Inspiration among the sunny dunes

This is the completed sample from the workshop I did with Jean Draper at the K&S show.

The rather garish colours were the choice of Jean's cleaner who helped her to put the packs together. Not my choice so I have attached the piece to a strip of old pelmet vilene, covered it with expanda print, zapped it with the heat gun, covered it with gesso, ink and spray paint and it is now drying and looking very different. I will post more photos when the sample is completed.

We have had two beautiful days so I have been out and about looking for inspiration for Textile 21's next exhibition entitled 'Recollections'. I was inspired by Jan and Jean's work at the K&S show. Whilst playing golf on Saturday, I saw some good ideas and so I have been back to photograph them.

First the Hawthorn trees, complete with moss.

I loved the red berries against the gold moss and the black branches.

This is some more moss. It is a very delicate green, almost white and full of texture.


Here is Barney getting in the way of a photo of the dunes, at the side of the golf course.

I loved the waves of hills and the large spectrum of greens in this view. Unfortunately, they have not come out quite as true as the real colours.

Another inspiration is the Sea Buckthorn. I love the orange berries against the grey foliage. There is plenty of this plant on this part of the coast. The berries have a very bitter smell, but I have always wanted to do some artwork from this source.



Finally here is a crab apple tree which grows on the dunes. Every year it is full of fruit which stays on the tree into the depths of winter. The apples look like lime-green gems when the sun shines.