Stitched seascapes

Whenever I come home after spending time by the sea, for a while afterwards I am still sort of emotionally and mentally sea-bound. I find that my subconscious sort of draws me to contemplate sea-related things, to seek out coastal images, to reminisce about past seaside holidays.
Yesterday, I even found that whilst sitting at the computer and waiting for images to load, my absent minded doodles on a scrap of paper were all sea-related too (little fishermans cottages and boats, when usually I doodle hearts, flowers and birds!)

So yesterday, after I had written my post about our weekend by the coast, I found myself thinking of the many different times during the past  when I have visited Robin Hoods Bay (first ever visit, vividly and passionately remembered, September 1996). I also suddenly remembered that I had once stitched a picture of Robin Hoods Bay, and after routing around in the Attic24 eaves, I managed to find my old portfolios of textile work.

I have been wanting to share my textile work with you for some time, wanted to air them on my blog, but have been ridiculously nervous to do so.
I still feel butterflies in my stomach seeing these images on the computer screen, although I don't know why.
I think because they are so much a part of me, so personal to my life, they cause me to feel huge emotion.
It's most odd.

I began stitching these sort of textile pictures in February 1997, at a time when I was tentatively attempting to find a way to earn money from my work.
Each piece of work is a unique, one off piece, and because the scale is quite small (top picture of Robin Hoods Bay measures roughly 8"x5") I was able to put the original piece of work directly on to a colour photocopying  machine and photocopy it.
I am SO Very Glad I had the foresight to record every single piece of work I made by copying it in this way, because it has become a very valuable and precious record of my work.

I sold my first piece of work in the Spring of 1998.
I was exhibiting at a contemporary craft fair in Battersea, London, and a wealthy lady bought a framed piece to go in her Paris apartment.
She paid me £180.
I was shaking from head to foot during the whole transaction.

Over the next four years before My Little Man was born, I went on to establish myself as a contemporary textile artist and produced a great many one-off pieces of work.
One Hundred and Fifty Nine to be precise, all numbered and dated and recorded in my portfolios.
I exhibited at fairs and galleries up and down the country, and even had my very own one-man show at a Cornish gallery in 2000, where I sold every single piece of work (20 in total)
I have ten pieces left, some hanging on the walls and some wrapped up and stored away.

These seascapes were such a pleasure to make, and looking at them again now, I can remember creating each one, usually following a weekend spent by the sea.
I did have other subject matter too :: flowers and the such like.
Perhaps I'll show you some more sometime, the flowery ones?
It's been fun to share these with you, although I somehow feel like I need a stiff drink now.
I am not normal, am I?!
xxx

Comments

[Katy]

no, you are completely normal!!! Those are amazing - it's no wonder you sold so many! The colours are beautiful, I love them all.
I'd LOVE to see more, show them - PLEASE!!!

[Fiona]

Oh Wow! These are totally amazing and beautiful! You've been keeping very quiet about this you naughty person. You're very talented. Are you not still creating them? Please show us the flowery ones too!

[Barbara]

I LOVE THESE. You are indeed very talented. Thank you for sharing them with us. What joyful scenes you have created. I too love the coast, and/or rivers.
Barbara

[Alice]

Lucy, these are absolutely Amaaaaayyzing!! You are indeed a very talented young lady. I wonder what else you have got hidden away? lol. Yes, show us more please.

[Cele]

These are wonderful. I'm so glad you decided to show us them. The colours and needle work are superb. Please let us see some more.

[Mary Poppins]

They are truly beautiful and I have had great pleasure in looking at them and feel very honored that you have shown something so personal to you.
I am feeling very seaish too, we are decorating DS attic bedroom which has nearly been built and are having very much a sea theme, many seagulls and lighthouses and one of your beautiful scenes would look perfect, any chance of a sale :)
Mary X

[Pink feather paradise]

What amazing colour, and the fabric patterns really work well in the compositions, absolutely brilliant and I can understand why they sold so well.... definitely aught to share the rest with us!

**Alex**

[cathleen]

Exquisite, Lucy!! So very, very original and so YOU, bright, happy, full of energy. They exude positivity and make me smile and feel totally blissful just lookiing at them. Anyone that adores the sea, like me, would want one. I am thinking Etsy! Really, Lucy, really....I LOVE them.

[Lisa]

Lucy why oh why have you not got your own shop selling all the wonderfull things you make. I love them as well your so so talented.
xxx

[Eilidh]

Wow Lucy these are absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing and brightening my day (it's cold and rainy here in Herts). I love being by the sea and the vibrant colours capture that amazing "alive" feeling the sea brings.
Please do share more; I'd love to see them.

[Amanda]

I agree with everyone else, these are really special and I love them!
You could certainly sell these most easily I should think.
Well done for feeling the fear and showing them to us anyway!
Love Amanda

[kathy]

Wow Lucy they are utterly gorgeous; your use of colour is excellent. Why don't you take it up again? Please show us more. Kathy

[Mrs Be]

Oh wow! They are lovely. Talk about hiding your light under a bushel! (Is that phrase right? Umm...anyway, y'know what I mean).

See, now I'm wishing I had some sort of talent like that! Would love to see the flower ones. Do you think it's something you'll go back to?

[crazy jane]

just to add my two 'penth'worth. to all the above,

you are normal!!! and extremely talented and very beautiful( as your latest photos prove) and we should all hate you and be very jealous and bitchy about you, but you are also a very extremely nice person, so we'll just admire you and your wonderful work, and hope that one day you'll make more of it. :)
and do share some more !!

[Ali]

Amazing - thank you for sharing. Show us more by all means!

[Heather Thorp]

They GLOW!!! It is making me feel all like the John Masefield poem - yearny for the sea. It is raining in my city now :(
Thank you for sharing!

[Shirley]

I always thought you took good pictures for you blog, now I can see why, you have a real eye for things. the colours are just lovely, they are beautiful.

[French Knots]

well, about as normal as the rest of us, but that's not saying much!!
They are amazing, love the perspective and the little details. Get yourself an Etsy shop!!

[simone]

Lucy you are not 'normal' you are fantastic! I am so glad that you decided to show your textile work. The pictures are very you, full of vibrant colour. Please do show the flowerey ones too!

[Sandie]

You have a wonderful eye for design and colour.

Brilliant!

[Megan]

Thank you so much for sharing these! They're absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see your flowery ones :) I love how colorful your work is. Just lovely!

[mandy]

yes, you are extremely talented, and I would love to see some more please.

[Cláudia]

Oi Lucy!
Amo seu link e visito sempre!
Parabéns! Você é muito criativa.
Beijos

[Anne Bebbington]

Lovely work - please show us more :o)

[Lisa]

Thank you so much for sharing your work with us. They are beautiful and you are very talented.
xx