I’m never quite sure if a day spent at a creative workshop counts as a day off or as work, when it is both enjoyable and professional development. Either way, I don’t do it enough and always resolve to do it more. A couple of weeks ago I spent a day experimenting with cyanotype under the guidance of textile artist Hannah Lamb at my favourite independent gallery, Unit Twelve.
My test pieces on paper worked well but the pieces on fabric weren’t the most successful. They got exposed to light before I had them ready and then they got rained on! I have ended up with a couple of pieces that I will use in my own work at some point, even though I don’t often work with blue. The hands pieces in the top left image will become part of a new series of Criminal Quilts and I have ideas to play with from the other pieces. It is a wonderful thing to spend a day experimenting with no particularly end, to simply to find out how things work and to stretch yourself to come up with new ideas, outside of the usual comfort zone.
Ruth Singer 