DOT On Show

Proof that we were there! This is the DOT stand just as we had finished putting it up. The work was selected from our recent Consequences Exhibition. Erica Thomson and Jenny King are on the left and our two consenting Mr DOTs Barry and Jim (helpful husbands wielding spirit levels, steps and hammers). DOTs aim was to open people’s eyes to what you can do using a computer as a design tool in textile work, whether it is simply printing an image on fabric or doing more complex things. Every piece of work on the stand was derived from something we did on the computer. All the wonderful members of DOT who manned the stand felt that we achieved our aim. You can just about see Liz Welch's Friendly Plastic masks, and work by Jenny King, Ros Willis, Erica Thomson, and Pat Roberts.

DOT’s group piece drew a lot of interest. It was based on a game of consequences (see earlier posts) using an image of an old mangle in the Millgate Museum at Newark. The hanging illustrated some of the very many different materials that can be printed on to at home. the other work in the picture is by Pat Roberts and Hilary Holden.

Mr DOT x2 in repose, worn out by all that levelling, measuring and hammering. On the wall is work from Lesley Fowell, Erica Thomson, Jenny King and Liz Welch. In the foreground are the two big books that tell the story behind the work with lots of step by steps of the computer transformations that took place to achieve the finished pieces.

Work for the original exhibition “Consequences” can be seen on a CD catalogues (£5) available from Liz (just email lizwelch@rarebird.ltd.uk). The CD contains more than 130 images including overall and close ups of every piece of work in the original exhibition plus work sheets describing the computer stages in developing each piece.

We hope you enjoyed viewing the work and meeting members, but most of all we hope we have inspired you to try your hand at making more of your computer in your creative lives.

Consequences - Last Day

Today is the last day of our first exhibition and I think all Dotties should be proud of the success of Consequences. Everyone worked incredibly hard to make it all happen, and judging by the comments in the visitors book it has been very well received. The staff at Millgate Museum in Newark (the venue for those of you who have not managed to get there), were impressed, and the level of interest in the work has been high.

One of our aims was to make people realise just what a wonderful tool the computer is for assisting the creative design process in textiles, and I believe we have achieved that. People, young and old, have been fascinated by the computer work that went into creating each piece, and judging by the comments, we have inspired some of them to try it out for themselves.

We created a CD of images of all the work in the exhibition plus much of the background computer work to aid people in trying out some of the effects themselves. The CD is available for £5 plus P&P and it is incredible value for money as there are 130 images on the disc. (if you would like a copy email enquiries@rarebird.ltd.uk) Here is a little selection from the CD.

Erica's novel earrings created by scanning in clothing, and printing out on to paper and fabric then folding into origami earrings.

Jenny's beautiful Lillies created with print, paint and applique

Ros's nifty little Dorothy bag and how she came up with the design

Hilary's delightful frost inspired 3D wall piece in subtle colours, each of the four rosettes in the piece has been created by printing on to different surfaces.

Lesley is a first time exhibitor and one of the newest members of the group, but you would never know it from this lovely little bag.

I used one of the games of Consequences as the starting point for this mask made out of Friendly Plastic, fabric and wire.

Pat's delightful Clematis combines simple paper print outs and fabric.

If you missed the exhibition, then you missed a treat, but you can still purchase a CD, join a local group or the CTDG (Computer Textile Design Group), take a class, or simply get cracking on your own and see what your computer programmes can do for your creativity (a good way to start is buy a digital photo magazine and follow some of the tutorials on their free CDs, or check out the wealth of free tutorials available on line).

If you want to know more about each of us as artists then some of us have websites and blogs, others you will have to email directly, so check out the links at the side of the page.

An Exciting Announcement!

We’ve been very quiet for quite a while now but for good reason - read on…..

We have some exciting news for you – we are holding an exhibition of our work later this year. It will be at the Millgate Museum, Newark, Nottinghamshire from October 9^th –November 29^th and entitled “Consequences”

Whilst visiting the museum to see the space for our exhibition, we decided that we should have a round of Consequences based on a photo taken at Millgate. As it was Lesley’s turn, she chose a photo she had taken of one of the displays – a mangle. On our Picasa Web Album, you can see “All 49” of the images from us which have all been taken from the photo of the mangle. You can also see how we have arrived at each of the images.

Much of the textile based work in the exhibition stems from computer images generated in our Consequences games we have played during the last 2 years. Other work being exhibited has been produced as a “consequence” of using a computer as a tool somewhere in the design process. There will be a very varied display, not only of our finished pieces, but also background information explaining how computers can be used effectively.

More information coming soon….