Oxford workshop

I spent a really lovely day yesterday taking a workshop for a group of enthusiastic embroiders from the Oxford embroiders guild.  It was a very productive day with some fantastic work produced by the end of the day, although some is still work in progress!  It was a challenge for some to decide on what images to choose, but once decisions were made every one seemed to enjoy choosing their fabrics and composing their designs.

What I enjoy about the workshops and find interesting is how every one has a different interpretation of the brief  and brings a touch of their own style into the finished piece of work.

Here are the finished results hope you find them as inspirational as I do.

Half term surfing in Cornwall

Inspired by my intrepid daughter who goes surfing in February in Plozeath, I decided to make my next new pictures a tribute to all those mad enough to don wet suits and brave the sea, for me it would have to be Byron Bay!

News for 2014

I have started 2014 by taking quite a few workshops with secondary school children.   It's been really good fun working with the young people and I'm always impressed with the variety of ideas they come up with.  They tackled complex images with out reservation and really enjoyed choosing the material for their designs along with the applique process and seeing their designs come to life.

So I would like to share a couple of images with you which I think are wonderful.

New Designers

Another year has passed and it is New Designers again.  I find it hard to believe it has been five years since I was exhibiting there myself.  I love to go and have a look at the work of the new graduates, when you work on your own it's very easy to be in a creative bubble.  I have taken some photos of some of my new graduates favourites this year.

First is the work of Rachel Macleod, I really liked the costal theme of her work.  I am interested in print, so usually head to the surface print designers first.

  

The next body of work that stood out for me was designer Abby Black, her work has a funky retro theme that worked really well with her sample products, Abby's display of her work was lovely

something I always struggle with.  

One Year on was as good as ever.  As always it is interesting to see how graduates work has changed and matured in a year.  As a textile artist the artist who stood out for me was the fantastic work of Lauren Scott.  She creates three dimensional sculptures using traditional textile and ceramic techniques. lauren takes her inspiration from the irish countryside where she lives. Her quirky animals are full of personality and character and are made form recycled materials.

       
Other graduates work I really like were, Jade Holly, Sky Procter, Natasha Lucy Storer, Rebecca Louise, Judy Scott, Benidia Wibisono, Laura Moscrop, Liz Shuter, Emma Grace Dugdale, Jenny Collicott and Ginni Jones-Mansueto good luck to them all and I be following there sucesses.

 

Technology

I have been busy trying to set up an Etsy shop, it's been time consuming and a struggle with technology and social media.

 I have been trying to promote my shop through social media sights that are a foreign world to me.   It's so easy for me to spend hours and hours on the computer and no time making, but I have had some material digitally printed by a company called 'Finger print' who will print images onto fabric.  So hear are some cushions I have made so far.

Down to Sleep

The Down to Sleep exhibition has just opened last week and curator Joetta Maue has sent me some images that I would like to share.  It is wonderful to be part of such a great exhibition with so many talented artists.

Joetta has also added more images and information on her blog. connectivethread.blogspot.com/

Down to sleep

It's been a while since I have posted on my blog, what with Christmas taking over December and my poor friend getting run over in January and breaking her leg I have had other things to keep me busy.  However my art life is getting busy again and I have just sent my picture 'Alright! Don't cry about it! to the US for a textile exhibition, curated by artist and Joetta Maue.

The exhibition is called 'Down to Sleep' and is at the Essex art centre in Lawrence USA from the 1st of March until the 12 of April.  Even though it is always exciting to be exhibiting internationally,  it always feels as if I am sending one of my children off on their own just hoping that they get there ok.

Exhibition at Spotlight Gallery Broxbourne

I have a solo exhibition on at the Spotlight Gallery Broxbourne which is on until the end of December.
I thought I would share a few photos.

Etsy shop

After returning form a great weekend at made London, I decided to take the plunge and make an Etsy shop I have been busy creating what will hopefully be a masterpiece for 4 hours but it seems more like 4 days.  Oh I wish I was more computer literate and everything didn't take so long to do!!! It''s not often I'll be glad of the excuse to make diner, but until that time here are a few pictures from made London and I'd better get back to Esty.

Year 11 Workshop

I had a very busy week last week that involved spending lots of time on motorways being stuck in Traffic jams delivering and collecting Art work.  The highlight of the week was spending a really lovely day at a secondary school doing a workshop for some year 11 students.  They all had limited or no sewing machine experience at all, were very imaginative in their designs and all worked hard.  I was very pleased with what they managed to achieve and would like to share their work with you. 

