Maireadholohan's Blog

As I have been writing academically for the past year I am now tempted to reference definitions of everything I say….guess what? I am not going to! I am being a rebel and writing what I think without any reference to the literature, so there!

What is perfection? Sometimes people say to  me ‘I am a perfectionist’ that is why they are so neat and tidy. I say that depends on what your definition of perfection is! They do not get it. Is perfection tidyness or is that the sign of a lack of imagination? Can creativity be tidy? How can you create something new and awesome from a place of total control and neatness? I cannot resist this.. Brookfield spoke of the life being ‘gloriously messy’. Why do we not revel in that? Why is neatness and control so important to so many?

Below we have two watercolours, one is done from a photo so was kinda painstaking and the other was done en plein air and was done very energetically, far from perfection. Which one do I prefer? Which one do you prefer? Is attention to minutae perfection or boring and lacking in imagination and creativity? 

mepeople 

The end of my working year that is, well at least my work with groups that is.

Dissertation is nearly half written, i won’t say exactly where I am with it as you clever folks, if anyone reads this will know better than me, that of course means that it is only just started really. So when my paid work is done I have two weeks to pull it together! Ha ha that means printing as well as deciding on whether to add images or not.

There are only two sessions left in Ferrybank and Thomastown painters. Lots to do, get all the work in, make sure it is finished.

I forgot to mention a 4 week intro to watercolour course that ran in Ferrybank library. It was very successful with some very talented people attending, nearly all first time watecolourists!

Here is some work from the groups, me I never get to make anything any more, I do have a delivery of silk and wool waiting in my (very untidy) studio to be dyed and painted and felted!!!

		Bits and bobs from Ferrybank VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Today is Saturday. The sun is actually visible in the sky! We had a picnic at lunchtime in the paddock across the road. The was even a wasp. The cat came to join us and the dogs watched enviously.

I am now well into my thesis and am looking at the results of the research to get the gist of it. Literature review done? Maybe!

Here are some images from my workshops this week. I finished in St Columbas but will go there next week to meet the President!!!! We made a handpainted silk tie for him and a lovely scarf with Foxgloves on it for his wife.

Some examples of group one in progress…..I have not taught these girls to knit or crochet, I just hopefully inspire and encourage them!!

Batic works in progress>>>>>>>>>>>>

More work from these two great groups.

                   Lovely combination of craft techniques from Donia

                                           Two of the Agnesca’s !!!!!

                                              Agnesca and Imelda

Looking at patterns and drawing designs

Beatrice sewing and Amelia needle felting

Wioletta and Anika working and chatting

Beatrice proudly wearing her hand sewn, embroidered and batik’d  apron.

Opening of new work in St Columbas Hospital

Opened by the fantastic Martha Bolger (my boss!) Representing

Kilkenny VEC Community Education

Martha                                                        Helen

Mary                                                           Before the tea and nice things!

These women are doing amazing work. Today Wiolletta brought in a delicious little bag that any little girl would want for her first communion. I asked her to demonstrate how to make. A big thing that I am getting from my MA is that in informal or community education it is very important to allow participants to share their skills. It is not about what I teach but what people learn, this is a learner centred situation  not a teacher centred situation! So there!

		Some work in progress VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

More work from this new group. Fantastic  group of girls!!

		Ferrybank Mark two!! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This is the finished piece for Ferns. I do hope they are pleased. On hindsight I could probably have paid more attention to the Wexford colours but hen we would have had to spend more money and in these times I hate doing that!

This piece has at its centre a batik of the castle in Ferns which can be seen from the classroom window. Behind that  is a large piece of fabric paper that the children made collaboratively. Attached to that are the individual batik crests,,each one hand embellished with sewing and beads and other items. The idea is that it will hang in the assembly hall in the school and maybe be used in the gathering celebration in the community.

What a lovely place. It was a pleasure to work with everyone, from Niamh the teacher to the children to Caroline and Maureen. Without all the help it would not have happened, the more people you have helping on these short projects the better the learning and the outcomes. To get 25 children sewing is a feat in itself. Imagine they all need their needles threaded at the same time!! I can hardly see the needle these days never mind the eye!

Here are some shot from the final day. Now I have the Piece at  home to put a border and a backing with some tabs on it to hang it in the hall, hopefully in time for assembly on Friday or before Easter anyway. The bags are hanging in the entrance into the school and the hallway to the classroom. Also in the shots below are some excerpts from the childrens diaries from the project. Fantastic!

		Last day at Ferns VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL