HOLIDAY SKETCH BOOK

I have been lucky enough to have another week off on holiday, this time in Italy where the weather was a little warmer than Bude. I stayed with my artist friend Amanda and her husband in their house in Umbria.

My sketch book became inspired by the things I saw. These dear little lizards shared the house.

and the fields were full of sunflowers.

Amanda and I had fun playing with mixed media techniques on the last day of my stay. Inspired by the green paper table mats from a meal earlier in the week which forms the basis of these 2 collages.

And the beautifully shaped grappa bottles. My little sketch book is a great reminder of what a lovely summer I am having. Thankyou Amanda and Rob for your generous hospitality.

Back to work, I have had an order for 5 of these collagraphs. Atonement is the size of an A1 piece of paper.

BURIED TREASURE 2010

Here is a post which is from this time last year. I am re posting it as part of Seth Apter's Buried Treasure 2010 project to be found on the blog The Altered Page. He has asked folk to collaborate by posting a favourite past post. I felt that it would be apt to post this one as it is about this time last year it was first posted. It will also celebrate the fact that my blog is just over a year old now...Happy Blogday to me. Enjoy going back in time.

I have just spent a wet week in Bude, Cornwall with husband Rob and son Toby. While they spent the days frolicing in the waves in wet suits, I had an enjoyable time exploring rock pools and collecting stones.

I find seaside pebbles irresistable, the Bude coast line is edged with these gorgeous stones before the sand appears when the tide goes out.

The rocks on the edge of the beaches are covered in the deepest blue clusters of mussels

and although the orange fishing net is really rubbish it looks fabulous against the blue.

I knew I would have sometime left to my own devises so I cut up a larger sketch book to make this square format, 11 x 11cms and at the end of the week decorated the front with beach finds.

I manage 2 to 3 drawings a day, some on the beach, some inspired by the day

I prepared pages with acrylic paint and wall paper before coming away,

and used collage to inspire some pages.

I am left with a personal reminder of a lovely holiday that is easier to look at than a set of photos.

Now back at home I am working on new collagraphs for my galleries, this Barnacle Goose lives at Slimbridge and fills an A1 piece of Snowdon cartridge

CARRY ON COLLAGRAPHING

I spent a happy but hot beginning of this week working with 19 'A' level students. A very friendly art department with fantastic work being done by the staff and students.

We had a very energetic time making collagraph prints with card, wall paper and wood glue the first day. The students then worked into their prints by monoprinting inked card and wallpaper

over both wet and dry prints. Lovely work was produced, but I think we all wilted in the heat by the second day!

I have just about found time to bind together the colour samples I made during the Open Studio event at Hampen Factory at the beginning of June. If I don't organise them I will just put them away and forget all the good ideas they have sparked. I am not an accurate or talented book binder, but I do love this form. I have used the printing plate for the cover of one booklet, but my favourite samples I have covered in acetate.

I intend to hang the booklets up in my studio by the bulldog clips so that they are a very visible reminder that I can do colour...!!!

Thankyou Lesley, who has a great blog Printed Material. Lesley found this fabric at the Bristol Ikea, for me it was a must have and I am now the proud owner of a flocking frock for summer.

My daughter kindly fed the birds with a series of humourous textile bugs, thankyou Holly!

Finally, Cassey the Hampen Factory Arts Centre cat has had 7 kittens in a cello case.

They are about 7 hours old here.

Mother and kittens are doing well, Carolyn and I are thrilled!

CONTINUE TO COLLAGRAPH

At last, after 2 days in a school making collagraphs with year 10 students I have managed a day in my studio doing some work.

The Open Studio event gave me time to do some sketch book pages but I finished this off today.

I have also been able to experiment with colour a little more on slightly larger plates, this is Burnt Umber in the intaglio with a Raw Sienna and a Turquoise Lake roll.

And this is the same rolls but with Carmine in the intaglio. I love the rich possibilities and

I think it will push me to try and make more abstract pieces. Meanwhile back to the work that exhibits and sells.

