Backbone

Oh goodness gracious woman,
What a nerve!

Don't be so spineless,

Button up,

Brace yourself,

Have some backbone,

Please.

 

 

Spine - New Work by Penny Leaver Green

The Corset Books by Tamar Stone*

 

Two fascinating links to start the day.

 * More here

Inspiration: Penny's Quilt

I've been thinking about my favourite finds in 2010 and did intend to compile a 'best of'. However, I have discovered so many wonderful artists and beautiful things that it would be a shame to have to choose just a few. I have been 'revisiting' some of the artists and crafters I featured earlier on in the year and I'm forever inspired by their imagination and creativity. One such example is Bristol-based textile artist Penny Leaver Green whose work I featured just over a year ago. 

I have already drawn your attention to her fairytale "into the woods" series, which I love, so today I would like to highlight her handembroidered nursery rhyme quilt.

Have you ever seen such beautiful children's bedding I wonder? A true work of art, which  you can study in more detail here and here. What a wonderful present for a child, to be passed down from generation to generation.

Penny Leaver Green, somebody I'd love to meet, and one of my personal faves.

Penny Leaver Green

It's been a while since I've found anything as interesting as Penny Leaver Green's embroidery.
This Bristol-based textile artist, with a background in English, drama and theatre design, makes sewn pictures from fabric and thread. Her work is conversational, incorporating language and exploring the relationship between fabrics, design and words. The provenance and type of materials she uses is important, nothing is planned, her pieces stem from an idea and develop as fabric is placed in a certain way and thread is worked.Penny occasionally works on a specific theme or creates a series of pictures, such as her bird series, exploring the place birds have in our consciousness.

Six Eggs
Hand- dyed linen ground with silk and thread from a series of pieces exploring the depleting number of British birds

She is currently working on the place buttons have in our culture in collaboration with a button phobic and a clinical psychologist. Through 15 pictures she will be exploring a particular button phobic's reactions to buttons and also looking at the button phobic presence on the internet. Her work will be exhibited in Harvey Nichols in Bristol in 2010.

Scale of Repulsion IV
Vintage French linen, vintage bakelite buttons, thread

A picture based on the response to 16 similar buttons by a button phobic in order of repulsion

It's very difficult to choose a favourite, but I especially like her "into the woods" series exploring fairytales in the woods

Hansel and Gretel

Silk screen print Liberty fabric vintage cotton and thread on vintage calico
the text reads: 'quite happily they played on the edge of the deep dark wood..'

If you are interested in finding out more about Penny, her work in progress and work for sale, please visit her excellent website, flickr stream (beautiful quilts, wall hangings, children's pictures and children's toys) and new etsy shop.

A joy to explore!