Hello All!
The time has finally come to get back to blogging with you all and sharing my journey mostly as an artist and a maker but also some of the other hats I wear. Many of you are Facebook friends, but the blog will allow me to give you more detail without clogging up your newsfeed :o) A little backtracking here...
After many email and making contacts around town, I finally secured a studio space for this new work. There are over 60 artists in the complex, however, I rarely ever see anyone. I think it speaks to how difficult it is to make a living as an artist...I wager they are all out working for a living so they can make art in their free time....evenings and weekends
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| industrial buildings... |
my space is one of only a couple on the second floor and is more spacious than the lower ones (upside) It does not have a sink and has seamed plywood floors (downside x 2) I'm so missing my old big space!
The ever-present in felt making solar pool cover for my work surface...
Noting the seamed plywood floor (not to mention the print maker right below me) it was determined I would need to take extraordinary measures to ensure a waterproof floor. I was grateful for help from my "assistant" ;o)
Layer one was stapled...which promptly ripped as it shifted... a second layer was added, but loose so I can dry between the layers, if required. The excess rolled up near the wall to create a further barrier.
I will need to layout the piece in 3 sections that will be joined at a point in the process to be seen later. I cut the pool cover to accommodate one third of the layout...13 x 5 feet plus extra space around.
My prefect arrived (Yay!)...had to put the top down to take it to the studio (Yay!)
Prefect cut to the finished dimensions x 1.60. This is based on 40% shrinkage. I actually expect closer to 25-30% due to the large amount of fibre and the prefect base (2 layers). However, I need to trim the background to precise dimensions and do not want to risk being short. The completed work will be 8ft high and 8.5 feet wide.This is NOT felt...it is loosely needled fibers and will save me some wear and tear on my body laying out a few layers.
The prefelt comes in 1 meter wide, so I need to join some pieces. I used my mini doffer tool from New England Felting Supply to rough up the fibers so they can be joined seamlessly. Calculate that I brushed up 13 linear feet x 4 = 52 feet of roughing up. One thing about working this size is that each task will require lots of repetitive movement. I can not physically work long hours and this will take lots of time.
From here, I needled the fluffies together. I have ordered a larger needle tool, but it is not here yet and I need to keep moving along.
This is me...laying on my back...taking. a. break. After a little down dog and childs' pose, I was ready to resume.
This sample was primarily to check out some of my materials and colors. I was really not interested in spending a lot of energy and materials in a larger sample when I knew that I could not truly duplicate many aspects of this large piece.
I began some loose sketches to determine some of the composition. It is unusual for me to work almost square...a challenge in creating movement. I decided to call it a day, locate a proper art store and pick up a large sketchbook, some colored pencils and review some images from my client of his amazing space for inspiration!
I am going to share this process openly as I know there will be lots of surprises and logistical challenges that so many would not begin to consider. I hope it will inform and educate those who are new to learning about felt as well as encourage and inspire my colleagues and students to do something really scary...lol!
I will keep you posted as it all unfolds...the good, the bad, the ugly.
Hour Count: 5
(this hour count is actual physical time working...we all know there are equally as many, if not more, mental hours!)
Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com
