Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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 ...

Blue Horizon - Paper and cloth collage - Wilma Simmons 2018  Two of my collages sold this week have a touch of blue. This was an accident as I was using my fountain pen ink on these collages and when added to the  previously dyed fabric, it turned blue.  I rather liked the effect and added some more blue fabric.  I know that blue is the most liked colour of all people - what is the attraction of blue?  Blue is the only colour which maintains its own character in all its tones... it will always stay blue;” Raoul Dufy, French Fauvist Painter, 1877-1953  It’s nature’s colour for water and sky, but is rarely found in fruits and vegetables. Today, blue is embraced as the colour of heaven and authority, denim jeans and corporate logos. It is cold, wet, and slow as compared to red’s warmth, fire, and intensity. Blue has more complex and contradictory meanings than any other colour.  These can be easily explained by pinpointing by the specific...

Fussy cut  pattern on a text background, with hand stitching-  WS  The current theme at Tag Tuesday   is TIME/CLOCKS, nominated by design team member, Joan who prepared some great tags as inspiration. Sometime ago, I cut very carefully these white rabbits  out of a piece of paper... I loved the  pattern design of the shared ears being part of the central chessboard. This seemed a good time to find it in my stash and create a round tag for this challenge. I continued with the Wonderland theme, and remembered the Mad Hatter announcing "It's always tea time!" so here is another tag inspired by that saying... watercolour and ink drawing with photo transfers and text an fabric. Watercolour pencil and ink drawing ( Alice) , photo transfer ( trees and quote)  onto text background paper, with fabric. WS  Please visit Tag Tuesday for  contributions from other tag artists who have interpreted this theme.

Having a long time obsession with making art with tea bags ( see previous posts September 2014 including exhibition invitation ) and with new inspiration from tea bag artist Ruby Silvious  , I started a very humble tea bag drawing project while on a break last month in Townsville, North Queensland, "Humble" is an apt description - I had a black felt tipped marker and five coloured paint markers and six dried used tea bags as my materials - all one needs for an 11 day holiday. As this wasn't really a sightseeing holiday to somewhere exotic, and more of a family visit, I recorded the minutiae - some of the trivialities which create memories.  These funny little drawings  were a few minutes each day of quiet reflection and single focus - no pressure, no deep meaning, no attempt at  artistry. Even now, a month after, just leafing through the little tea bag pages has a calming effect - just appreciating the little things in life. top row l-r : drinks at the airpor...

Martha from Ayala Art is the creative artist behind the 29 Faces Challenge and this was her message at the beginning of the month." Can you believe we have come full circle to the last leap year? 29 faces is 4 years old!! yaay! I have met so many wonderful artists, and so many people finding out and discovering that practising every day for a full month, even the smallest of months! They can grow so much better as artists! Thanks for participating and making faces with me ♥. " ....  I am not sure that I am becoming better as an artist, but I am thoroughly enjoying researching the noteworthy women I am drawing inspiration from .... These are all pen and pencil sketches done on used tea bags.  Day 5 : Marie Curie, French physicist and chemist, first female Nobel Prize winner.  Days 6-8 : Mother Teresa, Human rights worker  and Nobel Prize Winner; Sojourner Truth, African-American abolitionist and human rights worker; Jane Austen , English nov...

stitched tea bags vessels  - with battery operated tea light.  It's  better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.... stitched  used tea bag vessels 

stash of  tea bags-   drying  Tea bags are now firmly established as one of my favourite materials to work with. In the past, they have appeared as small embroideries, collaged materials, and even used in art dolls' clothing, In the last few weeks, I have been very privileged to take classes with  amazing talented artists. At the Contemporary Craft Retreat earlier in the month , I participated in Susie McMahon's  "Expressive Bust" . Susie taught us some wonderful techniques and I  thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and the process of creating a small sculpture . It was a happy accident that I had included a few tea bags in my workshop box.  The timber base looked ok, but it just looked better with a few tea bags applied to create a more aged look. Susie discussed the need to try to connect the elements, so they appear to be part of a whole, rather than disparate additions. I think the applied tea bags helped to achieve the integrated look. I call...

