More wire wrapping

Even though I did not really have the time, I took another wire wrapping class this weekend, from Sonia Arnold, a jeweller who lives in my area. It was really a great class and I feel that little by little I am learning about this wire and metal thing! Even though my goal is not ultimately to use these techniques for jewellery, I do enjoy making it! Now I have some ideas for closures for my new Offering that I think I can implement... if I ever get to work on it!

Speaking of which, thanks to Carol Sloan who recommended Robert Saluda's website, I found a book (The Elements of Pop-Up by David Carter and James Diaz) with all the info I need for pop up construction techniques. I had visited that website but for some reason had missed the bibliography page! I think pop ups in fabrics have so much potential! I can't wait to play with it.

art all around

It seems that I can get out of the studio but the studio never leaves my mind! While we were in Canada this past week, I we were surrounded by beautiful colors: chartreuse lichen, turquoise lakes and deep green moss...not to mention wonderful textures of rocks, stumps and driftwood! I certainly added to my collection of photos , some of which may one day find their way into my work in one form or another. Here are some of these pictures:

We started our hikes early in the morning, so for a couple of hours, we had the trails pretty much to ourselves. When we were at Moraine Lake, the place where the stream comes down from the glacier to feed the lake felt like a very special place, a place where I could sit for hours and soak up the peace.

Pop up books...pop up "Offerings"?

I am fascinated by pop up books. I remember those I had in my childhood and the magic they held for me. I had not thought about them in many, many years, but for some reason the idea popped up (ha ha ha!) in my head recently. I keep thinking that there has to be a way to create a pop up design in fabric and combine it with one of my "Offerings".

So I went to the children section at the store and bought a pop up book (I wish I knew what happened to the ones I had a long time ago) and spent many hours looking. It is one of those things where the concept is easy to understand, when I look at one page that pops up, I think "Oh, no problem, that's easy" and the mechanics of the whole thing seem logic and simple enough...

Well, think again! I tried cutting out some basic shapes in paper just to understand the folds and angles of the thing. And unfortunately my brain does not do well with that kind of logic! It is a good thing I recycle my computer paper and use it as scrap paper, because I did use a lot of it that way and my studio was covered with little bits of paper as if a blizzard had suddenly come through. I did end up with sort of a mock up, but I am not satisfied. I was not even trying to cut out a design that would fit in the box I am working on or be compatible with its shape.

I wish my brain would let me visualise how I need to fold and cut the "base" or "anchor" piece so that when it is pulled opened the other part of the design opens up, and does that in the right direction! I have a hard time just duplicating what I see! I am quite stubborn and I will play with this until I find a way to make it work. I am not worried about translating the design into fabrics, I think it will actually be the easiest part. But first, I need to solve the basic mechanics. Anybody knows a good reference book or article on pop up designs? I need all the help I can get!....

But then again, even though on some level it is a bit frustrating, it is so much fun and I love it when I can prove to my brain that I can do it!!!