Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

 A few years ago, I began scheduling into my day, the routine of a daily art practice.... seven years later, I still love #the100dayproject and am a strong advocate of "create something, anything, every day" .  In more recent years, I haven't been content with a mere 100 days and have often pursued shorter /or longer projects requiring some daily attention. For example, I completed 145 days of slow stitching my garden and then another 60 day random cross stitch garden.... but that's a digression....  This month, I am being far more practical... I still like to send and give Christmas cards, but am always getting them in the post very late, and trying to make some  special unique cards  for the family the night before.... so all this month, I am making Christmas cards - just one a day. By 30 November, I should have some to choose from for posting within Australia and for giving in December.  Here are my first 4 days ....  If you're wondering why bother ...

 When 'anything goes", does it follow that "nothing matters" ? .... I think not.  When I interpret "anything goes", I think it means taking a few risks and experiment, but also care about what you are doing and finding a purpose in the process.  Currently, the Tag Tuesday theme is "Anything Goes" ... This describes my daily art practice at the moment. I am doing #the100dayproject and each day I am responding to weekly published colour prompts #coloricombo, curated by  artist, Este McLeod.  During the last week, the suggested colours were jade green, primrose, vermillion and  purple grey.  Each day, I've been trying to experiment with colour and technique with the goal of developing and learning.  Here are some of the tags I created using these colours, or at least as close as I could manage with stuff from my stash...  I have titled these "Fragments from Afar" as all of them feature an image or a postage stamp from somewhere far from...

from 2022 #the100dayproject- Wilma Simmons    When I see or use a bright yellow, it resonates energy, joy, and happiness.  It is no wonder that in the colour prompts, this yellow is called "sunshine" ... If you haven't been following, I am participating in #the100dayproject, an art challenge, where participants for 100 consecutive days make art for a short period of time daily, using  their own chosen techniques in their self designed project.  I've chosen to respond to the weekly colour prompts #coloricombo , curated by Este Macleod. This particular one  ( black, white and sunshine) is inspired by and is a tribute to the iconic Iris Apfel ( 1921 -2024) ,  who was an American businesswoman, interior designer, and  fashion designer , known for her flamboyant style, outspoken personality and oversized eyeglasses. In business with her husband, Carl, from 1950 to 1992, Apfel had a career in textiles, including a contract with the White House that spa...

 Coinciding with Valentine's Day, Tag Tuesday's current theme is "Love/Hearts" .  My tag is inspired by the song:  … What the world needs now is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No not just for some, but for everyone … This tag features a postage stamp issued in 1995 by Australia Post to mark Valentine's Day. The rest of the tag involved some fussy cutting from old magazine pages and a few little "doll buttons". So simple but I hope it conveys the message.

Solitary Tea #07 - Wilma Simmons 2023   A single tea cup is often the subject of my textile art work. Yes, I do like tea, especially teas like White Jasmine and Buddha's Tears, and I am interested in the history and all that surrounds the subject of tea.  I particularly love this poem by a classical Chinese poet, Wang Wei:  Softly closing the chamber door Alone I await you in the empty room.  You never came .  Disappointed I drink solitary tea.  Solitary Tea #06 - Wilma Simmons 2023  Combining the techniques of photo transfer onto fabric and collage, I created these vignettes in the last week. They are interpretations of the poem and I hope they convey the simple economy of expression of the poem.  Solitary Tea #05 - Wilma Simmons 2023  Previously, I have interpreted the poem, using actual tea bags in the works and featuring my great grandmother as the narrator of the poem.   Tea Cup :Solitary Tea #03 - Wilma Simmons 2021 Blue ...

Most days, I create a quick collage with torn paper and whatever is at hand...  Last week I steamed from a  gifted cardboard box,  a series of Japanese postage stamps  The stamps celebrate traditional arts.  PS. That extra one, in the bottom right corner,  was inspired by the kangaroo paw in my garden   togei - ceramic art  kami - paper  shuuji - calligraphy  chanoyu - tea ceremony  takeami - basketry  urushi - lacquer  ai -indigo  toro - lantern    These are all in the series #pulchra momenta ( beautiful moments ) ... see more in this series....  Instagram  @empress.wu.designs

  For the  Tag Tuesday theme  " Animals, Wild or Tame ( no insects" , I made two small tags, both with my favourite collage material - postage stamps.  For the first one , I chose an Australian stamp , issued in 1982 , rasing the awareness of the endangered corroboree frog. Here is some information about it....  Corroboree Frogs are Australia’s most iconic amphibian species and amongst the most visually spectacular frogs in the world. They can be readily distinguished by the bold yellow and black longitudinal stripes on its top, sides and legs. Its belly is marbled black, white and yellow. Both the males and females have the same colouration but females are slightly larger than males. These frogs are found in marshlands and sclerophyll forests under logs, and subalpine bogs of south-eastern NSW and the ACT. Catching a glimpse of these stunning creatures is a rare and exciting occurrence. They are largely nocturnal but are also occasionally active during the day...

  Some of you may have heard about  #the100dayproject ... What is it?  Every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of creating at the same time. Anyone can participate .  The idea is simple: choose a creative project, do it every single day for 100 days, and share your process on social  media using the hashtag #The100DayProject, connecting with other participants and followers of the project.  This year #the100dayproject started on 13 February and finishes on 24 May ,  if you count consecutive days. Some participants take up to 2 years to complete 100 days of creating!  The first step is usually to decide on a personal project ... this year, I decided to do something simple and late last year,  I purchased a box of 100 pantone colour postcards.  As I am also preparing a much bigger project, based on the "exuberance" of colour, I thought this would be a great way to move gently into the project and practise wo...