New Gallery on Website

At last I've added a new gallery page to my website   Under "Gallery" is a new section entitled Small Art Works.  I've chosen a slideshow presentation, there are images plus close up details, but no information as such - as that is the nature of this presentation, with so many I thought being able to flick through was better.  But I welcome you to ask if you have any questions.
These pieces, so far, are what I generally term as "Postcards" - in no way should this be considered as a casual term.  Each piece has hours of work, multiple (hidden) layers, and are stand alone art pieces in their own right.  However, I have deliberately made them with a high quality cartridge paper backing.  This has my name, series and website details printed on it - just two lines.  Each one is approximately 8" x 6" so you can frame if desired.  But it means you can add yor own message to the piece - particularly helpful if its a gift.  Sending through the post however, is entirely at your own risk.
At the moment, 12 were sent to the ERTF Concepts and Meanings Exhibition and there are 11 on display at Braintree Community Hospital (see previous post).
If you would like any information about these, and other pieces on my website, do please use the Contact on my website, or email me by following the link to be found via my Profile in the righthand menu, here on the blog.

Counting down.....

Tick, tick tick… that’s the clock and also my brain. Its countdown time to delivering my piece for the ERTF Concepts and Meanings Exhibition in Norwich, opening next week. My piece was finished for submission, but I keep looking at it, I added a label to it, rather proud of my efforts actually, how sad it that – but the label is integral to the piece, not just identification of me.

I’m also sorting out the pieces for the ERTF shop. I hesitated over showing you what I’m offering, as you know the actual exhibition piece has only been hinted at here – because I believe visitors should have first look (might add it here part way through event). But I have decided to show you my intended shop pieces, hopefully to:

a) remind to take money with you, lots of opportunities to buy. Exhibition pieces will be for sale – but also in the ERTF shop, an opportunity to get small pieces of affordable art from the Members, also goodies to use in your own creativity.

b) the ERTF needs the sales, commission from the sales helps with funding for the organisation.

c) I NEED the sales, ha ha. Nice to sell something but as well as money received, its also very nice to know that others like what you make, a validation that you are getting something right.

So come along, I’m sure you will find items to suit every budget – early Christmas present buying, and the ERTF Members will be stewarding, so you can chat to the people involved with the Exhibition. I will be there on Monday 3rd October.

And still tick, tick, tick, as I’ve another exhibition to put up next week….

Plus tick, tick tick. The Material Girls need the hanging finished by our October meeting.

Another plus, tick, tick tick. Rochford Art Trail to make a postcard for and to prep for display.

Sales, Stewarding and Scrubbing!!!

I've been over to Burnham Art Trail to steward today.  Hooray, found out I've sold a couple of Postcards - this is one of them.  I hope whoever has purchased enjoys.
Alas I don't have a photo of the other...  I'd sealed it up in its cello bag before I realised and of course photos through plastic aren't so good.  But it is one of my map pieces.  Must do more of these, as they seem to get comment and be appreciated.
The Trail is on until Sunday, so plenty more time to go out and buy!!  I've heard some nice things said about my actual pieces on display, so that's good.
Art wise I am working, but not on things I can show you.  My piece for the ERTF selected exhibition is coming along - slowly.  Actually its a bit like the days of studying C&G - lots of part bits laying around, trying to plan out when to do, as for instance I'm out at a stitchy meeting on Tues, so makes sense to have something of this I can take with me to do.  My fingers bear evidence to working - no, not blisters - rather dye ingrained into the nail bed - cough, it was navy blue, so they look a bit grim.  Didn't you wear gloves I hear the cry - errr no.  I'm useless with gloves, have a box of them, do wear them, but also manage to get everything inside them anyway.  So its a scrubbing brush, followed by a large dollop of hand cream.  At least this is better than the bloody massacre of the other week - when I foolishly decided to remove a spray nozzle from some paint, as it wouldn't work.  Except once dismantled I pressed it and it squirted all over me, the table, notebooks - and it was red.  See its not the creative art stuff that's a problem... its the time it takes to clear up the resulting mess.

Big Girl Stuff!!!

Excitement… once again I have a place on the Burnham Art Trail. Sharp eyed viewers may have spotted the detail on the right already. In addition to the local venue displays, where the work MUST stay in position for the duration, there will be ‘Unframed’ work for sale to take away immediately in the Museum.

This is one of the several reasons for the PPL!
I also have the Rochford Art Trail application form to complete, but a while until the deadline for that one.
This coming Saturday I’m off to the ERTF AGM and Conference in Cambridge. Taking Juliet with me, I will rely on the sat nav and her map reading skills!! There’s something pending which I’m concerned with, but I’ll tell you after its approved. Hopefully lots of information to glean from the guest speaker: Stacey Harvey-Brown with the subject of “Passive Income” – How to Get Published and to Develop a Passive Income from Other Activities. Whoah, big girl stuff – good job I went on the how to develop a Business Plan workshop a month back!!!
Yesterday I went to the little textile group I belong to – it’s social, sharing our artwork not an exhibiting group. But we had a lovely catch up, especially with Kathleen who moved away to Herts almost 18 months back, who got up early and travelled by various buses to come and see us. As she’s in Letchworth I gave her a poster for the ERTF/Owen Jones exhibition.
More news, the Eastern Region of the Embroiderers’ Guild have a new website which is now up and running.
Sorry no piccies today, must get on and try a bit to make a bit more PPL.
PS – look at the last post if you don’t know what PPL is!

