plots, plans and clever tricks...

Probably a mis-quote but a line from one of my boy's books when they were small and when Gillian is around ideas, inspiration and new works always abound.

Such a pleasure to have her here, busily printing and trying out ideas, spinning more ideas together.

Gillian is like me an early riser, so nice to have a little chat at 6.00 am when we both start work...my lovely Praveen does not function until a few hours after waking.

 

OOps something happened and I published halfway through....3 days with Gillian is way more than that!
Generous, she shared some secrets that she uses to give depth to here Ladies pictures...Derwent watercolour pencils especially for textile use.

We pack kits for Gillian- take a look on her website, she will explain it all far better than me.
Good for the gang to see what happens with all the strange odds and ends we pack and send. They were most impressed to see the books she had published and recognize some local views.

She came out with us to visit our Tawla Ladies, interesting to hear her observations later on the way we work....we are quiet exacting with quality, which is especially important in the beginning phases to impress upon Stitchers what we need to ensure all our work. We have lots of laughs through the process, keep it light but as Gillian observed it is exacting.

This simple picture speaks volumes about Gillian, she is incredibly hard working, 6 am and stuck in, all day busy experimenting in the workshop, catch every tourist opportunity and bubble of fun. Inspiring woman.

Take a look at these few snaps- my vegie guys are always quiet, polite and have the very freshest and best quality around...take a tourist along like Gillian with such interest and a cute little camera and they become movie stars posing for photos, discretely checking out the camera, impressed. You realise travel is not just about the sites, really it is about people....we may look different but friendliness and a big welcome come out the world over.

Whilst she was here, many discussions of her upcoming trip to Ghana- our friends Magie and Bob of the African Fabric Shop are there now, if you can't join us on tour to this Craft heaven, you can get a great fix from them. Stay tuned for her pictures next month.....oooohhh wish we were going too! Here are lots of pictures from our trips and other images to whet your appetite. Most of Africa would be wonderful to explore but for a tour we must be practical- look at stability, are there health concerns, infrastructure....Ghana comes up trumps on all these fronts, unlike many African countries unfortunately and has a very active craft scene. Must find time to go again soon. Do email us if you wish to be in the loop

And

and, and

Bucharest to Budapest - a new tour, we have all the info in place, lots of contacts etc we just need to do a walk through and check all details. Gillian got us enthused on this one and we are going to meet up July 2016 for a wander. It will be on the Agenda 2017. Yippee.

Really this is just a fraction of all we talked about, new plans for the future, new kits Gillian will have available, playing indigo and resist prints, just a lovely time having her buzz through our lives

BIG SMILES

 

been there and back- Artist-in-Residence

I feel very boring, it is always the same story, based around running like crazy, but if I actually draw breath and think about it, a little something new happened yesterday. My office guy sent me through invoices all set out correctly and ready to send on- he did it not me!!...the office work learning curve has been a huge millstone this last year... but that felt like light at the end of the tunnel.

Another observation- Praveen's job is to look after tour bookings, I do all the email/ interaction stuff because I am more vocal but he handles the organization....as you know he has been working since 8 so school really did not happen, supporting his family on a rickshaw from 12 [thought I would throw that in it always wrings my heartstrings]

When I first met him, he could read Hindi slowly but English was not possible....I was watching him go down through the itinerary yesterday on his own. He is amazing, my man. So proud of him and it is a bit more office work I can allocate to other people.....

I have this sneaking feeling next year might be a little easier....I might have more time to work on new ideas in the print room, hand stitch samples- all those yummy creative things possible in our beautiful workshop!!

It is always good to dream

 Here are some of our dreams come true, a new women gets the pat on the back and becomes a Stitching Lady....

 Really lovely to go to Bangalore and meet Kusum of Timri, kindred soul and new friend. Bangalore is amazing- felt like we were out of India, so affluent compared to where we live....down side for the locals is the traffic- 2 hours to drive 23 km.

and then we went onto Hyderabad- beautiful architecture.....want to go back...lots of handloom in the surrounding area, just need time to look for the connections.
Then off to Oz and back again- ohh my boys are gorgeous and my mates great to see.
Back again and scurrying to get through things until that moment yesterday I noticed there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

My mate Dawn chortles some days and says "Be careful what you wish for" when I am having a bit of a moan about how much work we have on for our Stitching.....
there are other days when "Be careful what you wish for " has a whole different flavour....one of those things I have wished for since I came here was a studio I could create in and a space I could share with us....thanks very much to Praveen we have a workshop we are so pleased with- space for us to be creative, a place to create work for others and now I am realising we finally have the space to polish up the Studio side of our workshop.....
Really it is already happening with our visiting student groups, workshops we do for passing visitors and our tour groups, The Indian Inspiration Creative Camp is a Pukka Studio experience.....[ still time to join us for the whole time or a few days]

