I am a Map-maker, Part 2

Welcome back. Yesterday I showed you this map-inspired tea cosy in its first stage. It was in a traditional map format which basically means it was flat, it could be read from left to right, right to left, from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Today I would like to show you the piece when it is transformed into its intended purpose- a tea cosy.

When I had the idea for this piece I was really excited by it. I worked very hard on research, design and the making of all the separate elements that make up the final vision of the piece. I sewed everything into place and I added upholstery trimming to the hem to strengthen its form and also to create a frame or border for the images to sit within. So you can imagine, after doing all that work and I finally get to the stage when I can sew in clasps and snaps to be able to turn this map into a tea cosy, the trepidation I felt when I placed the finished piece over the tea pot. I hoped to the gods of art and design that it would look exciting and interesting rather than an unreadable jumble and a big mess. Thankfully when it was sitting in place I felt satisfied with how it had turned out and that my design had held strong in both formats. 

Now instead of being able to read it in its traditional form, it could be read many different ways. The 3D details stood up off the background and demanded attention. It was a traditional map no more, it was now a kind of unique globe that could be viewed from many different angles.

As I said yesterday, the images I chose to use on the piece were from the stories I heard in the conversation I had with the man it was commissioned for. Family life was a big part of the stories I heard and so I decided I would embroider two family portraits; one of his family growing up and one of his own family now. I chose browns, beiges and sepia toned threads for the embroidery of the older portrait to give it a sense of history and of times past. I decided I would embroider his current family portrait in Technicolor and in a more caricatured style. I wanted it to be soft, bright and with a sense of fun about it.

In the old-fashioned maps I used for inspiration for the piece, I found there can be a lovely mixture of images and written text. I find the combination of the two very appealing visually and I wanted to incorporate this into my own work. I found a quote from William S. Burroughs that seemed to suit the tone of the piece perfectly. I had embroidered the writing onto a piece of white felt and used it on the tea cosy as another form of visual and thematic interest.

As you can see from the photographs, there is a tiny room on the map. The man had told me a great story about a room he had lived in when he was younger and I wanted to make a representation of it for the piece. I set myself the challenge of making it as small and as detailed as I possibly could. I made a tiny bed, a clock, a window and even a tiny door with door knob included. The idea was not to make an exact replica of the room but just to have something on the tea cosy that symbolised his experience.

All the details of the piece were based in stories I heard in our conversation. The lighthouse, the tower blocks, the portraits and the room all came from the man himself. I think this is partly the success of the piece. The sharing of his stories generated a visual story in my mind that I then wanted to communicate. The tea cosy is obviously very personal to the man it was made for but I think our interconnectedness as humans makes us interested in each others stories. I think you could feel it is so personal to the recipient that it would not be of interest to anybody else. But my experience in making it has been the opposite. I have found that its unconventional beauty draws people in and makes them want to know what it is about. I think it makes you think about what would be on your own mind map. What would be the symbols and the landmarks? Whose faces would you see? What stories would be told? 

I am a Map-maker, Part 1

Sometimes I will be asked for a gift voucher to give to someone as a present. The idea is that rather than the giver commissioning a piece for the person, the receiver of the gift can pick his/her own art work to be commissioned. One such recipient of a gift voucher decided they would like a tea cosy as their present. For some reason I was surprised at the request, maybe because he was a man and my inner sexist had emerged. So I sent him on photographs of my previous work so he could get a sense of the kind of things I had made in the past.

We arranged to meet for a cup of tea and a chat about what he would like from his tea cosy. We had a long talk but not very much of it was about tea cosies, colours, ideas or any of the usual information I try to garner when developing a piece. He shared stories with me about why he wanted the tea cosy which then led to other stories about many other things.

I left his company with a million images, stories and panic about how I was going to turn all this information into, of all things, a tea cosy. I have been challenged before but this seemed like the boss of all challenges.

To my total relief because of the wealth of imagery I was presented with, I quickly began to form a plan for the piece in my minds eye. We had discussed the mans interest in maps and so I decided the basis for the piece could be formed like an old fashioned map, the kind that have sailboats, mermaids and monsters illustrated in their seas.

But rather than it be an accurate geographical map, I thought it could be a mind map, a map to chart his stories and his memories from the past. I picked key information from our conversation and decided to incorporate them into the piece. I wanted to scatter them across the landscape like noteworthy landmarks in a journey or expedition.

The other key component of the work was the idea that the piece could be laid out flat like a paper map and read that way but then after some nifty needle work and some integral construction the piece could be clipped into place and become a functional and decorative tea cosy. I liked the idea that at one point in time people thought the world was flat but with exploration they found that it was round; the tea cosy represents both forms. I am fascinated by how we, as humans, can feel absolutely assured of something and then with some heroism and the drive to explore we are constantly confronted, not just by one truth, but by many, many truths that challenge our ideas and perceptions about the world.

