Zoe Walker and Neil Bromwich.

Hello, something a little different for you today.

Zoe Walker and Neil Bromwich are artists (see their website here), I thought I'd introduce you to them, partly because I also want to show you a piece I made for Zoe, commissioned by Neil as a gift for Zoe's Birthday.

A boat on a tea cosy.

But not just any old boat, a magic boat, a boat that shimmers and sparkles and is also a radio station, almost as if it had flown in from another planet.

The piece I made for Zoe is based on their work of art, 'Celestial Radio'.

Celestial Radio was a piece they created, which involved gathering stories and sounds from the Isle of Skye, off Scotland, to broadcast from their boat, covered in 60,000 tiny mirrored squares.

There is a wonderful photograph and more information about this work here. It's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and magical, I urge you to have a look at the link.

My brief was to create a tea cosy, with a beaded boat on the top, that resembled something between Zoe's drawing of the boat (for a map that was produced), which you see in the first photograph, and the actual boat.

Celestial Radio was to be embroidered on one side, and the equivalent Gaelic words on the other.

It sounds quite simple doesn't it?

There were a few considerations, like the tea cosy being able to support a beaded object which could be too heavy for a knitted tea cosy. After discussions with Neil, I came up with what you see above. A week of long hours working on it produced the finished piece. It would have been less than a week if the radio mast on the boat hadn't presented me with problems, my fifth attempt at it produced what you see above.

Perhaps I should have placed this beaded boat I made against a black backdrop, and lit it so it sparkled, like in the beautiful photograph you see in this link.

Neil had suggested putting a couple of patchwork squares on the tea cosy, and that led to me doing quite a detailed patchwork tea cosy.

I became very involved in creating the patchwork. As I hand sewed each piece of fabric together, it started to represent the stories that Neil and Zoe gathered, to broadcast from the boat. I imagined little old ladies and men, relating their histories over mugs of tea, warming their toes by an open fire.

I debated a while as to whether I should sign this piece. In the end I did, and Neil was pleased, he loved that detail. Zoe loves the tea cosy too.

Neil said that the tea cosy makes having a cup of tea a real joy, that's a wonderful compliment, don't you think?

(You might wonder where my beading has suddenly sprung from............ I've been doing it for many years, though very little over the last year or so, it's very time consuming. You can see some of the beading I showed on my blog a few years ago, in my beading section here, just to show it's something I've been obsessed with in the past. I taught myself how to bead from books, just in case you're wondering where I learnt).

Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Planet Penny]

Vanessa, it's amazing! I love the peaty tweedy colours of the patchwork too. what a work of art!

[Vintage Squirrel]

What a challenge! Blimey! And what a fitting tweedy background for it's connection to Skye. Wonderful. You must have put HOURS and HOURS of thought into the construction of the boat and how to get it to sit on top of the cosy alone, making aside. What a tremendous piece of work Vanessa.
Katie x

[Liz in Missouri (with Lucy)]

Goodness! The first thoughts I had were, "Now, isn't THAT interesting." and "Oh, Wow! Look at how she DID that!" This just fascinates me - the idea of taking this amazing couple's life and work and translating it into a tea cozy, of all things. And it WORKED! Vanessa, you amaze me. I wish I could sit down and have a little knit and a cup of tea with you one day, just to chit chat about your own brilliant work.

[Hen]

Wow, well done Vanessa, what a special and unique piece. She's a lucky lady! I was just showing your gorgeous gift cards to the Munchkin this morning.
Hen x

[Kate]

I love making tea cosies, they can be really fun things,lots of scope for having fun.

[harmony and rosie]

What a stunning cosy, I bet they drink tea all the time now! I love how you took so much time and effort to make sure everything was to perfection - the beaded boat is a delight. So is the horse you made all those years ago, it is stunning.
Kate x

[Penelope]

Oh my goodi-giddiness Vanessa, I am speechless. You truly are one amazingly talented lady. I love each and every bit of detail, from the beading to the tweedy tartan patchwork. I am in absolute awe ofyour wonderous skill and creativity. Thanks so much for sharing this true wonder xox

[Carol]

Fabulous work of art, just stunning. I don't think you'd get a better cup of tea than from a teapot under that beautiful cosy.
Carol xx

[Archie the wonder dog]

It's fabulous, absolutely incredible - the more I look at it the more I see and the more I love it! The photo of the original boat is breathtaking (I gasped when I saw it!) and I'm so glad I followed the link!

[amanda makes]

Oh I just love it Vanessa! You are constantly surprising and fabulous! When I saw your last post I had to show my staff your photo so that they could see the face behind 'Audrey'. We love her so much, Vanessa. I'm sorry that funds don't allow for Audrey crimbo cards this year but I'm hopeful (having had a meeting with Mr Accountant)that next year we can go for it! xxx

[mlle paradis]

you are a marvel! the boat is truly a gem!

[Teresa Kasner]

Vanessa.. bravo on this wonderful tea cozy.. but of course it's more a work of art, a sculpture.. what lucky people to have this lovely piece! Thanks so much for visiting my blog.. I do hope you come back soon.
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*M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
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((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Annie]

This is wonderful Vanessa. Homely and yet other worldly, both at the same time. What a lovely piece to have made, and I'm sure to own :D

[Helen]

This is such an amazing creation, Vanessa! You are a very versatile artist, and have created something different here. The beaded boat is beautiful, and you have cleverly crafted the robust and tweedy teacosy to carry the boat perfectly...and it even has a Scottish feel about it too....wonderful!
Helen x

[Judy Edmonds]

Love the tea cosy and the beaded ship and the whole story. Worked my way through some of your bead posts and I am glad to see someone else who is obsessed with seed beads like me!

[Siobhan]

It is so interesting knowing the story behind a work of art. I love how you have captured the essence of the boat. I had read some of the beading posts but quite a while ago now. Yes, you are definitely interested in lots of things!

I am very fond of patchwork and I love the results of all your work in the tea cosy. I really like the colours too, with the splash of red giving some added zing.

I love that you are a versatile artist. The fact that you have so many craft skills too, enhances your work and gives you so many options. It must be very challenging when you are commissioned to do a piece of work but you always rise to the occasion. You have definitely defied gravity with the mast - I can't even get the star on my Christmas tree to stand straight. Thanks for sharing this piece with us; I bet the owners of this are thrilled with what you have done. It's a beautiful creatively realised piece. I love that it is going to be used too.

[lori]

this is completely fantastic, brilliant. you clever amazing girl. yes, you absolutly should sign your work, it is part of the preciousness of your art. gorgeous.
xxx

[sam]

Beautiful tea cosies like this one make me wish that I drank tea!

[Marlene]

Hi! I love your blog, quite different from others which is good! We all need a variety of items to see and do. I am so impressed with your teacozy, specially with the connections to the Isle of Skye. Although I live on the eastern side of South Africa, my great grandfather came from the Isle of Skye and my maternal grandfather was born on the isle. It was his lifelong ambition to go back and visit his relatives, but due to circumstances could never make it. My wish is to visit, but I am also getting old. Maybe my daughter, living in London, would do us the honour! Hope that you'll have a wonderful inspirational 2012!