A GRAND DAY OUT

The lovely Mr Brown dragged me out of the studio for an airing yesterday.
Where did we go? Looks like Italy, but no it was Birmingham.

Lots of public art, this Gormley for instance and this

striking painting on the side of a building. We spent most of the day in

the Museum and Art Gallery where there is an exquisite, free exhibition of da Vinci drawings.

I love the Martin Ware and there is also a beautiful collection of Ruskin Pottery, mouth watering colours.

Very Venice, not sure what this was about but a random photo shoot was taking place in the Museum.

Refreshed by my outing, I am now back at work in the studio.

ON GOING ENAMEL

You didn't think I would leave the metal blank did you,it's not that I can't leave well alone, but when I plan and draw something I do like to see it develop and appear in the flesh.

Minimal is not in my nature, but I would love to have that light, spare touch.This piece is not finished, I have just a few more transfers to attach and then sand blast some shapes into the enamelled surface.

WORK IN PROGRESS

And so it begins, the steel is cut and the hinges work, the spot welding is done

and the grip coat has been fired on without a hitch. The piece looks pristine, I like the simplicity and at a pinch I would leave it at that. What makes us go on? Often to over work something or create technical problems that more firings will produce. I would like to think that it is the explorer in me?

I came across this saying posted on http://www.artpropelled.blogspot.com/

"Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Even though you're feeling deeply, lightly let things happen, and lightly cope with them on tip toes and with no luggage, completely unencumbered".

Aldous Huxley

I know it's not like me to post deep and meaningful, but this struck a cord and I hope to act upon it with this piece of work... well I will try!

MAKING A START

The work desk of my studio looks very different these days, covered in tools and bits of metal.

I always think it is intriguing to see how projects begin

and this is the start of another concertina book...watch this space!

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

I am still trying out different ways of working in enamel using this concertina book form as a vehicle for my experiments.

I have used my own photographs of early entomological collections making them into enamel transfers.

Then I have sand blasted label shapes and beetles into the enamel surface.

Rust will happen!!

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

I seem to be getting the year off to a swift start and spent the last few days cutting and enamelling steel to make this concertina book about the

Oxford University Museum of Natural History. My dilemma now is, do I enamel the end boards or leave them in bare steel to let them rust?

STARTING AGAIN!

I love Christmas and the holiday whizzes by so quickly, but the New Year leaves me feeling a bit panicky about starting again.
So December the 31st found me in the shed drawing and planning a big project.

These sketch book doodles are a plan for an enamelled concertina book,

it will be about the Oxford Natural History Museum and will be about 6ins x 9ins.

The plan is to make it in enamelled steel with screen printed transfers and drawing.

I can't wait to get started with the metal cutters.

Happy New Year to you all, lets hope it is a busy one!