My trip involved teaching in Taipei, Taichung , Kaohsiung, Seoul, Tokyo and finally at the 2010 International Quilt Week in Yokahama.

Machine Coiling

My art “Hoo-R-U” continues my textile practices of investigating the “Process of Stitch” and the many alternatives and interpretations using “Free Motion Embroidery.”
Caterpillar was chosen as my design inspiration.

The title instantly became obvious. An alternative to caterpillar’s explosive outburst as Alice approached “who are you?” he retorted as he sat dominantly and proudly upon the mushroom smoking his Hookah. Likened to a must see performance.

I would wonder and consider what personality, character and energy he might have especially seeing as he may have been enjoying smoking his pleasurable appetiser for a while.

My personal criteria was not to specifically emulate a realistic image of a caterpillar upon the mushroom but, to present contemporary art that had visual impact, tone, and texture predominantly using a single technique and the many variables. Most importantly my art must give maximum indulgence, pleasure and curiosity to both the viewer and the wearer.

Caterpillars have many colourful, organic, unique design elements to their structure.

I would see and interpret these features as strong and dominant textile structures rather than the soft, wrinkly, crawly, hairy, scary critters that we dread seeing in our gardens. The coiled forms would rise in strong clusters and flow over a layer of hand dyed fabric.

My caterpillar would sit comfortably within the protected arms of my token mushroom. They were to become one.

Machine made cords were used extensively to create fabric, wispy dangles, coils and edges, to add textural sculptural effects as well as to embellish the surface. My Art U Wear has not been designed around the constraints of a traditional pattern. The preference was for the garment to take on a life of its’ own and grow and flow into a world of fantasy.

My ultimate desire is to connect, both the emotional and visual elements of my art to the viewer.

The love and passion for both textiles and teaching combined with the vast knowledge and experience in technical skill, colour and design are made available through my workshops.Students are guided through a set process from the very basic techniques to the more advanced contemporary textile art form. Students quickly learn how to master techniques and gain the knowledge of knowing how to combine these newly learned skills into producing exciting and individual embroidery.

I encourage my students to develop their own designs, to relax and enjoy the journey and continually ask themselves the question WHAT HAPPENS IF?

The success and pleasure derived from “Free Motion Embroidery” on, under and within surfaces will depend upon technique, colour, design and notions used, combined with the degree of experimentation, practice, experience and imagination undertaken……………..

© Carol Wilkes. Textile Artist and Tutor. carolwilkes5@bigpond.com

The availability of digital photography has offered “Textile Artists” an additional tool to use for capturing and recording images and creating designs. The eye of the camera will view, record and capture images differently than that of the human eye and images become a permanent record rather than a drawing in the mind.

As individuals we have the ability to view and interpret these sights in different ways. Our ability to relate to shape, colour, size and physical appearances allows our interest and imagination to unfold.

Interpretations in fabric and fibre create wonderful visual surfaces, to view, feel, sense and enjoy. Our interpretations can be created into highly individual forms of art, be it realistic, naturalistic or abstract in form.

Fabrics are able to be folded, pleated, twisted, scrunched, collaged, layered, coloured, layered, stitched and cut away to produce subtle and dynamic visual effects

The simplicity of experimentation yields success. Having no limitations placed upon us, promotes innovative and spontaneous works. From these creative pursuits many designs and ideas unfold.

Whether it is a small sample, a completed work, wearable or wall hanging the finished product will be more dynamic and individual when the surface has been embellished.

The possibilities are endless.
….Learn to look
….Learn to experiment.
….Learn to know what you want.
….Relax, enjoy and have confidence in your creative endeavours.

I have a strong desire to connect the emotional and visual elements of my art to the viewer.

I became increasingly fascinated by the explosive birth of “coloured form” rising from multiple layers of decomposing matter as if representational of a short, dynamic, must see performance.

Transient Soul - Morphology Exhibition

It was important to combine and merge the contradiction of the vibrant colours with the murky, muddy colours of earth, weathered rock and decaying matter.

I would see and interpret these “spirit beings” as strong and dominant textile structures. The organic forms would rise in clusters from a layered background of dyed fabric as would appear as if suspended in space.

Legend has it that when lichen grows on headstones it takes on the form of the person buried beneath.  This is very evident in my work titled “In Waiting”.

My personal criteria was not to specifically emulate the realistic visual images of fungi form into textile “picture images” but, to present contemporary art with visual impact, tone, and texture predominantly using a single technique and the many variables.  Most importantly my art must give maximum indulgence, pleasure and curiosity to both the viewer and the wearer. I am known to relentlessly play with a single traditional technique and muck with it.  Blending, fusing, layering, coiling and realising the numerous spontaneous alternatives.

My obsessive nature and curiosity for variation lead me to create and combine various assemblage ideas for the textured works.  Cords were used to create fabric, wispy edges and ends, to add textural sculptural effects as well as to embellish the surface. My wearables in this exhibition although designed from a traditional pattern, take on a life of their own becoming wraps to drape and adorn the body as the fungi and lichen nourishes and cloaks the spirits that lay beneath the earth.

I take a professional approach to my work…..to focus in, never moving away from my story. In the beginning an intense connection to the subject matter at hand both physically and emotionally is paramount.
It can often be a struggle with beginnings and I cannot always justify the amount of time I am taking to formalise my concepts.

I continually remind myself that this is the “professional approach”, being true to myself as well as being able to convey my intention and message to my audience.
It is essential that I develop a strong connection to my subject. Once the connection is realised I am able to consolidate my intentions and to move into my journey of discovery.

Before commencing my story it was important to consider and understand the physical characteristics of the “Old Leather Bag” and in particular the separate elements that would combine to make it one.

The Old Leather Bag

It was important to consider the structure and physical characteristics of the bag, the obvious physical appearance of the outer covering as well as the unknown inner sanctum. The outer covering gave the bag its personality, stability, form and created uniqueness to that particular object in time. The lining gave the bag an inner separation from the hard exterior. The two elements combined allowed the bag to have depth and mystery.
The transferral of the elements would feature predominately in my Artworks

I would also wonder and consider what personality, character and energy the previous owner would have engendered to the bag. Like people some bags ooze new and glossy others look tired and worn. Some are active whilst others remain inactive.

I have taken my own individual responses to the bag using the “Stud” as my story.