Rochford Art Trail

NOW ON

until the end of the day Sat 27th Sept 2014

ROCHFORD ART TRAIL

My work can be found at Venue 10

15 North Street
Please contact me direct if you are interested in any pieces
Beverley@bevfolkard.co.uk

Here are window views

Left hand window
'Roundabout Rochford' top with map postcards
'Roaming Essex' bottom

Right hand window
'Traverse 1, 2 and 3' top
'Travel Journal' bottom

There is a lot of reflection as the work is in glass cubes behind the window

Details of the work....

From 'Roundabout Rochford' - which is mounted on a window mount, ready for own frame.

Comprising machine stitched together paper circles, which have then been mono printed, overlaid with hand stitched street plan of Rochford.

'Roaming Essex' - a stitched and mono printed background, with an undulating map of Essex stitched in a bookbinding technique.

'Traverse 1, 2 and 3'  - each has machine stitched patterns and pathways.  1 Pink, has the addition of surface embellishment made from printed paper, enhanced with Spectrum Noir Pencils.  2 Blue, is hand stitched.  3 Green sequins.

'Travel Journal' - an accordion book.  Each page has a map of an area, decorated with beads of varying types, ie Scotland, white beads for crofters cottages.  With a meandering journey line across all pages.

I make many 'postcards' which in reality should be termed small art works, as they are 8" x 6" suitable for framing.  See my website for more images of those and of my work in general.

It was a very busy and successful launch on Thursday, after admiring the work of others, always a joy, jaw dropping at the skills involved, I found myself acting as a sudden teacher's assistant.  The launch had two school groups present, and I helped out with the sewing sessions.  Well behaved but there's a reason I don't have children.... I fear they would be taught as in Victorian times if left alone with me!!!  Now, was there actually a reason I had put on my witch hat brooch that day.... mwah ha ha!

Rochford Art Trail offers up guided walks for FREE.  11am assembly at the Water Pump in The Square.  Come along on Monday, where I will be available, to chat about my work, outside my venue.

New Chapter - Print It

Well the creativity has been at nil level - this is due to the sudden death of a very close friend.  We met through textile studies and it was a continued shared passion.  But 22 years on, there was so much more to chat about.
We lived about 25 miles apart but spoke regularly, for ages on the phone, so I have a big gap in my life now.  So I'm going to start to fill it, with, what might sound odd.  But its like all the dots lined up at the same time.

One of the things I hate, and did you get that hate... is doing something creative which then takes fives times as long to clear up.  I can and have made paper, and being a paper person you'd think I'd do more.  Likewise I can and have dyed fabric and threads.  But I come down to, can I buy this, and if so is it worth doing myself.  When it comes to colour, for years I've preferred to add that via paint, because I can get the exact shade I want, and... only colour the amount I want.  I have fabrics and threads dyed by me which never gets used, I hate the faff of dyeing large pieces for the 20cm sq needed, or just as bad, getting out all the equipment to do just a little.  Last lot of dyeing I did, six different colours in separate lots, brilliant, then decided to abandon the entire idea, so yet another pile of stuff unused.

So fearing I was getting too far the other way, too far commercial product, not enough me, I bought myself a Gelli Plate.  I love it.  Its exactly right for me.  The clear up is next to nil, the prints dry so quickly there's no longer a trail out the bedroom across and round the landing and into another room.  Plus paints, brayer (roller) stencils, I already have those in abundance.  I just crave the baby Gelli - 3" x 5" but I don't see it readily available in the UK, yet.  I've asked a local shop to enquire of her suppliers.

The pink pattern here on the background is one of my prints.

So although I love this, I'm still not putting enough effort into it, and that's when all the dots lined up.  As if I needed an excuse, info re an online course was released on my birthday.  Its by Carolyn Dube, someone I've followed for a while, because she makes me smile, I love the attitude of not getting worried about whatever happens in the art. the changing minds and doing over.  See her blog/Facebook to find out what an Oops is....

Now that my friend has left this gap in my life, this little course, 5 weeks, will offer up focus, structure, sense of purpose.  I've no idea if it will be the right thing, if the end result will be my style or meet my needs, but I don't really care, cost wise its worked out to be roughly the price of a single dayclass, so its not like I have the "I've spent all this it has to work" mindset.  I already have most of the things to be used in the class, might need some US/UK translation.

So to borrow from another who uses the Gelli Plate and whose work I like, Hilary Beattie - I'm going to start Gelliping in a more earnest manner.

So with my birthday and a death, it becomes a new life chapter, I'll let you know how it goes, that is if anyone reads, but hey, its all about recording the how, what, why, for me.

Find out more about One Pull Wonders via Carolyn's website, here.

Kitty Kat Update

For my none Facebook friends, and anyone who like a cat photo!!!

We've now owned the boys for just over a year.

Spike

when we first had him

Spike

couple of days ago

He will sit for hours in the garden under the honeysuckle, or find his toys and play by himself.  I'd describe him as a contented cat, happy curled up asleep.  Every night when him indoors goes to the main computer, Spike goes too for his hug!

Bandit

first day we had him

Bandit

couple of days ago

This one I'd describe as a very willful cat.  He's very soppy when it comes to fusses from him indoors, and my husband has to play football in the garden with him.  We think we make the neighbours jealous, cos their dogs don't play football.  This one though is very possessive over things, growls when he has his toys, and very sharp, can work out where you've hidden them, even if he wasn't in the room at the time.  So far he's captured one bird (saved) a mouse (sadly not) stood his ground against and made moves towards a fox, more than once, brought home the cardboard drinks carrier for takeaway drinks, and also a takeaway sauce pot.

Both of them have chased butterflies, but Spike is heavier than Bandit, and he threw himself into a bush and broke it.  Both eat numerous flies and spiders - eeewww.

They still have mad chases of each other around the house, I thought Bandit was a little too dominant, as he was always launching himself at Spike and making him squeal.  Spike has a "step away from the paw" - if things are too close to him and he doesn't like it, he puts his paw out, and that includes when your brother is trying to sit on you.  But I've seen him now sneak up behind Bandit and launch himself on top of him and make him squeal!!  Not sure they are full size yet, don't seem it to me, and definitely don't purr so you can hear - Bandit especially you have to put your ear on his chest to hear him.

Today

love each other really

Bandit on the top being washed by Spike