Category: Uncategorized

Hi. I am afraid this blog is exactly as I feared – erratic and messy. It’s a bit of this and that. Often way, way after the fact. Sometimes immediately outdated. Probably inaccurate at times too. If there is anything here that you would like more information about, please let me know at Robin@IllustriousPlay.com. (Here’s to sharing the messy erratic process of making stuff!)

Recently, I was commissioned to create some paintings for friends who have moved to a house with a lovely big stairway wall that is perfect for large, bold art.

I actually tried to talk them into finding someone who would create a tapestry or some sort of fabric wall hanging because the space is perfect for it. But they insisted that they wanted my work. To help, they sent me a list of the things they love about their new house which is set in a tree sheltered private garden and a stones throw from the river. I realized that the paintings on the stairway wall could be windows to the garden and the river on the other side of the house.

They are called The River Windows, and because I couldn’t rid myself of the idea of a textile hanging of sorts, they are collages of variously painted, inked, charcoaled canvas and cotton and linen and paper.

As is so often wont to happen, this led to more ideas about mixing all sorts of things together. Here are some more pieces inspired by The River Windows.

Clockwise starting top left: The Girl’s Hair, Sand Dunes, Her Royal Tallness.

My jeans with patches that are my prints.

I used different coloured heavy linen thread for the pocket patches and hand-stitched them because it is really hard to use the sewing machine without accidentally sewing your pocket to itself, I discovered.

The patches are a mix of hand painted cotton, cotton with ink-jet transfers, and cotton printed with my design via Zazzle.

Acrylic on cotton.

• 

• 

• 

• 

I am playing around with printing my images on T-shirts. Material and printer and transfer type all have to be considered. These are my favorite T-shirts – they are really stretchy (viscose & elastane) and cut with a swing. My ink-jet printer does an excellent job with the resolution and color. The transfers iron on well – as long as I am patient and don’t rush it. After washing, there is a bit of cracking which is okay for a sort of vintage look. T-shirts with less stretch – say more cotton or linen, don’t seem to have the same problem. I am going to keep playing around to see if different transfers do a better job. Then there is the issue of color prints on colored material.