Website update!

If you've not noticed yet, my website has had a makeover! With the confidence I got from doing the Photocraft course I was able to see how I could use photography to communicate a bit more about my ideas and inspirations. My colour has come back and I'm looking forward to seeing that in some of the new originals I am planning. The website and blog are now linked in to all my social media so whether you're on twitter, Facebook or Linkedin you can keep in touch with me at the studio.  It was a labour of love putting the site together with wonderful technical support from David Hallows.

Upcoming workshops

Back by popular demand!  This Autumn I'll be running another 'Recording Memories' workshop.  To see how the Spring workshop went, have a look here.  The one day workshop will be held at Long Eaton Art Room, near Nottingham on Saturday 8th October. The room is large and airy with plenty of parking and disabled access.  I'll be providing tea and coffee and cake made by my own fair hands!  All for £40, including materials. The day will run from 10-4.  Get in touch with me through the website if you'd like to book a place.

I'm also running a 'Creating for Ceramic Transfer' workshop at Beans Coffee Shop Gallery on Sunday 25th September 2011.  I've fallen in love with ceramic transfers!  It's a great way of translating your art into an embellishment for any ceramics or china.  I'll show you how it works and during the day you can create an original piece of art work using ink, collage and stitch which I will then have made into a transfer and fired onto a tile for you.  These make great presents!  The day runs from 10-4 and costs £40 including a lovely lunch and most materials.  There'll be an additional £5 charge for each tile you would like to have made.  If you'd like to book a place, please contact Karen at Beans Coffee Shop Gallery.

Both courses are suitable for beginners and will be an informal introduction to techniques and ideas.  I hope you can join me for what I hope will be a fun and inspiring day.

ps.  Whilst I'm telling you about my courses, I'll also tell you about David's Life Drawing courses.  These will run on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from the start of September at Chilwell School and at St.Mary's Church Hall, Draycott.

Woo hoo!

Remember the tiles I was commissioned to create?  Well here they are in situ.  I'm really pleased with how they turned out and hope they are an inspiration to the chef!

They now reside in Sudbury, Suffolk where we had a lovely day out at the Open Gardens in aid of St.Nicholas Hospice.

I also delivered work to Gallery 47 in Sudbury for their Picture Bonanza weekend from Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd May. So if you fancy picking up a bargain or adding a Hallows or Hallows to your art collection, pop along! 

New Course

David is running life drawing evening courses at Chilwell School, Nottingham NG9 5AL.  Those of you who have been taught by David before at Nottingham University will know that he's an inspiring teacher, adept at drawing and communication. This course is for all levels and the aim is that it's sociable and enjoyable, with no fixed curriculum to adhere to.  Great if you're looking for a place to further your creative practice in the company of like minded souls.

Whoo whoo!

It's been a busy week!  I've been getting design work ready for my agent's trip to the US next week, curating the Folksy blog (see below), starting some new work for my exhibition next month, AND, working on my new website.  David has worked at record speed to do all the coding in Dreamweaver.  Lots of late nights, but here's the fruit of our labour..... (gallery pages still to be added).

If you need a website to match your blog....or vice versa....get in touch.  David is great at interpreting what you want, can use all the visuals that you create, and charges really favourable rates!

New Art Courses

In the new year, David will be running some new art evening courses at Chilwell School, Nottingham.  Bringing together elements from his teaching on BA Fine Art at Nottingham University, FE teaching and adult education, these courses offer artists and beginners the opportunity to develop their creative skills in a sociable and informal setting. Interested?  Get in touch!

Beautiful work

I've spent the morning helping David hang his exhibition at Attenborough Nature Centre.  He's been working hard toward it and has produced some really lovely paintings.  I really like these more abstract landscapes.

David Hallows. Untitled II.

David Hallows.  Untitled IV

The exhibition is on every day until the end of September and you can view the catalogue on line at Paper Pencil Paint.

This picture?

This picture in my studio is by my fantastically talented husband.  His website features his illustration work but he is an amazing painter and this piece called "Wales" is one of my most treasured possessions.  And you can see from the juxtaposition of our work what a strong visual influence he has on me.

                                   

I've been in my studio making slow and steady progress on my tapestry weaving.  In my "How, why, when" post I didn't deal with why I weave.  You have to be nuts to be a weaver, see Monty Don's excellent programme on weaving for evidence!  It's a slow, often tedious process but it is true that the amazing sense of creating cloth from spools of yarn is very rewarding.  And creating cloth that has a narrative, even better.

In response to featuring Scottish artists I was reminded of the work of George Birrell.  Again a strong sense of colour and pattern prevails.

Back to the loom .....not much left to weave now.