Regency Colour nº1- Coquelicot

Coquelicot is the French name for the regular field poppy. As the name would suggest the colour coquelicot is poppy red. The colour was at the height of fashion at the end of the 1700´s, although nice girls could only wear it in small doses, in trimmings or accessories. It is interesting that also around this time the Victim´s Balls are being held in France where ladies wear red ribbons around their neck to represent the cut of the guillotine. And because this is all so French I´ll leave you with Edith.

Edith Piaf by Angelique Houtkamp

Piecing it together

I have begun to put together all the patch squares to make my quilt top. I am very happy with the result so far, I have never made a quilt before and am just figuring it out as I go. Making this quilt has been as much about problem solving, like piecing a puzzle that you invent as you go, as it has been repetitive and meditative. It is rewarding to see it all come together but I would be happy now to see the end. I need more patience... and perspective. Maybe Andy Goldsworthy can help.

Clip from the documentary on Andy Goldsworthy "Rivers and Tides".

Andy Goldsworthy is an artist that works directly with nature. He rearranges the natural environment to create and make visible an awareness of a beauty in nature we do not always see. I especially like the works with coloured leaves.

Embroidery to inspire

"Blue Lass" by Jenny Hart with Dame Darcy, 2004
hand-embroidery on cotton, approx 18" x 24" 

I love Jenny Hart´s work for the colour and detail as well as the mostly non traditional subject matter.

I have started looking for inspiration for my own design to embroider. It will be a simple garland of flowers. I am thinking of something along the lines of the traditional folk designs from Mexico or the Nordic European countries with a twist.

I hope to paint a mural one day.

This beautiful tile mural was designed by Maria Keil(b.1914) for the São Sebastião Metro Station. Starting in 1957 Maria designed murals for a total of 19 stations and they are all beautiful works of art. She was also a graphic artist, painter and children´s book illustrator. I love her work.

The top image shows the mural in the Viuva Lamego Tile factory where it was painted. It is not often you can see the origins of these great public works of art.

Bruce Mau. An incomplete Manifesto for Growth. Nº 28

28. Make new words.

Expand the lexicon. The new conditions demand a new way of thinking. The thinking demands new forms of expression. The expression generates new conditions.

Bruce Mau. An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth.

More Purses and Canaries

Pretty purses for all occasions. Esquilisit!

If you happen to be in Lisboa you should check out the Canary Islands Urban Culture Festival at Lx Factory. Contrary to my belief the skies of the Canary Islands are not filled with canaries(the bird), but I can dream.

The latest

These are just a few of the new bags that you can get from The Wrong Shop in Lisboa as of today.

I´ll post some more photos later so that you can see all of them.