I made this Flamingo plate before the Open Studios, all carborundum and wood glue on card and have finally got to print it today. It is 32 inches by 24 inches, perhaps a little cross looking, but if I was a big pink bird I think I would be too!

OPEN STUDIOS COMPLETED

9 days of Open Studios in Cheltenham is now over. The exhibition at Hampen Factory has been taken down and it is now back to a normal life, well as normal as can be!

Hampen Factory had a very successful show, we had 280 people come to visit us, new friends were made and we caught up with old friends.

Carolyn and I found it a valuable time to play with colour in printmaking, so for 3 days all this experimenting was done. These little plates are collagraphs made from card, tile cement and wood glue about 4 inches by 2 inches.

It was a controlled experiment with colour separation inking. These will be a useful resource when I next come to print with colour. I would never allow myself to sit alone and experiment like this in my studio and Carolyn is more daring than me when printmaking with colour, many of the most exciting examples are her suggestions.

More fun with friends and more feed back!!

Worth doing an Open Studio? With good friends, yes! If people come to see artists at work, yes! If you are visited regularly by a Woodpecker...YES!

OPEN STUDIO IN PROGESS

3 days into Open Studios at Hampen Factory and much to our relief we have had people come to visit us. In fact our 'Meet the artist' event was very lively and I met lots of friends. I hope a good time was had by all.

Carolyn's mixed media collagraphs have been well received.

Sharon's garden sticks have been popular.

Caroline's sewn narratives have been much admired.

Lesley's ceramic sculptures have caused quite a stir.

I spent the weekend at Hampen Factory with other members of the group happily working in my sketch books. While setting up the show on Thursday we found a baby blue tit, Sharon and I

took lots of photos. Sadly it was found dead on Saturday morning because we had heavy rain on Friday night. So it is immortalised in a couple of my sketch book pieces, and I can feel a

collagraph coming on. I will report how the rest of the week goes, but so far so good!

CHELTENHAM ART FESTIVAL & OPEN STUDIO

All over the country, all through the year, artists open their studios and homes to the public for Open Studio events.

Saturday 6th June, Hampen Factory Arts Centre opens it's doors as part of the Cheltenham Art Festival & Open Studio.

After hours of cleaning, painting, sign and label making, publicity creating, and hanging the work, we are ready! And still friends! Preparing for an exhibition certainly makes creating the work for it feel easy...my arms never ache like this after editioning!

Let me give you a tantalizing preview of Five at the Factory, an exhibition of five artists

Lesley Maddox McNulty's ceramic sculpture welcomes visitors at the studio door and although the studio now looks like a chic gallery space the press will be in operation all week as there will be artists at work.

Carolyn Foulkes set up Hampen Factory 4 years ago to host printmaking and painting courses. Carolyn uses the studio to make her own mixed media collagraphs and etchings.

I look to Carolyn's advice when it comes to using colour and we are looking forward to a week of experimenting with colour and collagraphs while we are stewarding the exhibition.

Caroline Mc Catty has made a series of sewn narrative pieces for the show, yes, this frog is all fabric and thread. I am sorry the photograph does not do it justice because of the glass reflection...all the more reason to take a trip out to Cheltenham to see it!

I am showing new collagraphs and etchings which have not appeared in galleries yet. These collagraphs are Great Tits that come to the many feeding stations dotted around the studio.

Hampen is in the middle of the Cotswold country side and at this time of year surrounded by baby birds. Hopefully we will see the Woodpecker that visits regularly.

Sharon McSwiney's metal hangings shimmer around the studio, they picked up the light and make the exhibition rich and textural.

I am so lucky to have such a talented group of friends and that we have been able to put this show together without a cross word or artistic tantrum. I am sure I have been bossy, but everyone seems to still be talking to me.

Well, lets hope we have a few visitors after all this effort, but what ever happens, so far the experience of it all has been worth it and we are all really pleased with the way it looks.

FIVE AT THE FACTORY an exhibition of 5 artists. 6th-14th June

http://www.hampenfactory.co.uk/