Interview About My Work

 Photo courtesy of Rob Tysall of Tysall’s Photography



Hello,

Here is a link to a recent article about me and my work in b-c-ing-u online magazine, many thanks to the writer Ann Evans .
http://b-c-ing-u.com/2015/02/02/seas-of-grass/
The photo was taken a couple of years ago at the opening of my exhibition!

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who popped into see me at Warwickshire Open Studios, I really enjoyed meeting so many interesting people and having the opportunity to talk about threads!
I'm still busy stitching my large landscape, I keep lifting it off the machine, spreading it out on the floor and standing on a chair to look down at it.
The work also consists of many small hand stitches, these seed stitches grouped together, forming patterns, run rhythmically through the piece.
This new work, hopefully, will be included in a touring exhibition of Sea's Of Grass and when I get more details I will be sure to share them here!

You will find a couple of pages about me and my work in the August issue of Sewing World Magazine!
Have a good week.

Michala x

A Closer View

My exhibition finished last week and I feel I have now come to a cross roads in my life, what should I do now?
I think it will be important for me to continue with offering workshops and talks, bringing together my knowledge of fine art with textiles.
Also I have much work to continue with, taking time to paint,stitching my large scale pieces which are developing into an interesting sculptural surface.

I read an article in the Guardian about David Hockneys latest exhibition" A Bigger Picture"
I found this extract thought provoking
 Asked what advice he'd give to today's students: "Follow your instincts," he said. "Don't believe that painting's dead, it's photography that's dying or changing anyway, because of technology, just as painting changes because of technology.

Landscape Exhibitions At The Herbert Art Gallery

This week I attended the opening of the Turner Prize nominee George Shaw's exhibition at the Herbert.
His work depicts all the places he frequented as he was growing up around the area of Tile Hill in Coventry.
This landscape is the urban sprawl of council estates, playing fields and run down pubs and garages.
Interestingly he uses humbrol enamel paints, which are the specialist paints for model making.
How he manages to use this sticky, thick, gloss paint amazes me, especially when you see the smooth surfaces he creates on canvas, which are like old Polaroid photographs.
In some ways his work reminds me of the detailed paintings of Stanley Spencer with nature trying to grow through the rubbish tips and crumbling buildings.
It's refreshing to see a talented painter up for nomination and for someone who can really draw, many of his life drawings are included in this exhibition which are excellent.
You can see him talking about his work  here.
The winner of The Turner prize will be announced on December 5th, fingers crossed for George!!

I feel very privileged to be able to say that my own exhibition Seas Of Grass, will soon be on display in the next gallery!
Today I have been packaging all my work up in preparation for the galley to collect on Friday.
I have also been stitching small landscapes especially for The Herbert to sell in their shop during the exhibition, including a range of my exhibition postcards.
So if you can visit The Herbert in the next few months you will have some very varied exhibitions to see, do try and visit if you can.

Herbert Gallery News

Hello, I'm still here amongst my piles of threads, using them to sketch and paint my own personal memories and observations of nature.

It's less than three months until my exhibition " Seas Of Grass" opens at The Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry.

The Herbert have asked if I would do a talk about my work during the exhibition in December as well as a two day work shop in January which will include creative sketch book work and of course stitching.

When I get more details I will let you know.

If you check out the Herbert Art Gallery website you will notice that there are many other interesting exhibitions coming up, including Turner prize nominee George Shaw, who's childhood memories of urban landscapes, featuring housing estates, bike sheds and playing fields are painted with model making Humbrol enamel paint.