3 conversations in the last week have happened upon the idea of making our space available for Artist-in-Residence" experiences.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
We would be happy to share our workshop, but need to define the experience. Artist-in-residence suggests it is a space to be used as part of an arts practice, so there would need to be clearly defined goals, what are they coming to pursue...not just a place for someone to lob up.
If people want to learn - we do workshops, if they want to visit they can ring and be invited,
For the artist-in-residence programmes I looked at in my teaching/travelling days you applied had goals etc.
I would also ask residents bring a skill or idea they can share with our women...impromptu learning not formal it would scare them....but secretly we would like to train them up to be micro-entrepreneurs who make things of their own design- we could put them in the workshop shop for sale for them.....more dreams there.....another story.
So thanks for listening....writing to you I am talking the idea through in my head...any comments, observations, suggestions greatly appreciated. details to consider....
Applicants? drop me a note.
All the best wishes for the season
Fiona

 

Building....hopeful camels, helpful cows....

A mate just asked for a building update....it is getting close now....

 Baba - early morning ready to go to work...hopeful for a handout on the way. He is integral to building, ferrying water to the workshop in his camel cart.

 Door is installed for print room

 stone shelves are in place...

 tiles are going onto roof to weather proof everything

 view from print room window

 Ladies Stitching room- space for 2 quilt tables and plenty of stuff

 lots of windows for good light

Matilda the cow...sampling cloth we are dyeing for new Peace Graffiti Lycra yoga tights....
Things are happening...can actually start to see an end to it all.
can't wait to have a good clean up and get the dust out of everything...picking up files or thread boxes or anything and it is very liberally coated in dust- yuk!!

Indian Inspiration Creative Camp

We've got a new idea!!
I've already mentioned it....and you know what I am like....driving me nuts enjoying all the details to be thought of....
much plotting and planning to be done, new Heritage Hotel near Bagru to be checked out...going on Friday and we will have most things starting to settle into place.
Got a few invitees who have skills to share...stitch people, journal maker...but mostly it is you and your skills, India and being away from home for inspiration and a great place to work that is the focus.
Excited by the ideas...take a look at the idea so far.
We have just had a week end!
Diwali and full moon so workshop closed for 2 days and we actually stayed home, left all office work and workshop responsibilities aside and hung out.

 we went on a camel cart picnic.... great way celebrate a birthday....

 Dawn is visiting...working on book ideas using papers and bits and pieces she gathered up whilst on tour...I think she has some twine made from my sari silk to bind it....

Baba is looking cool with his new nose rose...and boy does he know it!

I did succumb and wash a few saris but mostly did not think of work!!

Busy and fun

 We take one minute to sit still amongst all the running around with our group and a friend does this to us....perhaps I liked her more when she was a Luddite!

 We are well pleased with having the house full and so many feeling at home...Our Pukka Studio is full steam ahead.

 Went to the dye man yesterday- always fun to play amongst the drying clothes.

 Sanju Devi is with us leading another workshop in Sujani embroidery...we feel so privileged when she comes to visit, she is lovely to spend time with.

 I do have a tiny pop up shop of her stuff on our FB page- if there is anything you like message me and I can get the price from her and then organize to post it to you before she leaves....the work is naïve and charming as always.

Yippee!!

I amongst life being totally wild with 10 University students spending 2 weeks at the workshop it has been confirmed that we have reached the grade for Craftmark for our stitching work.

We are so chuffed- this is accreditation to say it has been seen we walk our talk...we know we do but for you further away it is am assurance it is really happening.
For us the most valuable part of this process has been the assessors comments of the engagement of all our gang, understanding of what we are hoping to achieve and feeling of being an important part of it.
Such a big Yeh!!!

 Ashok-ji introducing the students to couture embroidery

 Nandu taking a breather in the blockprint workshop...

Big lunches- great times :)

treasures have been arriving

I was enjoying all this treasure the other day, imges people have sent me of things they have been making....ooohhso nice to see and admire

Beautiful silk, collected from the forest of Bihar, hand spun , hand loomed aquired and hand painted by Caryl Plant- what a combination. It along with much treasure will be part of an upcoming exhibition she and her sister Rhyll are producing  called ‘Beyond the Nightingale Floor’ and will be at the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery June 2012

A departing image collected by Cas, the day after Diwali as she was departing Delhi has been transformed into this work in progress- it will be wonderful to see the full results of these women's hearts and imaginations when they are all ready to show.

This next lot was an equal pleasure for Praveen and I to receieve. Our student Kylie [I know that sounds so grand and really she was here for a short period of time but she is the first student to visit us as part of her studies with an Australian University] and it was very exciting and stimulating to show her around and discuss ideas.
This is her final exhibtion basedon Kylie's block designs, carved to her request carved by our connection in Bagru, hand spun, handloomed cottons and Kylie's block designs,  and then printed by Mrs Nandu. Some of the stitching was undertaken by some of our women and much was completed by Kylie [ we realised the time factor in these new undertakings can be longer than expected].