For the tea cosy I liked the transformation of a 2D object into a 3D object aided by the functional reason of its existence, the teapot creates the globe upon which the map can sit. The cosy starts as a piece of art to be observed, it then gets transformed into a functional item but in doing this, it further explores its artistic and creative qualities as it encourages you to view it in a new and challenging way. Art informs function and then the function informs the art.

I also explored 2D and 3D forms in the making of the map. The landscapes and family portraits were all embroidered flat and then I made 3D miniature representations symbolising different ideas or memories we had discussed in our meeting. I wanted the map to come alive, to jump off the fabric, to rise up to meet you with unexpected details and things to be continuously discovered. As I said before, I love working in miniature and this idea really allowed me to play and challenge myself in this area.

Tomorrow I will discuss with you the details of the piece and the techniques I used to bring this tea cosy together. 

The Key to Getting to Market on Time is......................... Part 2

Welcome Back

Gary and I have sat down many an evening at the computer designing and perfecting labels for my numerous projects. The next stage in the process is to print out and cut out a label for every single one of my freshly completed goods. I like to finish my work to a high and professional standard and the labels add the finishing touch that satisfies this standard for me. For a long time I just used a good old fashioned scissors to cut out my labels. One day I spotted a super fancy cutting device called an Xcut- Shape Cutter System in a hobby shop. I requested it as a birthday present and my good parents willingly obliged. Now I use this to help make the labelling stage a little more efficient. In a very short period of time I am surrounded by paper clippings, my single-hole punch and piles of market ready key-rings. This generally takes place the day before the market and it is all go go go until the last minute.

The second last stage in the process is my most loathed; packing. I bloody hate packing! I have to wrap everything in bubble wrap and tissue paper, put things in boxes and arrange them all in the giant suitcase I take with me to markets. I find it really stressful and all my nerves about the coming day show up as I try to organise the mess into a one-stop-shop for all my marketing needs. I get snippy and worried about all the details. Do I have enough stock? Did I remember to bring the sticky tape? Is my work any good? How many paper bags should I bring? Am I wearing any trousers? It is at this point that I think Gary would like to drown me. But he doesn’t, good man. He tells me to put down the scissors and go to bed. I resist for about ten minutes and then fall down from tiredness.

The last stage of the Bad Bear Key-rings journey is to arrive at their destination. Market day starts early. Sometimes I take the bus, suitcase in tow; on a lucky day some lovely person will be available to drive me and my wares to the market location. After finding my allocated spot, I then set about unpacking, arranging and displaying my art pieces on the table provided. I will bring tablecloths, props and different receptacles to display my work. I would sometimes do a mock-up table the day before to get a sense of how I want the finished table to look.

I feel it is very important to present your work well, so much effort has gone into getting it to this stage, it is only right that it should be shown off at its best. I feel attention to detail is key; plenty of colour and variety, well displayed prices and information and interesting or unusual set-ups always catches the eye in my experience. I will admit to having a bit of a pet peeve about poorly displayed prices at markets and in shops in general. I know it can be a sales tactic to get people to ask the cost of something in order to be able to engage with them as the customer. But having worked in retail for a good few years, I feel I just can’t employ such devices to get sales. I prefer for someone to buy something if they really want it, know they can afford it and don’t feel pressurised into the purchase. Strong feelings! Me?? Never!

Anyway…….. The final thing to do is smooth the tablecloth for the umpteenth time, straighten yourself out and sit behind your (hopefully) beautiful table and…….RELAX. Take a deep breath and take in your surroundings. The day is about to begin and the market is just about to open. There is no knowing how the day will unfold but I always feel I am glad I have taken the risk to be the person behind the table, proudly declaring that “Yes, I made all this myself”.   

The Key to Getting to Market on Time is......................... Part 1

After I began selling my Bad Bear Brooches, I decided I would expand even a little bit further into the world of Bad Bear Key-rings. It was not a massive jump from one to the other and it seemed to fill a gap in my market. A lot of men did really like my work but unless they were of a badge wearing age, they really were not going to go in for sporting a brooch. The key-rings did very well when I premiered them at my next market and so, I have continued to include them in the Bad Bear line-up.

I thought it might be interesting to share with you the full life cycle of one of these pieces that is destined for a market stall; from materials to making, from making to packaging and from packaging to placement. They go on quite a journey from beginning to end.

I’m generally in Dublin city centre on a Thursday and so, about a week before I am set to go to market, I can be seen going from fabric shop to bead shop to ribbon shop early in the morning. I have a well worn route that I take to make the most efficient use of my time. The night before I will have made a list of the most pressing materials I need and then I will make a small map of the shops I need to make a stop at. I do have a very good store of materials at home in my studio but you would be surprised how often you need to stock up on basics like felt squares and brooch backings. If you find yourself needing to buy more essentials it generally means you have sold your work so it is not a task I complain about. 

