Art or craft piece 工藝創作

The versatility of wool is incredible. Not only flat pieces or wearables can be made but a 3D subject is dorable. My friend asked if I'm keen to explore in the field of wool felt.  I said I deep buried in the experiment.  I hope to create not only a piece of craft but an art piece would be my expectation.  Today is hot but I image the white wool is snow that keeps me cool.  I do wool felt all the year round.

  I made this sculpture. 

朋友問我老遠跑去學羊毛氈工藝可會專注在這方面的發展, 我說這是興趣,  羊毛實在是可塑性甚高的物料, 我要發拙這不但是冬日衣物的材料, 也是立體雕塑的好物料, 今日雖然酷熱, 我仍很享受製作這立體瓶子的過程, 幻想那雪白是冰雪不就涼快麼 !

I used merino wool, raw fleece from Viltalakim and my own dyed silk scraps, also a sea shell.

Layer of wool.

These curly locks are wonderful to work with.

A piece from soft wool to a 3D sculpture

The brown texture is nuno felt of silk scrap.

The other side a sea shell is enclosed.

Close up of the sea shell.

I rounded the top with some air roots of bayan tree.

Can be a vase.

A plant holder.

Or an art piece?

Whatever it serves.........

it's something I love.

They're proudly displayed in my house.

Linking with Creative Princess

Play the magic wand.... 魔法一變 ....

Idea came from Heather's eco dye purse (Heather's blog) we done with Nicola Brown in Portugal,  The outcome of prints on wool was impressive so I made my own with the eucalyptus leaves and rose leaves last weekend.  

Eucalyptus Cinerea is my fav. It gives bold and bright red/orange color. 

桉樹葉就是那麼神奇, 有一種我們在香港花店很便宜的花材尤加利更是我的最愛, 且看我如何把弄印在剛從葡萄牙學會做的 "一件頭" 雙面手袋上. 

The reversible bag has different prints in and out with rose leaves and two kinds of eucalyptus leaves.  Unexpected outcome I've ever done.

 I'm really so happy with this and love to share.  See the pic. how it is made.

After the wool felt purse was made, I soaked in diluted vinegar for a few hours
 before laying the leaves.

Put some euc cinerea leaves inside the purse (sandwich) and a little on the surfaces.   The narrow euc leaves were windfalls after strong wind in my area. It's a "treasure" to get the green leaves since we're not allowed to pluck.

I covered the purse surface with kitchen wrap and bundled. Brought to boil and simmered for 45-min. Left in a thermo pot overnight (keep hot for some more hours). 

See the leaves prints from laying out, then boiled to finished.

 The reversible purse has both inside & outside prints also back & front.

Rose leaves are not so bright but still clear outlines, contrast with euc cinerea bright red. 

Fresh euc cinerea leaves are silver-green and smaller. 

I scattered them over the wool surface and put the euc barks to make the branches. also the euc buds. Amazingly the color is very bold and bright.

Reverse inside out.

A full look with two flaps.

Back side.

With flap down.

Reverse inside out.

Because this is a reversible purse I haven't yet decided how to put the button on. May attach my handmade ceramic button like this.

From plain to bright in 24 hours.

A reversible purse with both looks !  I love the bright orange !

When I see orange color I think of "orange lover" Heather. I showed her blog of wool ring making to my colleague L.  She said orange was her cup of tea and would like to learn.  I'd offer a free session for colleagues to make this cute little thing if time suits.  Before that this little ring goes to L.

My hats off  to Nicola Brown who's so generous to show us how to make all sorts of wool stuff.  I love the rings and have made some for giveaways.  The bigger white one can be a scarf "clip".
Linking with Wow Us Wednesdays.

A painting or just a bag? 是畫也是袋子?

A wool felt painting

  Or a gift pack?

 Can you advise me what to do with this?

 

Recently I like to do wool painting.  I referred to the collection of the renowned contemporary Chinese painter Wu Guan Zhong (吳冠中) and made this.

 Wu Guan Zhong is one of the best known Chinese painters.

 I love his paintings of natural scenery, simple but powerful abstract forms.

 Steps of wool felt painting side one

1. First laid  wool to make a bag with foam resist; 

2.  Wet with soap water, laid the prefelt of houses with needle to "paint"; 

3. Semi "painted" houses ; 

4. Finally put on trees, grasses and do the rubbing and felting;

5. That's the look but I can't nor intended to do the same as original.

 The other side I intended to make it differently with the theme of "sky, cloud and sea". I put the white silk scrap to make the nuno felt as cloud and enclosed a shell.  After all finished I opened to show the shell.

 Two sided bag

 What to do with this bag? Just as a painting put aside?

 Or a bag for toiletries?

Or put a glass inside to make it as a vase?

Anyway, this is a practice of wool painting and bag making.

Peace of mind - Wool painting 心境平和畫作

A wool felt painting dedicated to Lindy.   How and why I made this?
在一個心境平靜的晚上製作這一幅薰衣田園小屋羊毛畫, 送給Lindy.

