Lots of Happenings

Sometimes you work very hard to a specific end but you are not very hopeful of success. And sometimes to your astonishment, it all does happen as you hoped.

I have always loved auriculas and am very envious of Victorian Auricula Theatres. But they are expensive and anyway I thought it might be cruelty to auriculas to have them in my care. Three years ago, I was given 30 tiny auricular seedlings and was told that they were a mixed bunch and there was no guarantee that any would be any good. After three years in my care (this means checking the soil for dampness frequently and going out in the snow in my pyjamas to carry them all into my small cold frame), a lot of them are thinking of flowering. There are four out at the moment. The one above is best, two are dreadful and one is so-so. However there is a promising dark red one which will be in flower by tomorrow. I have just counted - there are 19 plants left out of 30. 14 are going to flowering and I think 4 will be worth keeping. Do you think it is too early to order up an Auricula Theatre?

The above are three samples of Burmese acheik. This is done by pick up and my Burmese friend who visited the factory said it was very slow!

This is the reverse of the centre sample above.

These are two other pieces from Burma. The woven bag on the right held the achiek samples whereas the one on the right contains three bags, one behind each embroidered elephant, and the device hangs up. I am told that this style is much used by the Burmese. It hangs by the front door and keys, letters etc are popped into the three bags. It is about 28 inches overall in  height.

 The above is the only colour piece we made at the Pop-up engineering class. The front section is floating in front of the background.

And just to show the card was thought through, here is the front. All based on photos taken at the Suzhou garden we visited last year. I suppose the most interesting thing I learnt was how Pop-op engineers make books - because the technique can be extended to concertina books which I have trouble in getting to stand up. I must try making on the tutor's way.

Tomorrow I start being Artist-in-Residence at Nature in Art and must load the car with two looms and all the attendant paraphernalia.