HOME ALONE

It's official, I am now making work again

 I am playing with several ideas at once, designing doll brooches.

 Raku firing copper moths

 and exploring my stash of pocket watch cases.

 And then ...

 there is the cutlery.

Deep breath, relax and enjoy the making, well this is my mantra, it has more class than, 'Don't panic Mr Mainwaring!!!'

IF IN DOUBT... DRAW

So in fear of thinking too much I have spent the day drawing.

 Pre prepared sketch book pages mean I do not have white page fear.

 Drawing with white acrylic then washing ink on top leads to happy accidents.

 Gold and pewter ink adds twinkle and iridescence.

Ideas are beginning to bubble through with the act of drawing, if I sit and think anxiety is my reward, sit and draw and all is right with the world.

How does drawing make you feel?

EXTREME ENAMEL

It's never too late to experiment with new processes and on the last studio day at UWE I got to grips with raku enamel.

 It had all the elements that gets the blood rushing, spontaneity,experimentation and FIRE!!

 And out of the ashes comes the most exquisite iridescence.

 It is hard to show photographically the wonderful effects that can be created by this process,

 but I think that it is just possible to see the metallic glimmers of gold, pearl

 and petrol blue.

Ideal for a bit of a beetle. Etched copper, pocket watch case and brooch pin...nice!

NATURAL HISTORY IN ENAMEL

For everyone who can not get to Bristol between 08 and 14 June here is my MA assessment exhibition in Multi- Disciplinary Printmaking. This is the culmination of 3 years study at UWE.

The work is about our contradictory relationship with the insect world, I am describing the fascination we have for museum exhibits and the study of these creatures, yet we do not necessarily have an easy relationship with creepy crawlies when they enter our personal environment. The element you are missing here is the sound of flying insects being played through the head phones next to the light bulb piece adding a flesh crawling atmosphere to the work. All the pieces are made from enamelled steel and copper.

I could not have made this work in isolation, thankyou to Rachel Davis for 3 years of support and ideas swapping. The fabrication department at UWE for encouraging me to work with metal and solve construction dilemmas. David Julyan who made the sound track to my show giving it an extra dimension. Lesley Crawley who has been my secret research weapon and encouraged me along the way. Jane Bromham who has helped with all my computer related problems. Caroline McCatty who has been a long distance sounding board and source of encouragement and all my other friends who have had to put up with me banging on about the MA. Holly Brown for more long distance encouragement and sorting out the odd theoretical issue and last but not least, Rob, Jack and Toby who have put up with 3 years of domestic chaos and encouraged me every step of the way.

READY-STEADY...

                                                So here is my space

and here are my shelves and as I type the contents of both are being assessed for an MA in Multi Disciplinary Printmaking at the Uuniversity of the West of England.

The private view is on Friday 8 June, 6-9pm and the exhibition continues to the 14 June, at Bower Ashton Campus. Bristol B53 2JT see www.uwe.ac.uk for opening times. I will be there for the PV, Saturday morning, Sunday and Tuesday. My fellow course mates have made a fabulous exhibition, it is well worth coming to see.

Hope to see you there?

FISH SLICE CHALLENGE

It is very interesting how we see the same things so differently and this is what the fish slice challenge is highlighting. Here are two offerings after challenging the technical staff at UWE.

 I love the way Ryan has taken on the task of altering the object with wax stalactites.

It is interesting how we apply our own skills to these objects, when I saw stainless steel, I could only think enamel, so to see wax oozing off the surface was stimulating.

Rachel who has taught me enamel over the last 3 years enamelled and sand blasted and enamelled again after plasma cutting the utensil. I think the shadow the object casts  has a gorgeous edge.

I am looking forward to more takes on this everyday object over the next month or so.

COLLAGRAPH TRAILS

I have challenged my printmaking groups to combine collagraph prints with gum arabic transfers.

 They have made a set of small plates, these are 3in x 3in,

 using tile cement, carborundum and wood glue,

 then simply intaglio printed using one or two colours, I have also used dress pattern tissue as chine collee.

When the prints are dry I have added some gum arabic transfer elements in

 gold and silver ink.

Really sparking off some ideas for me.