On the September art table, the handmade book is finished and new artwork in deep blues is getting ready for the gallery. The Powertex blog takes a look at seasonal projects to make for Autumn.
At the gallery
The new work for Clarkes of Sussex in Brighton is in the finishing stages. These canvases dive into deep ocean blues with splashes of orange and violet. They feel like night-time by the sea.
Meanwhile Blossom, Budding and Flourish have a beautiful spot at the top of the stairs to the gallery alongside some framed pieces. The gallery has had a refresh this month and is now beautifully filled with art and gifts. There’s a strong seaside theme with lots of blues and local scenes too.
A handmade book
The handmade book has been completed! There are sixteen spreads of mark making with journaling in the layers. It’s tatty from the experiments with different supplies and the collage is peeling in places. Some of the pages don’t line up and the spine is loose but it’s been fantastic to see how a play with papers and journaling and layering has become this book that is handmade and created by me from start to finish.
I have been asked on Instagram many times over the past weeks how I made this book. I’m not sure I could explain it all even I tried, I had to adapt my plans at every turn. I can share some of the mistakes I made.
It started with “mastersheets”, an idea shared by mixed media makers where large sheets of paper are decorated with the intention to cut them down. I tried to sew the pages together but the paper was weak and my sewing awful. Collage papers were added but I used glue sticks that dissolved when painted over. I glued pages together but the edges didn’t line up all the time and the spine is wonky. It’s a beautiful mess and I learned so much along the way.
You can see a flip through of the finished book on my Kore Sage Art Instagram.
Seasonal projects with Powertex
As the Autumn Equinox arrived it was time to pull out one of my favourite Powertex makes. This Autumn wreath was created for the Powertex UK design team a couple of years ago now. It’s holding up well despite its fragile appearance, a testament to the hardwearing properties of this fabric hardener. Seasonal craft projects will always be popular and Powertex has the feature of being weatherproof too. One of the reasons I like this project is that it uses basic craft supplies and very simple techniques. It can be adapted and customised easily to any size, style or occasion and is simple to make. You can find the step by step tutorial for this project here.
Powertex workshops
I’m so happy to see Powertex tutors in the UK out there sharing their love of Powertex and I would encourage you to find them on Facebook or via Powertex UK.
For now, my workshops are on hold but my written tutorials are still in my Etsy shop and you can find me at Powertex With Kore on Instagram. I’ll keep you updated if this situation changes.
From my art table in September, until next month,
Kore x
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