A couple of weeks ago I took a one day work shop on Islamic Design with Eric Broug through Maiwa School of Textiles. I thought it would be a good opportunity to build on the pattern work I’d been doing earlier in the summer, and figure out how to draw these complex geometric designs from scratch.
This is a piece I started a few days after the workshop, which has a six pointed star as its basic structure. I wanted to create a piece that has my standard freeform patterns within a more structured design. I’m satisfied with it so far and have yet to decide on what else to do with it.
The two stars are within an octagon, and everything is inside a circle. I want this piece to be a circle when I am finished with the stars more smoothly incorporated into the work. I’ve been working on this much more slowly than usual because it may not be anything other than an experiment.
I’m allowing myself the space for things to go horribly wrong, but also wonderfully right.
These Islamic-based designs are just stunning, Rachel! I used to take Maiwa classes when I lived in Vancouver, but I’m six hours’ drive away now, alas. It looks as if this class was a huge success for you: well done!