Tibor Reich exhibition

Tibor Reich workdesk

Tibor Reich? I hear you ask, who was Tibor Reich?
I thought I would share some recent photos of my trip to Manchester's Whitworth Gallery and the fascinating exhibition of his work.

The Whitworth is looking fabulous after it's 15 million pound facelift!
Although you may not have heard of Tibor Reich, if you are a 'Baby Boomer' then his textile designs will fill you with buckets of nostalgia. Even if the nostalgia is not familiar the influence his textile designs have had on contemporary design is obvious.

Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1916, Reich studied architecture and textiles in Vienna before moving to the UK in 1937. In 1946 he set up Tibor Ltd, and introduced Colour into the drab interiors of post war Britain.

Printed fabric

The bright and modern designs must have been a breath of fresh air to those used to dark and sombre furnishings and fabric.

 His fabrics were used by famous furniture designers of the 50's and 60's, G plan and Ercol.

Many moons ago I started my time at Art college with the intention to go into textile design, although I meandered down a different path I still have a love of pattern and I found it fascinating how Reich used photographs to create abstract fabric designs. This was based on a sweetcorn cob.

This fabric is based on a photograph of cracked mud. Before the world of digital manipulation the photographs he took were cut up and rearranged into pleasing patterns and then hand drawn as fabric designs.

His fabric designs were stylish and aspirational even gracing the seats of Concorde in the 1960s. Being an Architect he designed whole houses and interiors.

He also created tiles and ceramics

Little ashtrays free given to clients in the late 1960's

He drew such wonderful quirky faces.

This is an original design drawing for a ceramic piece.

I loved this patchwork of his fabrics!

 These are some original drawings for fabric designs. Beautifully drawn and painted.

This was a very well presented exhibition that brought  history to life in such a successful way!

A late autumn

sketchbook pages

Autumn is milder and later than normal, although recently the winds have picked up and the skies are changing.
 There have over the past weeks been crystal clear days where the dark berries sparkle.

And more overcast days where the warm colours are subdued.

The leaves have stayed on the trees longer.

The colours more vibrant.

The brambles are later, some still yet to ripen.

Soon the trees will lose their robes of gold.

Fishy tales

This week I thought I would do something a little different. I noticed a great challenge blog called Art journey journal and saw that orange esmeralda had come up with a great theme this month 'SEA'
I haven't done an on-line challenge for ages and fancied having a wee dabble.
 The sea is always in my work in one way or another, spending most of my life living by the sea it is hard to imagine being away from it.

 Being vegetarian I don't eat fish, but I do enjoy drawing them. I think it is their reflective, metallic look which I love. I am always using foils and gold or silver flakes in my work, I'm a magpie when it comes to glitter!
I was going to collage a fishy piece based on my drawing but instead decided to make a lino cut and repeat the pattern almost like a fabric print.

From my drawing I made a lino-cut and then used it to print onto heavy watercolour paper.

After I had printed the fish I covered them in masking fluid and ink sprayed the background with cosmic shimmer spray.


linking up for the first time to..art journey monthly Thank you Sheila for a great theme!

and as usual the wonderful paint party Friday

forget-me-not beginings

My workspace today has the beginnings of a new collage/painting

A couple of weeks ago I was reading the blog of the very talented Lisa Graham. She had taken a beautiful photo of her riverbank blanketed in Forget-me-nots.
The little flower stuck in my head and I went in search of my own. These ones are not so large, nor do they blanket a riverbank, they are still very beautiful. I wondered If I could incorporate them in a seascape I had begun working on.

For the seascape background I am trying something new. Painting on aluminium foil. I have had several failed attempts so am hoping I have finally cracked it.

There is something very special about forget-me-nots, according to legend their name originates from medieval legend and involves an unfortunate knight and his Lady love. Whatever the origins are, it is a beautiful name.
Who could resist a bouquet of forget-me-nots? ;)

My sketch gives me the form I want to collage. I also stick paper fragments in my sketchbook to help me decide on colours and papers.

Another paper delivery yesterday... Wonderful!!
Paper makes me happy ;)

Linking to WOYWW
and Paint party friday

Unfortunate and fortunate. My right foot.

Today it's not so much what is on my desk, as I can't get to it at the moment, but what is on my lap!

I mentioned in my last post that I had been ill with pneumonia and was at last on the mend....

Well life often throws us a curved ball and within days of that last post I had fallen down my steps and fractured my foot!
I have never broken a bone before and nor do I want to again. Life on crutches is proving tricky as I can't weight bear for around 4 weeks. :(
Things I take for granted are often out of reach, my house has become an assault course, and trips up or down stairs to be viewed with trepidation.


I have started to sketch on my  lap, it is hard to get things easily to hand so I am using what is easy to get hold of.

Sketching with Inktense pencils.

I have used some of the lovely get well flowers sent to me as inspiration.

I have been doodling flowery patterns too.

Also... Big Tah dah...

 I have spent my sofa time learning to crochet, something that until last week had baffled me! Now courtesy of you tube I am beginning a blanket. By the time my cast comes off I want it to be finished. It will be a reminder of how much I take my mobility for granted and how lucky I am to be fit and able bodied ( Usually) Many are not so lucky and it is not a case of enforced rest for a few weeks and the removal of a cumbersome cast.

  

I may be unfortunate, but I am fortunate in so many ways.

linking up to WOYWW this week as I have lots of time to seek out woolly inspiration.;)

 Learning to Crochet

Linking up to  Paint party friday too where I have lots of time to peruse this weeks artful meanderings.

Daffodils

Neocolor crayon and collage on bamboo paper

It's been a few weeks since I last posted having been struck down by a horrible virus, which then left me with pneumonia. I  am not a good patient but lack of energy and breath made doing nothing very easy!!

Feeling the energy levels returning I finally opened my tin of neoocolor crayons for the first time in weeks to do a little sketch.

I am still not up to full speed yet but each day I can do a little more.
I sketched some of my  'get well Daffodils' They are such joyful flowers.
 I added some book-paper petals before the water wash.

And  using picmonkey I  blended the original photograph and the neocolor drawing.

Hope to be up to full speed, blogging and creating very soon.....

Linking to Paint party Friday

Neocolor berries

I have been using my neocolor crayons to draw my favourite Rowan berries. I love their rich colour

The Rowan tree is also a very magical and features in many folk-law tales.

This year there seems to be a bumper crop of berries. Perhaps because of the warm spring.

I have also discovered a wonderful new white marker. Posca pens, never used them before but I am now smitten, I have struggled finding a good white marker and this one may be the one!

September sunshine

Linking up to paint party friday