After working none stop in the build up to the Northern Contemporary Craft Fair I thought now it was over it would be a good time to take stock of my art life for a few days. So I have caught up with friends, been out to lunch and done a couple of extra Zumba and pilates classes, but Manchester was three weeks ago now and my studio is still in an after exhibition mess and I can't avoid tidying it up any longer. The task is so big I have gone to great lengths to avoid it, even spending a morning in the natural History museum with the stuffed animals so my daughter could draw their skulls for A level art.

I have to say we both found it a bit creepy!!!

Busy weekend

Just recovering from a great but tiring weekend in Manchester at the Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, it's a while since I have done a design fair so I have forgotten how demanding they are, but I have had a wonderful time. Makers are such lovely people to spend time with, it's very isolating working from home so it is good to spend time with other creative people. I also decided I needed a treat for working so hard so I bought a bangle from Julie Mellor who had a stand next to mine. I think I need more to go with it so I'm saving for more!

Unfortunately now Manchester will have to become a distant memory for another year as I have to catch up on all the things I have neglected for the last few weeks and all the washing up and jobs my family have kindly left for me!

Talented Designers

I have only one day to of the Northern Contemporary Craft Fair and I am tiered and looking forward to going home, but as usual it is full of fantastic designers selling all sorts of lovely original crafts and I have met lots of designers who have been great fun to spend the weekend with. Working on your own can be very isolating so it is great to get together with other designers to share ideas with. If you haven't been yet come along it's great.

Northern contemporary craft fair

Although I very busy preparing for the Northern Contemporary Craft fair which is on at Spinningfields Manchester 20th -23rd October, I have been forced to stop and tidy my studio before I can go on, the chaos is too much for me now and a sort out can no longer be put off. However I'm just going to pop to my friends for a cup of before I can face the task!!!

Latest News

I have been very busy in the last few weeks as I have lots going on in the next few weeks. Firstly I have been excepted as a member of the design factory which I am very pleased about as they are very supportive to makers.

Currently I have an exhibition on at the Colne Gallery in Colchester Hospital which is designed to open up art to the staff an visitors to the hospital, they feature a different artist each month and my work is there until the end of September.

I have been working really hard on some smaller pieces of work to add to my collection for Herts open studios, where I will be exhibiting some work up in my friends studio.

I have also had some pictures taken of my new work which I have made for my exhibition at the New Maynard Art Gallery in Welwyn Garden City which is opening on the 16th of September and is running until the 18th of October. Here is a sneak preview of some of my finished work.

Finally I am the featured artist on workshop on the web this month http//www.workshopontheweb.com/

Trace Emin

I have never been to an exhibition of Trace Emin's work so I was really looking forward to seeing the retrospective of her work at the Hayward Gallery. I hadn't realise that she had made so may quilts and that they were so big. It took a considerable amount of time to look round the exhibition as she is well known for her use of text and I was compelled to read as much of it as I could. I found the exhibition thought provoking in a disturbing way and it played on my mind long after I had left.

work in progress!!!

After spending a very relaxing week in Spain and then having to come to terms with the fact that the long hot summer I was hoping for has not happened, there is an up side as I have done lots of new work and haven't been tempted to sit in the sun and read books as there hasn't been any. All this is good as I have a exhibitions coming up in September and October.

This picture is called 'What u do'in u loser!' which I think sums up the way my children view my husband and I most of the time, Oh well I suppose it could be worse!

However enjoyable making new work is, it is always followed by having to then put it on stretchers which is not my favorite job and one I can put off no longer as I'm taking it to the Colne Gallery at Colchester Hospital on Sunday for the first of my exhibitions, a private exhibition which is on from 28th of September until 24th of September.