Embroideries

These are a selection from the final set of embroideries I've been pressing into my pots, they look nice in black and white - I'll pop these in the project book of images I'm making!

Newest pots

Working with an audience

There has been studio based chaos this week, I've been doing lots of late nights and had a small crisis midweek, but that's resolved itself now.

I'm quite enjoying working with what is now quite the little audience of faces.

I'm really pleased the hessian pots, more than the ones which are just embroideries on calico.

The edges which get trapped and distorted in the mould process are also really interesting, I've decided to embrace them rather than neaten them up, it's those bits that give them character.

Gt Uncle Norman

100th Birthday

Today would have been Grandad Ward's 100th Birthday

Here's some photos of him looking lovely. There's not very many photos of him in the biscuit tin collection. Dad says that he was always the photographer.

I've drawn him for The Ward Project recently, he's got a nice face to draw.

The stray 'Gardner' in the Holmes Family.

Well I was wondering where the name Gardner kept popping up from - it's not a name of anyone that i've heard of in the family.

I had a look at the family tree and worked out that there were some Gardner's on the Holmes side of the family but none of them were direct relatives of Jessie Elizabeth Gardner Ward (nee Holmes)

Having spoken to Dad, he tells me that the story goes something like:

There was a man once called Walter Gardner, he was a Jockey and he is meant to have died losing weight for a race. Apparently they used to sit in horse manure and the exothermic reaction (or something) overheated him and he died suddenly.

There is meant to be a legacy of a large amount of money left somewhere in the family, but no one to our knowledge has ever found it. Perhaps it's hidden under the floorboards of a house, or in a bank under a different name? Anyway, Jessie Holmes was given the Gardner in her name to entitle her to a share of this legacy if it was ever found.

How interesting - It's stories like this I had been excited about finding.

Faces and hessian in clay

Having been to see Sarah Purvey I got loads of ideas and since then I've done lots of experiments and I think I've almost come to a conclusion.

I really really liked the imprint of the hessian on the clay, it made the faces stand out really nicely and really made the most of the texture by complimenting the texture of the stitch.

I think the coiling idea has run it's course as well, though i'll have to talk that one over. I like the idea of making big slab pots in a mould, as that would allow me to got at deeper impression of the stitch and hessian.

Anyway here they are, Grandpa Holmes is looking pleasingly grumpy as ever!

Talking to America

I emailed Jillian in America yesterday and she's just sent me this lovely reply!

"Hi Kate!

Wow all of that sounds so interesting! I looked at your blog and all the research you've done is so amazing!!
My grandmother unfortunately does not have an e-mail address but you can have mine and I can pass on anything you would like! and yes she has so many great stories and knows a lot which could really be of some help to you!

I can also ask my mom to help out, she loves finding things out about her English Heritage!
If you have any questions or anything you can e-mail me anytime! :) It is so great to finally talk to you!"

Jillian is the Granddaughter of Peggy Bouchard (nee Ward), who was Alf's daughter. Peggy Married Herb Bouchard and moved to America. That's as much as i know! Hopefully i'll find out lots more!!

It's getting more exciting!

The Imprints Progress

I've had a little change of plan on the pots front. They just weren't working as they were. The faces were lifeless, looked sort of 2D and were really lacking the soul that i really want them to embody.

The new shape and size is still undecided, but for now, i'll show you the handsome faces of the clay impressions.

Grandma Louisa looks particularly handsome!

To try and bring my people pots to life i had a go at giving them ears, He particularly had a little hint of Prince Charles about him. I can't say i disliked it, but it made the pots more novelty than i wanted them to be. It seemed a little disrespectful to be giving extra ears to people who died long before i was born. The bobble hat to similar effect.

Progression

Well it seems The Ward Project has spiralled into my Textiles project as well as my Ceramics work. Not sure how that happened. Suspect it has something to do with Claire.

I'm really enjoying my projects at the moment, My textiles is really exciting me, but it's also stressing me out!

I'm embroidering the pages of Grandma Ward's recipe book. It's taking me forever. I think it must be a labour of love!