and the other is this gorgeous floral stuff which I adore.

So thats it so far. Nic has managed to find me 20m of wadding for £19.80, which is FAR cheaper than the £8 per metre I was paying before. The calico for the underneath of the quilts is going to be £20 aswell for all of it, so now we just need 80m of 2inch ivory ribbon and 20 1m square scraps of random material, plus scraps for embelishment and then the cushions are going to be a bugger, because that silk is £2.50 for a cushion sized piece. So I might just make a couple like that and the rest knitted/crocheted or out of more scrap. Is this going to be possible? God I hope so, because it will be AWESOME if it is. I'll have student loans at some point too, so that plus my 200 odd hours work can be Nicole and Geoffs present, hahaha.

I'm going to look like a builder on one side after all this Singer action.

Something New

2009-06-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

One of my housemates moved out a week ago and left behind a HUGE roll of modrock. I love modrock, but have never really modeled with it from scratch, always on to of papier mache. So I though I'd have a go, this time I'm making something a little different, in that the doll isn't a doll per se but a figurine (I have NO idea how to make articulated joints with something as fragile and powdery as plaster, without some kind of glaze and I haven't the heart to play with that right now), for my sister Nicole, who is a very clever sod and just got a first in her english literature hounours degree *round of applause*. Nic loves burlesque, so I figured I would make her something appropriate. Maybe I'll throw some day of the dead in there for her too. Heh! Day of the dead nipple pastie skulls... yeah! Anyway, poor quality pics because I am currently on my kitchen floor with my computer (winamp time) and I'm using my webcam so that I don't get plastery hands all over Gaz's camera.

She will (hopefully) stand in the end. Making sexy legs is fun, haha! On the note of sexy... has anyone seen Inkheart? Oh my good god. It had all my favourite things in one scene - Topless, skinny-ish, gangly-yet-muscly, long haired scruffy vagrant + fire in many differing states + baggy black jumpers + sweaty, grubby Paul Bettany = much, much replaying of the scene. In. Slow. Motion.

Anyway enough of that. On with the nakie lady.

Jareth

2009-06-24T14:19:00.001-07:00

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2009-06-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

My jellyfish is done :D I got recognised too, and hit on by a crazy pagan. Good times.

SOrry for the picture quality, it is nighttime afterall.

Muhaha, that was fun.

What Next?

2009-06-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

The first day of my summer holiday has arrived and its... well... dull.

So far I have knitted a little, chatted to Jareth (my cockatiel), trawled through some websites and now I am here. I have until October with nothing to do. Except two weeks of house sitting for my parents and a week of festival goodness with some old friends.

For the longest time I have wanted to try out wild living, just to get up and go and live on the move with nothing but my tent and a whole host of weaponry (I'm a paranoid kind of person).

So maybe, just maybe, I'll set aside a month for this, and take my sketchbook and my sleeping bag and trail the Wye Valley, drawing as I go. I really think its something I have to try at least once, and what better time to give it a go? I have no responsibilities, no one asking me not to, no job to hold down. The only thing I have to worry about is finding a babysitter for Jareth, but I'm sure Alex would feed him for a few weeks whilst I was away.

Hmm, yes, the more I think about it the more Hollie's Art Trail Camping Extravaganza seems like a great idea.

Yes I had to name it. Obviously. :D.

2009-06-18T04:16:00.000-07:00

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude, I got a C10, not that great but one mark off of a B and still a good 2:2.

Also on the way home I was comissioned by the yarn shop lady in Hereford to do a knitted drainpipe again for them. I'm going to take Gaz down to look at the blacksmithing in the courtyard as he might be able to give me some ideas and insight that I hadn't thought of, then I'm going to sketch sketch sketch and knit and crochet until my hands fall off! I'm so excited!

Plus the yarn Lady is giving me some yarn to make the selkie's seaweed outfit which is spun with seaweed! How good is that?

Good day, folks, good day.

Shoop Da Whoop!

2009-06-18T01:43:00.000-07:00

My piece got selected for Berrington Hall! Oh yeaahhhhh.

As did the work of the lovely Amy Wallace, Daisy Davies, Lucy Baxendale, Charlie Lindup, Nell Neilson and Sara Rhys, plus a few more wonderful craftspeople. I'm so happy, and really pleased for my friends too, I adore their work and will post photos of it all at a later date, because it really is fantastic.

