jacob’s ladder

I met up with a friend on Tuesday, and we two spent 2 hours revisiting the inspirational exhibition at Bath Abbey I mentioned here. I took plenty of photos, but I can’t, in all conscience, post them because the work seems to represent such a  labour of love, such a calling, I don’t want to do anything that might infringe Sue Symons rights. I will just point you at the Bath Abbey official gallery of the diptychs.

After we had spent 2 hours looking, discussing, sketching, note making and exclaiming we treated ourselves to coffee in the cafe nearest to the Abbey door. It was so good to share the experience with someone else, and we were buzzing with ideas. Our discussion became even more animated when she showed me some of her work and we had a lengthy discussion about art techniques and how ideas can be realised in textiles. My friend is an artist, in every sense of the word, and has taken to stitching, newly discovered, like a duck to water. Such a talent.

We are mulling the possibility of creating some pieces based on the architecture of the abbey itself. The image above I took from by the cafe door and shows angels climbing Jacob’s ladder to the left of the West window. It’s worth enlarging the picture to see the little figures. I have ideas -plenty of ideas, too many ideas- but I now need to work out how to create what I have in mind. To crystallise my ideas. To learn how best to achieve them.

I hope to post some sketches or samples tomorrow. I’ve promised myself some serious stitching after working all day today.