new Hoop framed works

 I have been so busy while my lot have been away (they are back today! yeah!)

I had somewhat of a revelation on sunday! I heard that an exhibition I really wanted to see was closing that day and seeing as I was minus family I jumped on a train to manchester to go have a look.

Manchester city art gallery is a wonderful place with a great permanent collection full of some victorian gems! I went to see the Ron Mueck pieces that were finishing that day, just 3 peices but they have to be seen in the flesh to be appreciated ! I knew that if I made the effort to go see the mueck work i would also get the chance to go spend some time with the pre raphaelite work that I have always love since I was a very little girl.

Muecks work was amazing the scale is staggering and the detail breath taking well worth running to see. But it was in the victorian paintings section that I had my revelation. I have alway loved the pre raphaelite's work particually Rossetti and Burne Jones but never really learnt much about them or the symbolism they used, I just responded instinctively, they are beautiful pictures of beautiful women with beautiful fabrics and nature all around them. I realised that the way i try to draw faces has a look of Rossetti and Burne Jones! by no way do I do it as well as them, its more of a style , the shape of eyes and lips and noses, I was so pleased to notice the conetion, I really gave me the confidence I had been lacking to just draw the way that comes naturally and not change , I spend time in fornt of a few of the painting I love drawing they faces and trying to understand how they structure the whole painting. A wonderful task and one I think I need to do much more of.

Anyway before going to Manchester, I had ideas for hoop framed embroiderd drawings of ladies with owls but wasn't sure how they should look and was doubting my drawing style. after the revelation I found the confidence to just go for it, I looked at some of the poses from the paintings and used those within the work, I am over the moon with the finished pieces. I need to try lots more ideas using my new found confidence now ! see what you think, theres more pics on my flickr page if you like what you see. I now have to concider whether I want to put them in my shop or not yet??