This is the work of her final project for her Bachelor of Design based on interaction with developing world artisans and techniques.

We learnt a lot about what is involved being facilitotors in such a process and found it very stimulating  because it forces to you do things the way you always do them. It also sparkled off many thoughts on where we could go with some of the work we are producing- nothing like Kylie's work but certainly inspried to think out of our square...creative energy is so positive it always leads to more new ideas and positive growth.

Good on you Kylie, may your future be bright :)

 Our long awaited new workshop [ I know not really that long but it sure feels it!] 
I arrived home all excited to get at it and sort everything out to my satisfaction when I got some weird belly thing and have spent about 15 hours a day sleeping for the last 5 days and the rest groaning with a sore belly- not fun...not fun but the sleeping was quite nice.
I usually find it hard to sleep anywhere near enough- too much excitment in life.

 Well now I am perky and loving it....we still have electric supply problems but our brand new generator arrived last night and by tonight that will all be something of the past, that is why the guys are sitting in the sun cleaning garments- no power. You can see where one day we will set up my painiting table.
Above is the entrance to the cutting room on the right and the stitching room on the laft, to the left side is the entrance to the office....my domain :)

 This view shows the entrance to the office directly in front, the door to the left side is the kitchen and across to the right at the bottom of the steps is the entrance to the store room.
Space, beautiful space to be able to keep things sorted out, clean and organized. Almost everything has been cleared from home so all will be in one spot and days can be so much more productive, before this I was always bouncing back and forth trying to find things.
Sagir my office guy is slowly getting a handle of much of the paperwork soon I will actually have leisure time at home because all thinsg will be at the workshop.....Praveen has never really known my like that and I know he will get a surprise with how much I like to read. I have found an Indian website like Book Depository [I do love them but they do not deliver to India no matter how much you beg....and I have tested this out many times]
Exciting future in 2012.

 Our car is off the road and so I have had to rely on Baba support...this is me being ferried home from work yesterday.....good thing about a camel cart is you can lie down, watch the world go by and take business calls all at once. Just after this picture I receieved a business call, plotting and planning with a prospective new client laying in a camel cart....what would she have thought if she could see the pace of life here?

I did give her a clue when another camle cart overtook us along the way....what fun :)

Christmas greetings to all who celebrate this event may yours be truely happy .

organizing and organizing...and a little more organizing......

You know some days I feel like I am living in the Myth of Sisyphis- where Sisiphys is always going over similar ground....in this case we are constantly working on improving our stitching project practices.

Seems somedays we just get everyone sorted out and they go and do something weird....oh well we will continue.

I think we will do all sewing machine work at the workshop and all hand stitch with the ladies....we were giving the silk blanks used to make the silk jackets to a local lady to stitch the 2 sides together...she started off very carefully but has got a little more out with the measurements with each batch....I have alerted her to the problems and it is sorry madam, sorry madam but no actual improvement to the original quality and sorry does not make the shapes correct.

oooohhhhhhh- why? she wants the work, is very happy doing it.....I simply don't understand it.

 Just realised I have a studio all functioning....it is outside under the trees next to Baba parking and I am loving using it....I have felt like painting for some time now...was thinking to get canvas to work on but this is satisfying the need quite nicely and making some excellent clothes....

I can see myself heading down the road of a range of clothes for Woman of a Certain Age.... you know Tasty Old Chooks Clothes [for those who need a translator  chook is Australian for Chicken]
I have had so many converstaions over the last year about how hard it is to get interesting clothes for the 40+ years not Ganny clothes.
I am making interesting things for young chicks for one of my clients....and painting away my mind is burbling with all the things I could do for myself....which spread to others as well......and then someone else I am sending an order brought the same idea up again -like how times does the Universe need to talk to you?- must be anbout 6 times now all on the same theme usually you only get the one nudge and need to jump.

Plotting and planning happening....most interested to see where it leads.
Oh Albert Camus wrote and essay looking at the Greek Myth of Sisyphus and concluded
"The struggle itself...is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."


he is right.

tweaking, tweaking, tweaking!!

Isn't this a harvest to be proud of? My sort of grand daughter [Dawn's grand dauhter Belle really, but I get the occasional Granny-ji as well] is 2 and half and mad keen on gardening....this is what has come out of her garden just recently, all put in the basket and taken to Nana Dawn because Nana Dawn will help turn it into pasta sauce! There will be somne in the freezer for me to sample when I arrive in April....ohh and lots of warm cuddles.

 It was merely going to ake me 5 mins to add a few pictures to the Pukka Studio page Books 'n' Blocks

 when of course I spot a whole heap of other things that also need tweaking on the Studio pages....I think, NO I hope I am nearly there now....at any rate I am going to run away and do other things for a while my head is spinning.....

 When you take a few minutes to plan, tool kits do not need to be large....this small pile of tools willl fascilitate hours of enjoyment and productive activity...