Annabel Wilson: creative artist

I am running two workshops this Spring at Upwey Old School Hall, Upwey, Weymouth, Dorset in collagraph print making.
The dates are Sunday 19th February and Sunday 18th March.
Here is the poster

Do hope you can make one of those dates.

On Friday I visited the wonderful exhibition "Lost in Lace" at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It is really worth a visit.
Full of large scale pieces inspired by lace. The two artists whose work really excited me are Piper Shepard from the USA and Annie Bascoul from France.
It is only open until 19th February so if posible get along to see it.

A very exciting new development for me, the creation of light fittings from my shibori designs. This new work came about because Stephanie Murdoch director and owmer of the new Gallery on the Square, Queen Mothers Square, Poundbury took me to visit the showroom of Idea Works in Gillingham who make lampshades of many shapes and sizes. A wonderful product that they make is called Tubelight. This is a free standing weighted tall shade with integral switch and lamp holder that produces a lovely glow in the corner of a room.

I produced a few of my designs on fabrics to the required size to be made up into tubelights. The results can be seen in the photograph. The tall golden plantain design is onion skin on silk, the larger soft blue shade is barberry over dyed with indigo on cotton and the small green shade is weld over dyed with indigo on cotton.

These have been very successful and received glowing (!) comments and I am now planning to produce a range of colours in these designs.

I have recently completed this 5 panel shibori artwork of grasses to act as a screen over occasionally accessed shelving.

This screen is created from contrasting fabrics and four different natural plant dyes. From left to right, the first panel is dyed with alkanet on alum mordanted wool gauze, the 2nd is birch bark on alum mordanted habatoi silk. The right hand group of panels are madder on alum mordanted wool gauze, fustic on alum mordanted habatoi silk and then madder again on copper mordanted wool gauze. They help create a serene and uncluttered atmosphere in the room. When the shelving occasionally needs to be accessed the panels can be easily removed as they are fixed with velcro or just lifted up out of the way. The return panels are in a natural unbleached linen fabric, a tougher fabric to line the doorway access through to the kitchen.

I thought I would paste in my poster for my upcoming "indigo vat day "at Upwey Old School, Upwey near Weymouth, Dorset on November 26th 2011. It is mainly for those who have been on my shibori workshops before and just want more time with an indigo vat to produce that beautiful blue.

Beautiful warm and sunny weather here in Dorset so a day for dyeing. I am having an interesting time dyeing with alkanet natural plant dye. Every time I use it I seem to achieve a different colour though the dye stuff comes from the same supplier.
I used 85% dyestuff today, soaked 48 hours, boiled up for 1 hour and then dyed with it on unmordanted wool serge cloth. And instead of grey I got a grey brown colour. I am sure quite fashionable at present but not quite what I was expecting. I suppose that is the way with plant dyes.
It sits well with the madder red I have also been dyeing with, seen here pegged on the line.
These two panels will be made up into cushion covers.

I have been doing some preparation for my workshop on 6th November at Upwey Old School Hall in collagraph printmaking. I have been looking for other printmakers working in collagraph who use relief printmaking methods to give other examples of working than mine. I have come across Pam Shaw and Colin Beaumont whose work I like very much.
Here are a few examples of their work.

Announcing the latest dates for indigo dyeing workshops in Dorset and something new, a collagraph printing day in Dorset Collagraph is a simple and direct way of printing. Using cardboard plates and colourful inks create beautiful images. No drawing skill is needed to have stunning results.
The all day collagraph workshop will be held at Upwey Old School Hall, nr Weymouth, Dorset on Sunday 6th November. Please email me for further details.
Here are 3 images made using collagraph printing techniques. Lovely vibrant colours and strong simple shapes.

There are two dates for indigo dyeing workshops, firstly Saturday 12th September at All Saints School Weymouth. A half day workshop 10 am to 1pm. I will provide expert guidance and design input. come and make a panel that can be used for a bag or cushion cover or a simple hanging. A great introduction to shibori.
I will do another day at the end of November details and dates to follow.

I am producing a new range of colours and designs for a gallery that will open in Poundbury, Dorset in November. Along with my textile hangings there will be a range of sumptuous wool and cotton cushions.
In this beautiful October weather I have been taking the opportunity to do some dyeing. A beautiful dove grey colour, see them here drying in the sun on the washing line before being made up.
These are dyed with 100% alkanet on alum mordanted wool.

Another exciting day with 7 people at Broadwindsor Village Hall, Dorset on 17th September experimenting with stitch resist and indigo. The day was organised by Tania Cash who owns and runs Rumplestiltskin, a shop at Broadwindsor Craft and Design Centre. It is well worth visiting, a treasure trove of wonderful yarns from all round the world.
I was amazed at the many different patterns and textures created by the participants. I am always interested in how different personalities reflect in the ways of working and sewing and making many varied patterns and designs as a result.
The photograph shows the drying rack with a number of the sample pieces on them and also a lovely fish hanging created by Cathy.