PPL

Last week I paid a visit to Chelmsford Embroiderers' Guild, not been for a while, but went specifically to hear the talk by Jill Flower.  See her website.  Lovely to catch up with people too, as I know many from that area, from initially studying City & Guilds Embroidery in Chelmsford.
Also watch this space, the Eastern Region of the Embroiderers' Guild is about to get its own website - so I've been busy supplying the information needed for that, as I'm our Branch IT Rep.  When it goes live I'll let you know.

The ERTF Owen Jones toruing exhibition has finished at Chelmsford now.  Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed it, and it now moves on to Letchworth.  Do try to see it, because the accompanying sketchbooks are very informative, to see how everyone has the same subject matter but interprets it differently.

In the meantime I have a new business... well... decided I need to run a PPL (not to be muddled with VPL - visible pantie line, oooo errr) PPL - Postcard Production Line. Ha, did you think it was something else?  I am going to need some postcards for many projects and decided I needed some kidology - ie that it feels better to achieve lots of little tasks, than the long struggle with the big ones!  So below is a pic of one in production - I have 4 of these, not at all cost effective, as after stitching they will be painted, may be even gilded, a few surface embellishments - this technique usually involves 7 layers of paint or more, so really really a bargain for a purchaser.  Oh I can't show you the rest, himself has gone to France for 8 days and taken my best camera only just managed to rescue this pic before he waltzed off!

Oh, excitement ONE person has looked at my Sketchbook in the US - yipeee - I know, one, but hey its a start and I did have visions of it harbouring dust and never being touched.  So I count that as meeting the remit of the project - hopefully more will take a look, its very early on into that tour.



Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!  In my home county of Norfolk, UK, Valentines Day presents were for children - knock at the door, open it no-one there but presents on the doorstep.  Nothing expensive, a colouring book, a bar of choccy.  I don't know if the tradition lives on, certainly it was part of my childhood, but you can read about Jack Valentine here. As you can see the pic is of one of my obsessions - heart shaped buttons.  Sometime back I thought I needed a motif, to make decorative items, "pretties" and although I love spirals, and have books about their symbolic meaning and use, I decided to go with hearts, as a more easily recognised and universal symbol.  And its so much easier to find heart shaped embellishments, hence the big box of buttons!!!  I've made quite a few pieces based on hearts and sold several of them, so it was a good choice.  Pop along to my website for a look.
Saturday brought information about a postcard exhibiting opportunity, locally - needed by the end of Feb, so better get on with it!  Wonder if there's a resurgence in handmade postcards.  Making them and sending 'naked' through the post has been around for a great many years now - however the Embroiderers' Guild have a project making Olympic postcards, and there are other postcard projects around.  And yes I have made heart postcards.... I could make some more, after all, I have all these buttons to use up!!!

Commissions, Planning Ahead

I have made and delivered my Postcard commissions. P bought the one on the left wanting local places where she has lived, where she lives now, and a blue/green.  She also liked the Heart postcard which was on display at the Rochford Art Trail, its Jane Austin's Emma background.   C wanted one for her daughter, who lives away, and so that has towns from her home and the brown colourway.  I have ideas to make more, and am open to further requests for these.
So that is almost the planned art for 2010 completed.  I am currently working on my Lines & Grids Sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project - well two actually.  I decided not to pay for it to be copied, and not to photo as I go, instead, to make a duplicate, so that way I have the information.
I have the application form for the Burnham Art Trail - not due in until February, but I intend to enter.
The Eastern Region of the Embroiderers' Guild have an Exhibition planned for the Summer.  Having submitted previously, I intend to give that a go, but the details won't be issued for that until January, so I've put dates in the diary for guessed deadlines.
And of course the big one for me, the juried exhibition for the ERTF "Concepts & Meanings" - I've already completed an Intent Form, and more information will follow, again in the New Year.  However, the ERTF/Owen Jones project starts touring from January, work was made and delivered for that one early October.  Dates for everything I'm involved with will appear on the right.
I don't have any solos planned, but am hoping, as this year, that opportunities arise, certainly one contact finds another, one opportunity gives another.  I may arrange solo for 2012, gosh what a long way off - but venues work far ahead, and one at least I've got to wait until the New Year before their diary opens up again.
Oh yes, my PictureTrail Web Album is now no more... please visit my website.

ROCHFORD ART TRAIL

starts this coming weekend:  23rd - 31st October for more information please see the Trail website. My work is in place, at Mendoza Opticians. 

 

Another new learning curve, as my work is displayed in cubes, which I measured carefuly to make sure the work would fit, but forgot about how to actually get the work inside. The side nearest the shop fittings is open, but its not a huge gap to turn things through, being careful of their display, in this case rows of spectacles, plus its one handed because you can't get both hands in, with only the one side open,  First time I put up the big piece, all nicely in place and then the label fell off!!!  So had to start over.  So another lesson learned, check hanging/display mechanisms, check sizes of display, and now....look at surrounding space/how to manipulate pieces into place.  Never stop learning about presentation.

Aside from this I've been frantically making postcards, six large ones 8" x 6" to go into the Art Trail, (three actually used)  and two smaller ones at 7" x 5" for a commitment to PaperWEIGHT which I've been a member of for many years.