Afternoon Out At Monteviot

Since we're doing a unit called "Ideas and Concepts in Art & Design" which is focused on Botanics, we went on a little trip to Monteviot House Gardens in Jedburgh to gain inspiration. Our goal is to design a suitable item that could be included in a Monteviot shop. I found the gardens beautiful and so relaxing as I felt exploring the place made me content. With the help of Caitlin somewhat being my guide since she went last year, she showed me all the places that would be most interesting such as the Japanese Garden or "Oriental Style Water garden" as the sign said. 

 

For this unit I would love to go down the textiles route since I haven't done anything with fabric and sewing needles properly for a couple of years. I have decided to create a brooch as in the past I've create similar objects. Due to having my idea, I kept my eye out for anything that sparked an idea or interested me and inspired me.

While walking back from the Oriental Style garden this caught my eye. I loved the weaving of the branches that created some sort of shelter. I thought I could use wire or mesh to re-create this woven/gathering technique as I could create a mechanical/metal flower that would be suitable as a brooch.

I found this part of Monteviot beautiful, I would love to live somewhere like this with the perfect house and perfect garden. Even though Botanics is mainly about flowers and plant life, I wanted to focus on the architecture as well and somehow combine it all together. Forming bricks and roof slates into petals? Using the colours available here in this picture to create a 'new' flower?

The cluster of leaves here reminded me of felt which could relate to my chosen design. 

Textiles within nature.

 

I also loved the shape and movement of these pieces, the bench, the gate door and the stone sculpture. I would love to include some of these aspects into my work. Me and Caitlin were also discussing that these designs could also be made into a wallpaper which I found very interesting and unique. I will try and take on the ideas that I discovered from this trip and see how my work goes.