Fabric and Textile Art - Slow Stitching

Over the years I have been combining a lot of slow stitch and working with fabric within my work and have really enjoyed the process.  It started getting serious at the beginning of lockdown when the whole world seem to changed overnight and we had to come to terms with a new normal.

As I looked at the creative activities that I was doing none of them seem to still my mind until I remembered the work that I had done the previous year for a textile exhibition in Barbados at the Queens Park Gallery called Celebrating Textiles ( I will share about the exhibition tomorrow).

I realized that I liked the detail that you could get with stitch, fabric and paint - I was keen to experiment, learn new stitches and it set me on an amazing adventure of embroidery, fabric and textile art.

I had done a few fabric projects and made things from fabric as you can see in some of my 'Material Monday projects'  which mostly included crochet pieces.  The stitching, painting, dyeing started to grow.

I combined my love for painting with stitching and haven't looked back.  I start out painting my backgrounds, adding the figure and then the stitching process continues until the piece feels done, learning new embroidery stitches and being comfortable with the supplies.

I am still learning about fabrics and how to work with all the different supplies to create the look and feel that I am after.  I have been enjoying the process and continue to allow my imagination to come up with different characters and scenes.

I  immersed myself into all the fabric, threads, beads and more that I had collected over the years.  It was all there waiting for me to recognize their importance in my creative journey, and so I set about stitching, dyeing, embellishing and bringing together an array of techniques that I had developed over the years into a needle, my sewing machine and all the supplies that welcomed me with open arms, and I have not looked back.

What creative activities have you immersed yourself in over the past 2 years that has helped with your health and well-being?

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Mixed Media Art - Art Dolls - Collaborations

 

Mixed Media Art Collaboration

In Mixed Media Artist Collaboration on Tuesday I show you how to create these Mixed Media Art Dolls.  I am part of a collaboration where each artist shares a mixed media session every second Tuesday of the month.

These are great dolls that you can place in your art journals, creating different characters.  You can join us on Tuesday 8th February HERE for the video

Artsy Second Sunday

Come and join us to see how this page develops on Sunday 13th February for Artsy Second Sunday.  You can join us in the live chat.  Click on the notification bell for a reminder when the video goes live.  You can join in alongside us and we will be in the live chat answering any questions that you may have about a technique.

Join me on Patron - for exclusive content HERE

I am on Patreon - Come and Join me

I took the plunge and started a Patreon Page a while back, as I move forward in my bid to create free content for those interested in the use of creativity and the effect on our health and well-being.

My passion is creating and sharing how the Arts and Creativity can impact our health and well-being and in the process help you spend more time using creativity to unlock your creative talents.

What is Patreon?

Patreon is a place where you can support artists who create content you love, so they can make more content. It's kind of like a membership with different tiers, the cool thing is that you get rewards for each month you support, whether that is just once or on an ongoing basis. 

I have been an artist for over 15 years, a mother, a carer and a creative soul.  I looked after my mother for over 17 years and have seen first hand the changes that take place in a loved one living with dementia and the impact on the family.  I was not longer able to care for my mother and a few years ago and had to put her in a nursing home which was devastating.

Art Heals

I used art and creativity as a tool to help me through the 17 years and saw first hand the positive impact that it had for me as well as my mother and I went on to share my art and creativity with men and women who attended a day care center specializing in dementia care.

I believe everyone should have access to the arts across the board. Creating and sharing what I am doing, encouraging participation and hopefully being inspiring means so much to me, especially when you can create important resources for free. The importance of the arts to our lives really came to the forefront of what I was doing when my mum started showing signs of Alzheimer’s which is now in the severe stages and while the effects were devastating, Art and Creativity and improving both of our nutrition helped us navigate the uncharted territory, and there has and continues to be so many treasured moments. 

The Arts gave us the space to express ourselves in ways that words could not. I have been creating and developing resources for everyone and anyone who just wants to be able to create and find themselves in the midst of their situation too, I also started a free Arts and Health network sharing and curating information about Arts and Health events globally. If I can make a positive impact on just one person that would be a blessing.

Subscribe to a Tier on Patreon

My goal is to help you find ways to incorporate art and creativity into your life and to find those pockets of time.  My art and workshops are designed to inspire you to dream, to remind you of all that you already know, and to help you discover the best parts of yourself.

Check out the Tiers below

$3 Tier - Creative Gifts

$10 Tier - Creatively Treasured

$15 - You are Talented

I want to do more and I’d LOVE for you to be part of the adventure with me.

Through your subscription to my Patreon page, I will have the resources to create more art and more content (including ongoing workshop series, digital downloads, tutorials, vlogs, books!). And you will have access to as little or as much as you want. You decide when you select your subscription tier!

I want to create community; a space where we can all share and spread our creative wings together. I want to share the ins an the outs of this imperfect, messy and beautiful journey and I want inspire you on your own journey.  The ability to create isn't reserved for the special. It is for ALL of us.

Your soul knows there is more,  Your mind has forgotten. My work aims to remind you while you increase your creativity and unlock your hidden talents, Join me.”

Come and check out the Patreon page - HERE

Arts and Wellness Wednesday - Slow Stitching and Art Journalling

Welcome, in today's video I share we look at the importance of taking time for your self to make sure that you nurture and spend as much creative time as you can.

We can very often forget to even think about what we want, how we are or where we are going.  In times especially like these where we can be surrounded by stressful situation taking time just to ask yourself the question 'How am I' and then thinking of a creative activity that you can take part in can go a long way.

I also share about some creative stitching projects that I have been doing - these are my stitched meditations that I dip into every now and then and have created quite a few art panels.

 

Stitched Meditations - Amanda Trought

Mixed Media Art - Amanda Trought

Loom and Stitching

Shades of Green

I will be giving you a closer look of each of them over the coming weeks.

I was inspired by an artist  Arthur Ange on Facebook who creates fabric masks you can see some of his other work HERE  You can also take a look at artist Bisa Butler and her amazing fabric portraits.

I was so inspired to create a fabric portrait that I put together this piece, I want to do more so need to move some tasks I have to do around a bit.  You can also create stitched projects to go in your journal, which adds interesting details and textures.

Stitched Faces - Stories await

I am looking forward to creating some on a larger scale.  It is more like a wall hanging than a mask at the moment.

I hope you enjoy the video, let me know what you are working on at the moment and connect with me.  You can also listen to this post on my Podcast HERE

Stay Blessed and be a Blessing - Amanda!