No Borders Exhibition

Chicken Prints

Interiors Project

Last week the No Borders Art group that I and other artists have been working with had their exhibition '60 Days of No Borders' at the Prism Arts studios in Carlisle. The work looked fantastic and was beautifully presented, a number of projects that the group had undertaken were represented. I think the work really speaks for itself so I have decided not to write much about it but just to share some pictures with you.

Interiors Project

Solway Wetlands Project-Nigella the Natterjack Toad

'We're Too Fancy' Animation Project

Music and Print Project

Inside Out Library Project

Exhibition view

We're Too Fancy Animation Project

No More Chickens...

The Opulent Room

Last week was my last session with the No Borders Art Group, which was a bit sad as it's been a really fun project but also quite exciting as they got their rooms finished and in two weeks time they have an exhibition. I've really enjoyed this project and I think that the group have learnt a lot, developed their skills and developed a real understanding of how to take an idea and make it into a successful project.

Chicken Bunting

Bunting (detail)

Print on coloured paper

Print on coloured paper

As one of the participants had finished their room a while ago and had been working on prints on fabric which we'd sewn up into bunting she decided to spend the last session making some prints on paper that could be framed for the exhibition. She worked on different coloured papers, giving very different effects.

Stained Glass Window

A luxurious set up

During the session before last one of the participants had made a window for her room; she wanted a stained glass effect so we collaged tissue paper together and stretched it across the 'window.' In the last session she covered the outside of her box with satin and added a lace trim, this served to cover the joins but also fitted in well with the opulent, luxurious theme and all the amazing accessories she has created.

Pink and Purple Retreat

Texture and colour

Beaded chair

And a garden

Last but by no means least the other member of the group wanted to add a garden so she selected different images from magazines and collaged them onto the outside of her box.

The chicken kitchen

Chicken wallpaper

I'm so impressed with the finished rooms, the care and attention to detail is great and I think that they have succeeded in creating beautiful set ups that reflect their personalities wonderfully. I can't wait to see the exhibition!

Chicken Wallpaper and other new Trends

Chicken wallpaper in yellow

Chicken wallpaper in red

As regular followers will know I am currently doing an interiors project with the No Borders Art Group at Harraby Community centre. Since the last post about their mood boards they have raced ahead and their model rooms are really coming together.

Room with collaged wallpaper

Room with chandelier

Kitchen with collage tiled floor

One of the things that I love about working with people is the different approaches people take to the same task and the highly individual outcomes. Last week I worked with one of the group to create some customised wallpaper for her room. Chickens have been a running theme so I asked her to draw some chickens, I then used her drawings to make stencils and she then used the stencils to print up two sheets of wallpaper. When the prints were dry she worked back into the prints with a fine-liner to add eyes and some bits of pipe cleaner for beaks.

Drawing and colouring chickens

Turning the drawings into stencils

Printing with the stencils

Detail of chicken wallpaper

This week I worked with a different group member to make a free standing mirror. She began by cutting out lots of pictures of mirrors from magazines which we then went through discussing what it was about each one that she liked. From this discussion we came up with a design and colour ideas and started to make the mirror. We  made a cardboard frame which she painted and decorated with gems and beads, I can't wait to see the finished item!

Painted pieces for the mirror

Embellishing the mirror frame

Really embellishing the mirror frame

This mirror will go in the very glamorous room which already features a fabulous chandelier and will also house some totally unique upholstery. Last week the creator of this room pieced together a fabric collage which we are going to use to cover the furniture maquettes we will be making in the next couple of weeks. Watch this space! (Well, not this space, as this will stay pretty much the same but a shiny new post will be added and that will have amazing furniture maquettes in it.)

Arranging selected fabrics on a base

Final arrangement

Stitched arrangement

Marvellous Mood Boards

Mood board for a bedroom

Back in 2012 I did a series of textile sessions with the guys from No Borders Art Group, a group from Carlton Day Services who have been working with Prism Arts  to develop their creative and artistic skills. I really enjoyed the project and was really pleased when I was asked back to do some more sessions with them.

Building  mood board layer by layer

Looking for inspiration

This time we are looking at interior design and we are going to make model rooms. This follows on from a project that the group did with another artist where they made model houses. So, to start off with I thought it would be very helpful (and fun) to make some mood boards. I think that mood boards are a great way of sorting through ideas as they help bring lots of different elements (colour, texture, shape and so on) together in a visual way that makes it easy to pick out themes and create an atmosphere (hence the name mood board.)

Working together

A very precise approach

We used papers, magazines, ribbons and fabrics in our mood boards and I love that each persons is quite different and the way they approached it was quite different. I'm really looking forward to getting going on the models and seeing their ideas come to life.

Finished mood board

Finished mood board

Finished mood board