One of the reasons I like belonging to art groups is the theme-setting that gets me focused. For the Marches Book Arts October meeting, the theme is ‘crepuscular’, which I had to look up in the dictionary, but having done so I wanted to incorporate a few of the animals that walk at dusk and dawn. Then, as the theme was picked for its Halloweenishness, I wanted the book to be a bit creepy. Then, because I have been so textile orientated for a long while I thought, (with fear and trepidation) that I would try paper work again, and also to practice for the first time in an age my traditional book making…..hesitate to say skills as once glue is opened I can make one doosie of a mess without much effort!
So – here is my book, which depicts the food chain of the evening forest, through the medium of Lickle Red Riding Hood.
Red Velvet cover, Birch trees of layered papers, inked and foiled, plus some real lichen
First watercolour for several years
Titled with a line from Tolkien ‘In the Forest Singing Sorrowless’
Damn, those mozzies
Bufo Bufo
An adder
An Owl
A Fox
The cottage with the Wolf
On the textile front, I just have to add some beads to the sample/practice piece from the WIT (What If Textiles) group theme of found objects. I just cannot do UFOs so everything I start must be finished. This will not be finished to a high standard, but it will be a finished piece!
Rose Coloured World 
I think I am just far more aware as I get older. Plus fare for more aware of how different it could be and how different it was in the past. I do agree though that, yes, it has become much more important partly because I see it’s value far more now too.
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And I find it is becoming more important the older I get – are you Colin?
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I often find my self thinking how fortunate we are that we can create. I’d go spare I think if i were not able to create stuff. With me it’s only knitting or crochet or dyeing but I am forever thankful for it. Not just the ability but the passion.
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