Olga Norris
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| I stitch without a frame and without a thimble. |
I now live in
Southern England, but I have always felt like a full European. With a Scottish father and a Greek mother I
used to travel by train from one country to the other every year from 1949
until the late 60s. As a daughter, and a
Greek girl I was involved with stitching from a very young age, but it did not
become a serious pursuit until I retired from my career in publishing.
In the early 80s I lived for a couple of
years in New Hampshire, USA, and it was there that I first encountered art
quilts, but it was the combination of using IT with hand stitching which really
got me going as a full time stitcher in this new century.
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| Using the computer is a vital component of my work. |
My quilts are not really derived from
traditional patchwork. They are images
which I have collaged digitally, then printed onto cloth, and then hand stitched. I make more small pieces than large quilts,
but I usually have a large piece in progress while being distracted by small
designs.
The work reflects my emotions and expresses
what is occupying my thoughts at the time – or what was in my mind when I
developed the design. The big work can
take some years to complete, and that is why I make lots of small pieces.
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| Curiosity (2012, 185 x 125 cm) |
The stitches I use tend to be either
running or seed stitch, both of which I find to be expressive. I use mostly cotton for the quilts, but I
also use silk which I find interestingly versatile. With heat transfer the silk becomes stiffly
translucent, making a beautiful top layer as in the quilt Flow below.
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Flow (2012, 104 x 81 cm)
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| Flow (detail) |
Over the past couple of years I have been
involved with traditional printmaking, which I use as a starting point for new
work. The smaller piece below was
derived from a monoprint.
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| Reach out (2013, 28.5 x 55.5 cm) |
On my blog I write about what I’m up to: www.threadingthoughts.blogspot.co.uk
And to see more of my work visit my
website: www.olganorris.com
And now after following your blog for years, I know what you look like!
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the tool (tablet?) you are using in the photo of you at the computer. I want to do a few things more using a photo programme, but get frustrated with the mouse even though it is wireless.
Sandy
Sandy, graphic pads are widely available, and I find mine such a boon. It is just like using a pencil or a fine paint brush, and I have been drawing with this using the Corel Painter program for many years now.
ReplyDeleteI have had my main graphic pad along with my ergonomic keyboard since the last century, but I bought a pad with stylus for my laptop more recently from PC World - a Bamboo product. I use a PC, not an Apple computer, so I don't know about attachments for the latter.
I really like the depth that you achieve in your work and the hand stitching creates such wonderful texture. Congratulations on being juried into QN
ReplyDeleteThank you Maggi
ReplyDelete