Beautiful, bright plastic screw tops How do YOU feel about plastic? Is it a necessary evil? Useful but overused? Do you ever consider that plastic isn't the problem? Maybe it's our attitude to plastic, and how we use it that is the problem . . . I first started working with plastic in 1975 as part of my degree course - Wood, Metal, Ceramics & Plastic at the University of Brighton. (it seems like a lifetime ago now) I eventually specialised in ceramics and silver, but my interest in plastic was piqued. I have experimented with different ways of working with plastic on and off since 1975. Since moving to the coast of western Ireland and living on the edge of a peninsula, surrounded by the sea and beaches, I have become increasingly aware of the plastic washing up on local beaches. Whales shapes made into a necklace. Made from melted hard plastic that has been cut up in a granulator.   If you follow me on social media you will probably be aware of my delight in being given 10

Donals Boat, Carrigaholt, Clare. One of the photos I have selected for my exhibition in October. How are you all doing? On holiday somewhere warm? Still at work at this time of day? Wherever you are reading this in the world. Thinking about cooking lunch or dinner? Whatever you are doing - I hope all is well in your world. Here in Ireland you can feel the season is about to start to change. The nights are starting to get darker, earlier, and it is quite chilly in the evenings. As my Nana used to say "Winter draw(er)s on"!   A car load of colourful farm plastic       I am starting to think about the work I am going to make for my next local exhibition. It is going to be a combination of photographs, textile wall pieces and a few large-ish plastic vessels. The soft plastic I have been collecting from local farms has been piling up, it will be good to finally decide what I will be doing with it. 4ft vessels hopefully and a few bowls. I just need to work out how many layers I wil

A small postscript after the Wey Valley Workshop post. While I was setting up the lecture and workshop that Friday, Mary Gray showed me a sample of her final project for the HE Diploma in Stitched Textiles at Windsor . She had used plastic carrier bags and machine stitch to create a remarkable piece of work. I was so impressed I asked her to send me an image so I could show all of you how amazing it is. Any of you who have read Hot Textiles will know of my love of melting plastics.    Mary's statement follows - TRANSIENCE  My work concerns the depiction of fragmented and distorted imagery on the multifaceted surface of moving water. The challenge has been to capture the complexity of the fractured reflection, created by a swimmer breaking through the surface of the water and the refracted images that the moving water makes of the swimmer. Mary Gray I hope you think it is as amazing as I do . . . . . . . . x