February Meeting 2014

Back by popular demand, Sally with her rotary cutters.

 Her talk was very informative, guiding the audience through the different sizes of cutters, rulers and cutting mats and pointing out the correct (avoiding injury) way to handle the blades.  She then went on to demonstrate how seemingly complicated patchwork patterns can be quite straightforward to construct and that there are even methods of machine stitching those shapes hitherto pieced by hand. Those who wanted to have a go with the tools were then supervised and there was even opportunity for the more clumsy or timid to use a protective glove.

I've always felt that blogs should be more pictures, less writing, but honestly (and apologies to Sally) how exciting can we make pictures of rotary cutters?

 No, not 16 tiny patches but rows of colour cut up and joined by machine.

 Is the curved handle (better grip for the more arthritic) taking a bite out of the pinking blade handle?

This photograph even includes a turntable cutting mat - not to be used for pizzas. If you're reading this Sally, I think better photographs could be organized, my fault. 

The afternoon talk was given by Sue Stone, a member of the 62 Group who lives in Grimsby. She described how the town, historically, had been involved in the fishing industry and how this had lead to her using images of fish in her work. Much of her recent work has been inspired by the works of fine and graffitti artists. Using the composition of artists such as Grant Wood she combines old family photographs and 'street images' to creative her very individual embroidered panels.

 Part of the self portrait based on Guadi's Barcelona - the whole piece can be seen on Sue's website.

 The companion piece to the self portrait, this one of Sue's husband.

 A detail from a panel based on graffitti

Graffiti combined with a photograph of four children in Sue's husband's collection - no one in the family knows who they are so we had a bit of a discussion at the end of the talk about whether they were the part of the family who emigrated to Canada or Australia. The signature fish are also included.

Another very enjoyable day.
Reminders for the members - don't forget to do something with the spoon!