I find that in a bustling and jostling city centre, the haberdashery shop is a calming and quiet sanctuary. They are usually filled with intent shoppers looking for a specific coloured thread or a certain size of sewing needle. I find them to be a relaxing and enjoyable environment to be in.

I wasn’t always so comfortable I have to say. But I found when I made regular visits to these places, learned the lingo and got to know some faces, I soon felt right at home. I found going in over and over again, even for short trips, helped to build my confidence and I even have come to enjoy this aspect of my work. You also may feel a little intimidated by a shop that sells niche or specialist items. My advice would be to take your time, hitch a great big smile on your face and ask some questions. In most shops, they will be more than willing to help you with what you need.

After getting my loot home, my next job is to assess the stock I have left over from the last market. I will count my numbers, check my sales journal, assess what sold well the last time and make a judgement about how many of each item I could make for the upcoming event. I then will set targets for myself. I write a list of all the things I would like to have made by a certain day. As I finish making things I will check them off my list and assess where I need to focus my attention next. I always have priority pieces to finish first and then less important or irregular sellers lower down on the list. I find this helps to keep me motivated and focused in the run up to the market. Without clear and achievable goals I begin to panic so I try to make the time for this important step.

The next thing I do is roll up my sleeves, take out my materials and get to work. Over time I have developed some work habits that have helped my productivity. In regards to the key rings, I split the making up into several steps. I do all my cutting out first. I draw on and cut out my basic shapes from felt in a big batch. It can be fiddly work but if you do it all in one go I have found you can get a rhythm going that supports you to do it quickly and easily.

The next step is to embroider the faces onto the felt backgrounds. This is where I have to engage my imagination and have a confident hand while stitching each newly invented expression. Again, I try to do this part all at one time so that I can keep track of what I am making in terms of sizes and colours, but also to keep a momentum going rather than constantly chopping and changing tasks.

I attach the key-ring clasp, stuff the head and sew up the completed piece all in one go also. This last step can be quite technical and a little monotonous but you are on the home stretch so that helps to keep you going. When I see a full row of Bad Bear faces scowling up at me I feel it is a job well done.

Join me tomorrow for part 2 of this journey.

Where Bad Bears Move Forth to Conquer Fresh Domains

A couple of years ago I began to look at ways to get my art out into the world and also, I wanted to explore different options for generating an income from my art work. As Ireland has a strong tradition for craft and art markets, joining a market seemed like the natural next step to take.

The Bad Bear Pincushions were purposely made for my escapade into the world of market stalls. I wanted to make affordable items to sell so that people could browse and consider my larger investment pieces like the Snug tea cosies but could also purchase a token or a small keepsake of my work. I feel I have a strong instinct in regards to the packaging of my pieces; I think this came in useful when preparing to bring my work to a new market place. I feel it is another way or a further way to communicate your ideas and also your personality.

The Bad Bear Pincushions were very well received in the first couple of outings. Men and women alike seemed to enjoy their grumpy faces and the funny back story that accompanied them. I decided I would expand the range by making small brooches or pins using the Bad Bear faces. It turned out to be a great way to explore that already mentioned theme of individuality.

When I was getting ready for an up-coming market, I would spread out all my materials out in front of me; multi-shades of brown felt for their faces, every other colour of felt for their muzzles and backing, embroidery threads, accessories like beads, ribbons and buttons, brooch backings and my trusty circle template to mark out heads, ears and muzzles in numerous and ever changing combinations. I used to love going to some of the jewellery findings and bead shops in Dublin and come home with small paper bags of shiny brooch backings of different sizes to create new miniature personalities. It was a great way to use my imagination and my creativity; I tried to make each piece in under an hour so that I could keep the cost low and make them affordable for my customers.

I also put the same message from the pincushions on their labels. I declared that these were indeed very BAD bears. I can’t share with you what they have done; it is truly terrible, it really is better if you don’t know.

This sentiment used to drive kids crazy at the markets. I remember one small boy sidling up to me a couple of times, nudging me, and practically begging me to tell him what these Bad Bears had done to warrant such a warning.

I have to say I love this side-effect to the packaging. When people read the labels, I can nearly see in their eyes what they are imagining these bears have done. I think and hope for children, these things are still in the realm of school yard pranks and cartoon villains. They do seem to delight in the outright bold personalities they see before them. For adults, I think it is a good litmus test for how much news they have been watching or where their imagination takes them when bad deeds are mentioned.

I also like thinking about if the bad things they have done are People Bad Deeds or Bear Bad Deeds. What would a bear need to do to be qualified as “bad” in his/her bear community? This opens up a whole other world in my imagination and I can gladly play there for a while.

I like the really cross looking characters especially if they have a bow or a really mean pair of glasses. But I am also rather fond of the bears that look very sweet and innocent; you never know what is lurking under that cheerful façade! I hope you enjoy looking at their different faces and see if you can come up with at least one truly tantalising back story for one of the Bad Bear crew.