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Tag: Batik

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My Batik ‘Illuminated Earth at Night’

Today, I had the pleasure of visiting the Batik Guild international exhibition at Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, arranged as part of a series of exhibitions during 2024-2025 to commemorate the International Year of Batik. The variety of works on display from our global membership was truly inspiring. I was honoured to have my painting ‘Illuminated Earth at Night’ included in the exhibition. It was also wonderful to finally meet fellow Batik Guild members in person, whom I have only ever met virtually until now for the past several years. It was a pleasant surprise to have Rugby’s newly elected Labour MP @johnslinger.mp come along to join us, and I enjoyed our conversation about the vital role of the arts in uniting communities.

I initially unveiled this batik back in April on ‘Earth Day’ in celebration of the beauty of our planet. In this piece, the presence of advanced industrial societies is portrayed by the network of glowing electrical lighting as seen from space, highlighting issues associated with increased population, globalisation and commerce. 

As urbanisation and industrialisation continue, the proliferation of artificial nighttime lighting poses significant challenges. Light pollution obscures the visibility of the stars and planets, and atmospheric pollution exacerbates this problem by creating a dense impenetrable haze. Humanity’s ability to connect with and contemplate the greater Universe is being diminished. 

It’s my hope that in some small way this batik painting can help to spark consideration within individuals and collectively about our relationship with our planet’s ecosystems, and to foster a sense of wonder about our very existence and that of the greater cosmos. We are a connected species forming part of the greater whole, and we are not merely autonomous in our being. The balancing of Earth’s systems depends upon our actions as a species, and obviously the future of our species is dependant upon the wellbeing of our planet for our survival.

This batik serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness and the delicate fragility of it all. It is available to be viewed at Rugby Art Gallery & Museum until August 10th 2024, along with all the other wonderful works by Batik Guild members from around the world. Let me know if you visit and your thoughts on this eclectic exhibition!

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Botanical & Mandala Workshop in Leek, Staffordshire

I recently had the pleasure of teaching a group of 10 ladies from the Leek & District Guild of Spinners, Weavers & Dyers. This was my first time presenting this new themed class to such a large and established group of textile artists with diverse skill sets, so I accepted the challenge with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Fortunately, my worries were unfounded. The workshop turned out to be a wonderfully creative, relaxed and productive experience. I set the day rolling with a demonstration of the techniques, explaining the methods and showing how to use the various tools. This hands-on approach allowed everyone to get comfortable with using a tjanting or kistka — many had never tried batik before.

The group was a mix of talented textile aficionados. On one side of the hall, I and several guild members worked away on our batik projects, whilst on the opposite side, others were engrossed in their current spinning, embroidery, and handicraft projects.

The guild only holds a few joint workshops each year, making it a special privilege to be invited to be the facilitator of this event. It was a fantastic team-building exercise, and everyone left feeling proud of their achievements. Leading this workshop was a joy, and I cherish the happy memories we created together.

I look forward to future opportunities to teach and inspire more textile enthusiasts — either as groups or individuals!

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New Classes Now Available

Attic Batik is pleased to announce 2 new themed classes to choose from. I have added ‘Botanical Batik’ & ‘Mandala Art’ to the list of options, with more to come later in the year. Both of these classes are a little more challenging than our ‘Initial Class’ which I consider to be a foundation class in batik with a little room for experimentation. These classes are more precise but they are none-the-less suitable for a confident beginner or someone with a little prior experience of batiking. If you have experience of painting and drawing, then I would guess these two new classes might be a good fit for you, particularly if you are quite a detailed artist. That said, my 4 most recent students on this class didn’t consider themselves to be artists at all, and they handled it beautifully. Here are close-up shots of their work:

Examples of some of my floral batiks
Mandala batik by Sue
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Batik Talk to Ashbourne Creative Stitchers in Derbyshire

I was honoured to give a talk and a batik demonstration, followed by a hands-on taster session for the members of Ashbourne Creative Stitchers. Initially scheduled for a year earlier, this event was postponed due to the passing of my father. I dedicated this talk to his memory, as he had always been a significant cheerleader in my early creative journey. So, this one was for Dad — I know he would have been proud!

The talk, which lasted about 50 minutes, featured a slideshow showcasing both my artistic journey and the historical and contextual background of batik. My husband, Jamie, provided excellent IT support and filmed the presentation. As a television sound man, this was a busman’s holiday for him!

The group, consisting of around 25 enthusiastic ladies, welcomed me warmly, putting me at ease instantly. Their diverse textile backgrounds added richness to the session, although many had never tried batik before, making it a delightful new experience for them.

After the talk, we shared tea and biscuits, giving everyone a chance to refresh. While some attendees engaged in their own textile projects, I led an interactive batik session for those eager to try. It was inspiring to see participants experiment with the batik tools and techniques. One lady, in particular, created a fantastic spontaneous design featuring snails!

Many thanks to Ashbourne Creative Stitchers for hosting me and for their patience during this challenging time. Your support and enthusiasm made this event truly special.

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Now an Airbnb Experience Host

Are you travelling to pretty Derbyshire for a holiday? Or even staying a while in the lovely little shopping and heritage town of Belper? There is so much to do and see around here and you’ll be received with a warm welcome.

Approved by Airbnb

Attic Batik on the Belper Market Place has just been approved as an Airbnb Experience Host. We now offer classes to holiday makers to enhance your visit and for you to come and create lasting special memories as part of your stay in the county.

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