It's all still work in progress, I hope you like their work and are as impressed as I was.

Made London

I will be exhibiting in Made London 26th - 28th October, at One Marylebone, NW1 4AQ. After listening to there helpful webinar I have realised that it is not very far away now. As Origin wasn't on this year it will be a great chance to come and spend the day at a high quality designer craft fair (there is a cafe!).  I am sharing a stand in the Crypt under the umbrella of the Design Factory with Tracie Murchison, Phiona Richards and Kate Bajic.  full details of designers and opening times are on there web site, http://www.madelondon.org.

I have just finished a new piece of work for it called 'luvin life' capturing my daughter and her friend going on their first holiday although I didn't want to make the work until they arrived home safely.  Hope this evokes some memories for a few of you!

Latest news

Now I am back from my holidays and children are to school it's full steam ahead with work as I have a busy few weeks ahead.  I have been asked to give a workshop at a school in Surrey for a group of year 11 students as I have recently been into a junior school it will be interesting to work with older students.    I will post some pictures of their work once I have been.

I have also joined a support network for textile artists through the Maltings in Farnham.  As a group we have been invited by the Maltings to put on an exhibition during their Festival of Crafts to show case our work, this will be on Saturday the 20th of October.  It should be a really good day with lots of inspiring crafts people.

Lastly I am sharing a stand at Made London with Tracie Murchison, Kate Bajic and Phiona Richards under the umbrella of The Design Factory.  Made London is on from the 26th -28th of October with a private view on the Friday the 26th.

Drawn to Craft

The Drawn to craft exhibition has now opened at the lovely craft gallery in Bilston.  It is a great space I had never been there before and was really impressed, there are also planned activities for children over the summer holidays http://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/bilston/exhibitions/004881.html.

Here are a few pictures Natalie Cole the exhibition officer sent me.

Small Stories

Small Stories at the Urban Alchemist, Brooklyn, NY has now open with the preview evening on Saturday.  I was really pleased when Joetta the curator emailed be the publicity poster to find my art work had been picked along with three others to advertise the exhibition, I always feel its a privilege to have been chosen.  I hope the exhibition is a success I only wish I could go and see it.

Busy week

It has been a busy week, everything seems to have taken me out of my studio: dress shopping for my nieces wedding with three girls involved many hours sat outside a Top Shop changing room, a major mission and looking for bathroom tiles. Both have now been achieved so I can get on with some work. I shipped my picture to America last week for the Small Stories exhibition and I was very relived when I received an email to say they had arrived safely. I always feel like I have sent my children off unattended and just hope they get there alright. Finally Stitching Picture by Sandeep Jandu has now been published and I received my copy in the post this week, it lovely book and it was great to see my work published in a book.

Small Stories

I am very excited I have just found out that my work has been selected for an exhibition in the Urban Alchemist Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. The exhibition runs from the 20th of June until the 23rd of July and is curated by Joetta Maue who is a textile artist and curator. I am thrilled to have been chosen as I know she had lots of entries. I would love to go to the exhibition as America is far more supportive of textile art than we are in this country, but unfortunately money and distance are against me. I went to Collect at the Saatchi Gallery last weekend and as a textile artist I found it very disapointing, lots of beautiful craft but only one textile artist Louise Gardiner who was in the project space. However Louise Gardiners beautiful work made the visit worthwhile for me.

New textile fans

Before the Easter break I visited a class of year five children who were making textile pictures of buildings of the old part of town where they live. They had been on a visit taken some pictures and then drawn some sketches. Afterwards they went back to school to start work on their final pieces. Their teacher asked if I could go into school and talk to the children about my work as a local textile artist. I decided to visit the same part of town and do a picture of my own to show the children. It was a lovely visit, the children had loved using textiles and were really enthusiastic. It was obvious that they had all put allot of thought and time into their pictures. When it came to the end of my talk they all asked the most brilliant questions about my work and inspiration and any tips I could pass on to them. I hadn't quite finished my picture so I went back today to show them the finished piece and to look at theirs, I have taken some picture you may all like to see of their wonderful work. Best of all they all gave me a clap when they saw my finished picture ahhh!! I am easily pleased.

I think they are all great, it's really good to see young children engaging with textiles and enjoying it. Hope you know which is mine!!!