So Now I just have to get my results... I'm not hoping for much, due to paperwork I didn't do because it is STUPID. And I was too lazy and STUPID myself.

A C would be nice.

Fingers crossed!

Finished!

2009-06-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah boy! Here it is, my final piece for the year, I am soooo happy with it. I added my own hair for that pretty but gross aesthtic. Its a comment on the grandeur of the time, and the horrible circumstances that the beautiful craftsmanship was made in. The same as beautiful things made from hair, you want to touch it and own it, until you understand what it is.

Oh... bougre.

2009-06-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hmm, body:win! Legs and arms:fail! D:

I personally really like the body, I'm pretty happy with this and the brown spots on the hips came out pretty well,

Although the legs, however, came out really funny and cracked and then I ran out of white paint so the legs were too pink. *Sigh* it seems that the legs are never going to come out right the first time.

Here you can kind of see the difference in the shade of the paint. Grah!

Another shot of the body, and of course my beloved scouser in the background who is watching all of this crafty activity with a kind of bemused interest (not there though, there he's eating a sausage). I think he's just trying to figure out the easiest way to forge iron joints for tiny people so that he can do it better :D

Back to the drawing board with the legs then.

Berrington Hall Project

2009-06-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

For our Live Brief at college we are designing some craft pieces to go on show at a national trust house.
When I was there I saw lots of embroidery, especially in the upholstery and this is what grabbed me, so I took this on and did some research. In essence women in the regency period were revered for needlwork skills and used these tapestries to put their mark on their home in what was an incredibly male dominated world. This, to me, links with the make do and mend ethos of the late '50s. I got hold of a 1958 newspaper (stuffed inside the 1920s singer that I got, still threaded, for a tenner) and made some screen prints from it, got those on some plain, if not a bit old and battered, calico, cut the sections apart and stitched them together again (I found some info on cigar ribbon quilts where women would collect the scraps of material and sew them up into a larger textile). Then I dyed the whole thing with good old tea and coffe and embroidered into it.

I am about a third done after all of that.

Next I need to sand this effing chair back into a regency shape and varnish it. Then I'm going to do something to the cushion I've upholstered. Something because originally I though I would tapestry over the top and then wear holes in it so that you could see the textile underneath, but the more I think about that and draw designs the more it looks kind of crappy and seems unplausable to get it finished in time. So, err, I suppose I might just cut my losses and embroider the bejesus out of it, alternatively I've been thinking I could embroider some '50's kitchenalia images onto some dissolvable muslin and then drop water on it so that areas dissapear, but that could look super crappy so we shall see.

Anyhow, photos:

Selkie (in progress)

2009-06-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is my newest project, the selkie. For those of you who don't know what a selkie is its a woman (or man) who lives in the sea as a seal, who can come ashore and transform into a person by shedding their seal skin. If they lose their skin then they become trapped on land, but once they go back into the sea they can't come ashore again for seven years.

This head was odd, it started off looking kind of like my housemate, then oriental (my housemate is not oriental, shes northern) and then finally turned freckly and pale, so -selkie! For some reason when I made the head it didn't seem much bigger than Red's was, but it turns out its pretty huge.

So, here she is;Next challenge is going to be the seal skin, and covering up her nips and such. Might have a go at making some felt seaweed for that job.

My First Post

2009-06-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go then!

This is my first post in my art blog, where I hope to document all of my creations, creative processes and any interesting information I come across.

Today I opened my internet shop at www.folksy.com/shops/holandricon where I put my first doll up for sale (theres another one baking in the oven as I type), I'm almost hoping no one wants to buy her... its like selling a child! But then I remember that I need to eat and that if I'm not careful soon the only thing that ever goes into my oven will be salt dough.

I think that after my fairytale inspired doll, Miss Red R. Hood, this next one might be a bit more sultry and burlesque, maybe? I'll have to see. She certainly has the eyes for it!

Salt dough is an interesting medium, its versatile and its VERY cheap to both make and harden (no way I can afford a kiln, seriously) however it is fairly brittle and when it dries on your hands it feels awful. Now, this may seem petty but if I'm planning to work with this stuff every day I need to do something about that. Gloves, I suppose, unless theres some magical cheap oven drying clay out there? ... No?... Well, no, I thought not.