Claudia's Autumn News

Hello,

I’m getting excited (and nervous!); my solo show at Bell Projects is fast approaching and I’m racing towards the finishing line. It’s opening in Denver on November 3^rd, with a reception from 6-10pm. If you’re local, I’d love to see you!

Here’s a little snippet of the press release to give you a better understanding of what the show is all about.

“In the Weeds brings together works in a variety of media; textiles, print, pulp painting, and ceramics. This body of work speaks to a deep engagement with the present moment. A documentation of Claudia’s immersion in nature, growth, and time spent meditatively hiking. Her curiosity and observations are translated into tactile dreamscapes, coming together playfully with radiant colours. She embraces the joy of being deeply absorbed by place and process, and encourages viewers to step into the weeds alongside her.”

You can find more info and a selection of images of the work that will be on view here.

I can’t wait to have a drink and a chat with those that can make it! For those of you unable to check it out in person, I’ll be sharing plenty of imagery of the show in my next newsletter, website, and Instagram.

A sneak peek of one (of two!) new screen print editions that will be available at the show, and released online after the opening reception

Autumn has finally arrived! With all the prep, life has felt very full and more hectic than I’m completely comfortable with. I’ve been working really hard pulling together the pieces for my show and to make sense of it all, Matt helped me put together a system for tracking my tasks. I wrote everything from my to-do list onto post its, and then categorised them in ways that made sense for me, like things that needed active brain time (problem solving) versus meditative tasks (time consuming but easy on the brain). That way, I could choose from different categories throughout my day, so I wasn’t burning out on one type of task. These were all pinned up on a cork board on my studio wall to help me keep track.

L: Notes to stay on track, R: Ritual burnings!

Maybe you already do something like this; when I’ve shared with friends it seems like everyone had their own system in place! Having the visual aspect was overwhelming at first, but definitely helped me manage my time, and focus on the task at hand. Once I’d completed something, I stacked it under a ‘You did it!’ note, and at the end of the week I’ve been burning these. It’s become a dramatic little ritual that makes me very content and proud (of course there’s the danger of adding ‘burn old tasks’ on my to-do list ha). Maybe this is a really boring share, but my friend Jasmine says it’s not and she’s great.

L: First attempts at a rounded border, R: Homemade bias bindings made from scraps

It’s all in the details, screen printed sewing labels

The bulk of the work I’ve been doing has been finishing wall hangings – these are pieces that started out as mono screen-prints on repurposed fabric, remnants, and scraps. I wanted these to emphasize the softness of cloth, so decided to add cushioned and hand-quilted borders, which frame the prints. I’d never quilted anything before so there was lots of learning to do as I made bias binding tape, sewed rounded corners, created hanging loops, and made these pieces presentable. The problem solving has been worth it and it’s so satisfying to see everything come together!

Great relief at finally finishing this ‘Clouds’ piece

I like textiles on the walls of a home because they help absorb excess sound and feel almost nostalgic. In particular, the ‘Clouds’ piece above, I envisioned as a headboard. It wasn’t until I was quilting it that I realised the prints themselves were made on the bed linens of the late Dr. Peter Bullough, whose namesake artist residency I attended in November 2022.  So maybe subconsciously I’d been influenced by the material’s former life.

Outside of work, we’ve been balancing the busyness of now with time outdoors. I need walking to recharge, and it’s been feeling especially good with the warm days and cooler evenings. Matt and I recently went to a state park not too far from us and cooked an al-fresco dinner on our camp stove, bathed in the golden light and Autumnal colours. It was everything I needed. 

And now, some things I’ve enjoyed recently…

Watch:

We’ve been getting into ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ – a sports drama isn’t normally my jam, but it’s a visual treat, tells a great backstory and teases at the glamour of the 1980s LA scene.

Cook:

With feeling a little squeezed on time, I’ve been really enjoying delicious things on toast. We’re still getting a good crop of tomatoes (though I think that’ll come to an end this week), and my favourite has been toasted sourdough, spread with ricotta, with pan-fried black cherry tomatoes on top, and a drizzle of a loose homemade pesto.

Listen:

Helena Deland - We’re going to see her live next month and I sort of just want to lay down and let her folk music bathe me (can you tell I’m tired yet?)

Look:

Sunsets are especially magic at this time of year, these clouds are perfect.

And that’s it! Thank you for taking your time to read this : )