The learning curve consisted of working out how to do a fitted bed-sheet kind of arrangement with the metallicised under layer of leather. Edges were then turned back and the mighty new stapler used to tack all that in place.
The textured leather (very daggy, really)appears to drape over the under one – enhanced with judiciously placed old gold wax. Black and gold thread was used to stitch lines of large stitches, some of which are crossed over by others.
Each panel is approx 8 in/20cm size.
Upper pic One of my dearest friends
, W, a fellow fiber artist, attending a sale somewhere in Perth during the past few months, noticed a decent sized scrap of black leather, about a fat 1/4 equivalent, and thinking of me, bought it for when I next turned up there, bless her. So she gave it to me while I was there in early july, and I brought it back here. It’s fabulous, beautifully fine and soft with the most amazingly landscapey texture stamped or etched into it. I have pictured a little au naturel beside a small snippet over which I lightly rubbed gold wax – and, I have some metallic machine sewing thread the same colour. Even as I write, something’s brewing around this.
Lower pic The leather that I blogged ( 22/6/08, Leather Factory Visit) has been calling to me to experiment. The leather as I bought it, with my cut-out, is beside another piece waxed with pewter. I just love the metallic waxes, and was fascinated that a ceramic artist friend in West Australia also uses it to highlight some of her works. The texture of the chemically treated hide lends itself to really fine handcut shaping. Sewing across it without thread in the needle, adds more texture – see gold below.
This morning, I was browsing around the Southproject site, looking for news of the upcoming gathering in Johannesburg later this year, and learned although they are still working on it, it will be in October, which is good enough for the time being. After Santiago last year I would love to go so will try.
Anyway I followed this link Earthmarks – exhibition by Jeanette Unite and found fabulous glass, paper and paint works expressing her passionate interest in the industry of mining in her country, which of course is massive and produces a lot of wealth for South Africa. Mining is exploitation of the earth’s mineral resources… a two-sided coin, it brings wealth, but can leave costly problems if, as in the past of countries with long mining histories there was little attention paid to rehabilitation following exploitation. I think Jeannette’s Earthscars is a gloriously emotive term, and wish I’d thought of it.
Here in Uruguay there is little mining, because there has been little systemmatic modern exploration for minerals. And yet knowing how this continent and western Africa were once joined along the coast placing Uruguay’s coast neatly fitting that of the minerals rich area of Namibia, it makes sense that serious searches here will eventually discover viable mineral resources. Historically the spanish, french and british through small mines and long outdated technology did produce some copper, silver and gold, but today there is just one modern gold mine in the central north between Tacuarembo and Rivera; and beautiful amethysts and agates come from the northern province of Artigas. Fabulous marble and granite is found here, and was quarried until recent times, but the finishing costs became too high, and the industry has subsided. Many older buildings around Montevideo and the country are fitted with simply beautiful Uruguayan stone from yesteryear; today marble and granite are still widely used in modern homes and offices, but the stone comes in from Brazil, much cheaper.
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