Tag prepared for Tag Tuesday   theme - Friendship. This tag is a marker drawing and hand printed text on used tea bag paper, with a felt heart applied to a tea bag tag and braid and baker's twine. Have a terrific Thursday  - drink tea and be kind!

Once upon a time, a group of friends planned a tea party at Miss Camellia’s new home.  What fun… Let’s dress up in our Tilda* finest and we will have lovely treats - cup cakes, finger sandwiches and scones with cream and jam. Everyone can bring a plate. Of course, we will also drink the best tea - French Earl Grey and English Breakfast. The ladies spent hours poring over their CWA  (County Women’s Association) cook books for the traditional recipes and washed the beautiful bone china cups and saucers in preparation, so that on the day, there was plenty of time  to press neatly their pastel coloured party frocks and for a quick visit to the hairdressers. They all applied their make up with the utmost care and added pretty floral accessories to their outfits in fitting with this special occasion. Looking as perfectly beautiful as “The Stepford Wives”, the ladies all gathered at Miss Camellia’s at precisely 3pm.  Oh dear, but don’t look now - Miss Wu is coming up t...

My niece has written about my recent exhibition and has included her opening speech.... Here is the   link to the blog post.

"Bohea" - art doll with tea dyed fabrics, tea bag paper and polymer clay   Here's another post in my series of tea thoughts on a Thursday... I had never thought I was fussy about tea .... I prefer tea made in a pot, but will happily drink tea bag tea of all varieties.   However, here are a few discoveries I have made about my tea drinking practices - tea does taste better when drunk slowly and even better when the preparation is not rushed. ( hence the quotation above) -   there are some  tea bags ( I recently purchased  them for dyeing) which really are not worth drinking and I don't! So it's definitely true -  not all tea is equal  despite the labelling. - tea taste does improve if the temperature of the water is right  and the period of steeping time is appropriate . I have included the table below for reference. Although it is suggested 175degrees F (79.5 degrees C)  for green tea , I must admit that I like about 86 degrees...

"Leaves of Distinction" - a textile and media art exhibition  opened  at Timeless Textiles Gallery, 90 Hunter Street, Newcastle on 18 September. The exhibition was officially opened by Yvette Griggs to a happy crowd who enjoyed a nice cuppa while looking at the art works inspired by and created with teas and tea bags. The exhibition remains open until 12 October or take a virtual tour, by clicking on the "Exhibitions"at tag  on the header panel of this blog or click on this  link  http://empresswu.blogspot.com.au/p/exhibitions_18.htm l

The weather is beautiful today - warm and  sunny, so it is a perfect day for finishing off some canvases and putting the backs on others near a window, with the morning sun streaming in. Most of these are photos printed on organza and transferred to stretched canvases, with  tea bags, stitching or writing  in layers. Only three more to do in one of the series... And of course, I am having a cup of tea to keep up my strength!

Only 19 days to go.... Old Men somehow have taken over this exhibition.... they and their cups of  tea. Here is one of them and he has become the " pin up boy" , appearing on the gallery invitation and media release. There once was a man from Vienna  Who lived on a tincture of senna  When that did not agree  He drank camomile tea  That nasty old man from Vienna. ( Edward Lear) Mixed media art doll,  polymer clay a wrapped wire armature clothed with a machine and hand stitched tea bag paper vest and  upcycled fabrics.

 One of the more enjoyable aspects of  the preparation for this exhibition has been drinking tea and hence, the most labour intensive aspect has been drying and emptying tea bags. Just when I needed more tea bags to choose from, I received this wonderful parcel from my Aunty Jeanie. A lot of people might not appreciate this gift, but this made me very, very happy - lots of dry, clean , flattened tea bags. In almost every piece of work I have included tea bag paper in one form or another.For example, the art which Timeless Textiles chose as the invitation image is a photograph I took in 2012 in Finland  - digitally manipulated and printed on organza embellished with hand embroidered tea bags. At first, I tore quite a few tea bag papers with heavy handed stitching,  but  I have now developed a technique which makes it a most enjoyable and relaxing activity. However, hand stitching on canvas is another matter - yesterday I broke three needles! But there is alw...