HEATHER ELIZA WALKER
  • JOURNAL
  • RECENT WORK
  • SMALL DRAWINGS
  • LARGE DRAWINGS
    • BRAVE OLEANDER
    • FALLING FROM TREES
    • BEFORE THERE WERE SATURDAYS
  • CONFUSED FLAGS
  • ABOUT+CONTACT

Washing Paper

28/8/2017

 
Picture

Sheets of Kozu Shi Japanese tissue drying on the line after staining with coffee
Kozu Shi is the paper I use for all my larger drawings, plus quite a number of smaller works. It behaves more like a fabric than paper, lending itself to a variety of materials and techniques such as staining, washing and stitching. In spite of its low weight (I think about 90gsm) it is a very strong paper and can be ironed just like fabric during the work process or on completion.

Working with stains and washes does require a bit of care, however: cool water is better than warm, which I discovered during this process of staining with coffee today - I was too impatient and used quite hot coffee on a couple of these sheets, which literally turned the paper into soft, wet tissue. The wind got up, and the next thing I knew the clothes-pegs were still on the line, but each with only a tiny, individual scrap of damp tissue! The remaining sheets of paper were lying sans corners in the corner of the decking in crumpled heaps.

In this case such an accident didn't matter. The staining worked really well which was the main point; and as for tears, holes, or damaged corners, I usually like to incorporate those into the work as an 'event' which formed part of the work's creation. I stained up a few offcuts of Kozu Shi to match to repair corners where necessary, and got everything back on the clothes-line to dry. 

After bringing the papers in for the night and airing them, my workspace smelled like a wonderful coffee shop (one good reason to choose coffee!) I will often use tea, ink or watercolour for staining, but on this occasion opted for coffee because of its slightly cooler colour, and the fact coffee forms sharper edges to the layers of wash. I collect leftovers from the bottom of my cafetière, plus on this occasion I added a whole fresh pot - hence the hot water. I would have to research the chemistry to understand why, but coffee seems to size the paper in a similar way to rabbit-skin glue, whether I use ground or instant from a jar.

Thank you for reading,
​A big cheery wave and best wishes to you all!
Heather

✍️

Brain Pickings, Sun and Moon, and Tara Publishing

21/8/2017

 
Picture

I have become rather irregular at blogging recently (it’s lucky I'm not monetised!) but the truth is that my life is upside down at the moment and I'm not getting much done in the way of new work. I always find the best thing to do under such circumstances is to recharge the creative batteries and keep collecting ideas, and make space for new ideas and influences to brew away in the background - then, when work resumes, we hit the ground running and a terrific new body of work will issue forth.
In the absence of any interesting new work of my own, I thought I would share some of this process and post some of the things which have grabbed my attention recently: one is this book Sun and Moon - Folk Tales by Various Artists, which I stumbled upon in Maria Popova's wonderful Sunday email newsletter Brain Pickings. I was so taken with Sun and Moon I instantly broke all my own rules about not clicking on links from my inbox - and I was suddenly on a spell-binding journey around the website of Tara Publishing.
Tara is an independent publishing house started in 1994 by Gita Wolf. The first thing to greet the eye on their home page is a banner which reads: 

Pushing the boundaries of the book form in an age that is busy writing its obituary
​
I was hooked. Then I found their hand-made books and I was a lost cause, falling head over heels for at least four books which instantly found their way onto my must-have list - and they are actually affordable! (Well, one at a time, anyway, if you are like me, and I can always drop big fat hints to my nearest and dearest in time for Christmas!)
Picture

Of Sun and Moon, the publishers write:
"Part of everyday life, yet rich in symbolic meaning, renderings of the sun and the moon are present in all folk and tribal art traditions of India. They are always in relationship with each other. Agrarian societies keep track of time by referring to markers in the seasonal variations of the sun, moon, and the planets. Over the course of time, they have also woven wonderful stories and myths around them. Here, for the first time, is a collection of unusual stories and exquisite art from some of the finest living artists, on this most universal of themes."

Picture

I think you will agree the artwork is exquisite and the book itself looks sumptuous - I can't wait to own a copy.
I will post entries here about the other three books which lit me up. I could cheerfully buy everything from the whole online shop on the website, it is all so beautiful.
In the mean time, check out brainpickings.org where you can subscribe to Maria's newsletters, which I swear was one of the best things I ever did; and please visit tarabooks.com and feast your eyes on some of the loveliest books I have seen for years.
Thank you for reading,
​A big cheery wave and best wishes to you all!
Heather

Images from Brain Pickings newsletter by Maria Popova, Sunday 20 August 2017

​✍️


    Picture
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Picture
    As well as the work you see here, I illustrate under the name of Binky McKee (my mother's maiden name was McKee, Binky was every single one of my great grandmother's many cats!)
    If you would like to visit my Binky website, please click the picture above.
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Picture
    Candle-light shadows. I set up little 'night theatres' in my bedroom. As darkness falls, I light strategically placed candles and watch the plays begin. A perfect activity for the darkest days of winter.
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    All
    Advice
    Artobotic Vending
    Asemic Text
    Binky McKee
    Discovery
    Drawing
    Etsy
    From Life
    Gallery
    Life And Times
    Lockdown
    Materials
    Play
    Poetry
    Template Drawings
    The World
    WIP
    Work

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    RSS Feed

    (Sorry the archives don't nest!)
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    A 2013 work book, still very much in use
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    Please note all images on this website are ©Heather Eliza Walker 2013 - 2020, and may not be used or reproduced without prior consent.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.