Dusk moon in the blue sky in Stanley

After a whole day in my Stanley studio on the 1st July, the 15th anniversay of Hong Kong Reunification to China, I was about to leave for urban home.  I called hubby that I'd make dinner that night and expect my arrival in 45-min.  He said there're road blocks due to unrest demonstration.  He told me not to hurry home.  So I  down for a walk in the promenada for a quick meal and decided to stay in the studio for a couple of hours to make something of wool felt.  
七.一假期在赤柱小室小休, 黃昏時想回家之時,  萬人上街遊行堵路,  我不能立刻回家,  唯有再留下做我的喜愛 "創作" 吧.
   

 Laurie's painting on iPad  

Last week I read Laurie's post of her tiny cottage painting which inspired me a lot.    I  got the idea of a little house for the theme.  Thanks Laurie's permission for this.  Then made a wool painting with my imagination with reference to the book "Felt & Stitch" I just bought.
在Laurie 網誌她畫的一幅水彩畫小屋給我靈感, 因而做這幅羊毛+ 刺繡畫.

My ceramic painting of lavender

Lavender is one of my fav flowers. I used to paint on ceramics.  Glazing is not easily handled.  I still hope to pursuit the interest when I have more time.
 薰衣草是我鍾愛, 曾繪畫在陶瓷上,  我的技巧馬虎, 要學習改進!

The layered merino wool

I followed Nicola Brown's instruction of  flat sheet felting. My skills improved after learnt it from Nicola weeks ago. It is much easier and effort saved !
羊毛畫較易掌握, 不過在顏色與舖排我要多點練習.

After fully felted, I machine and hand stitched to make some lines for fields and fences also knots for flowers.  This is how it looks.      Lindy and I are good companions.  We both love the little area Stanley.    Whenever I've time I'd like going there to do my creation and catch up with her over ice cream in McDonald.  She encourages me to do  business on wool felt.  I said now is not the right  moment.   I do not rule out the possibility  (My hubby always discourages me ! ) Now I'm keen on doing practice and make the giveaways to someone I love.
完成一幅羊毛畫後, 我參考剛買回來的書 "Felt & Stitch"在畫上用衣車及手繡田野及小屋等線條.  我愛作薰衣草的畫作, 但香港沒有大片薰衣草田, 我有時祗是幻想構圖,

When making landscapes, lavender fields are always in my mind.  Here in Hong Kong we don't have but stunning mountains are inspiring.
香港沒有大片薰衣草, 但山巒起伏, 視野優美, 是作畫的好題材.  

 I've been living in Hong Kong for decades still most places I've never been   I love this scenery.
在香港生活多年, 有些地方從未踏足,  這是香港那一角度? 猜猜......

This day I have friends Melinda (MzTasty's Kitchen) and Jeanita from the States.

有朋自遠方來, 藉此日前我們驅車上到這山上, 藍天白雲的,  群山擁抱, 遠眺山下是西貢, 蠔涌,  將軍澳....

Undulating views of Sai Kong and Tseung Kwan O

We rode to the Kowloon Peak  (also named  Fei Ngo Shan that means "mountain of flying goose").  Up there we see the New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

這是九龍的最高峰飛鵝山 , 上斜再拐一彎, 極目遠景港島, 山下九龍一 覽無遺.

Down is Kowloon.  Further distance is Hong Kong Island.

These are two pictures I took at each hill top (Victoria Peak and Kowloon Peak) to view the oposite side across the Victoria Harbour.
 從港島山頂及九龍山的兩張遠景對照

After an hour ride we headed to my Stanley studio.   I shown them the wool felt stuff and eco printing.  They found impressive. I said we may find somewhere some time to share the fun. Today Melinda is back to US.     Thank you Melinda and Jeanita.  Because of you I discovered the good viewpoint of Hong Kong. 
瀏覽一會風景, 我們回到赤柱工作室, 當然又是我介紹羊毛工藝作品的 "環節" 了, 他們對nuno felt 及植物印染特別有興趣, 我說有機會我一定會分享製作過程,  今天Melinda已飛回美國, 謝謝你們到訪, 讓我發拙香港的美景. 

Wool felt has become my pastimes.  Doing stitches is peace of mind. I do not bother to demonstrate on streets.  Enjoy being alone in my santuary.

香港有美麗的景色, 有時行行山, 時而做點刺繡, 心境也平靜, 何須太多怨懟要上街示威, 這是各人的表達方式吧. 

Will give this felted painting to Linda when I visit her office soon.

Lindy, 因為你, 我認識這美麗的赤柱及進駐做我的創作試驗,  送給你這羊毛畫,

 

.

The back is eco dyed cotton with iron and stitched  the initial L & M.  Hope she loves it.

 底部是我做的扎染綿布, 繡上 L (Lindy)  & M (Mathew) 及我代名 (tk). 希望你喜歡.
Linking with CreativePrincess