A day in the studio

Mixed media drawing

I got a rare opportunity this week, a chance to spend a day in my studio doing my own art work rather than getting organised and doing prep for workshops and projects. I am very lucky to be doing the job I do and I really love it. I get to work with so many great people, get involved in exciting projects, have the chance to make a difference to peoples lives and I get to work in lots of different settings but I do sometimes find that I don't have time for my own art which is important to me too.

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress

As with most things in life it can be hard to get the balance right; I need and want to do the workshops and projects because that's how I pay the bills and I find it very inspiring. However, I sometimes feel I'm so busy I don't get much chance to make my own work and that my personal practice is slipping a little. So, it was great to have some time to just work on some ideas and have a bit of a play. I went to Bombay Stores at the weekend with  three artist friends and I was really inspired by one of them in particular to just get on and make some work. So, I worked really hard to get all my workshops prepared so that I could have a day to devote to my work.

I decided the crow was too small (A2) so I started an A1 size magpie

I did a bit of writing, getting all the bits of ideas that are bouncing round my head onto paper and then I did a couple of collaged drawings. I'm not especially enamoured of the finished drawings but they're a really good starting point for some textile pieces that I want to make. I'm a big believer in Ruskin's 'head, heart, hand' mantra (basically, good art should involve thought, feeling and bear the mark of the artist/maker) and I often find that the hardest bit is getting started; once I'm working different possibilities and ideas present themselves and help me move the work forwards.

I added a background, but didn't like it so I cut the magpie out

I also started on a small piece of work for an open submission; more on that if I get it finished in time! Overall, I had a great day. I feel enthused and excited about my work again and keen to keep going. Hopefully I can continue to make time for my own work and strike towards getting that elusive balance right.

Cut out mixed media magpie

Detail

Detail

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!

Doris

Doris the Pangolin

From the front

From the side

One of my regular jobs is leading the Monday session of Prism Arts Studio Theatre Skills course. This a course for adults with disabilities and we cover a whole range of disciplines connected to theatre including writing, music, costume, puppetry and prop making. The course is led by the participants, they devise and produce performances supported by myself and Prism's lead artist and a range of professional artists who come in to help develop specific areas (for example, at the moment we are working with Haltwhistle Film Project to produce a film of the story we have written.)

Head shot

Scales detail

Our current production, which will be developed as a street theatre piece as well as a film, is called The Morphers and the Dream Vortex. It is set in two parallel worlds and as I don't want to give too much away I will simply tell you that it involves the Morphers (people who turn into animals,) the Dreamcatcher and Mr. Nightmare. Doris is one of the Morphers; as a human she is a helpful caretaker with a curtain obsession, she morphs into a practical pangolin...and that's all I'm going to tell you! In the theatre piece the Morphers will be played by the participants when they are human and will be puppets when they morph into animals.

Basic pangolin shape

Sewing on the scales

Fully scaled

Anyway, this week I have been busy making Doris and here she is. I began by making a simple pattern which I cut out of plain fabric. I then cut out and stitched rows of scales onto the base shape in a mixture of fabrics. I added a gusset underneath so that she would stand nicely and sewed wire into the tail so that it can be coiled up (like a real pangolin) and added buttons for her eyes. She's a little rough around the edges but I'm quite pleased with her.

With the gusset sewn in

Ready to be stuffed

Completed

Life Drawing 27.2.14

Pen, continuous line

Another session with the line dancers for accompaniment which was distracting but not too bad, we still had a good session and a good turn out. There was a really good, creative atmosphere and some great drawings were produced.

Pen, without looking at the paper

Pen, continuous line

Pen, continuous line

We had one of our most experienced models this evening so I didn't need to give much direction, this gave me less control over the composition side of things compared to last session but allowed me to focus more on my drawing. We had some lovely poses and I was very pleased with some of my drawings.

Pen and water (detail)

Pencil sketch

I was planning to do some work with graphite this evening but I never quite felt like it in the end. I did have a go at adding some water to one of my pen drawings and although I don't like the drawing I really like the effect of the water and ink together. I need to do a bit more experimenting to figure out which pens this works with as my favourite pens have waterproof ink so are not suitable for this.

Permanent marker

Permanent marker

Last time I had a quick go at drawing with a permanent marker and this session I decided to try this again. I'm really pleased with the results and I really enjoyed using the marker. I think because it is much thicker than a normal pen it demands bigger drawings and a slightly fearless approach; you really have to just keep the pen moving or it sinks through and destroys the paper very quickly.

Pen, continuous line

Pen, continuous line

Mixed media Surfaces and Vessels Workshops

A selection of the vessels made

Quite some time ago I was asked by Tullie House to run a workshop for Cumbria Adult Education tutors based on one of the exhibitions at Tullie House. So, today that's what I've been doing. The workshop is part of their CPD (continued professional development) programme and so needed to offer the chance to learn and develop skills and share best practice. I was so nervous about the session as I felt quite intimidated by the idea of teaching teachers but all the tutors were really lovely and I very much enjoyed the session.

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

The workshop was inspired by the Natasha Daintry exhibition at Tullie House, which is an installation composed of lots of delicate, slip cast vessels. I was really inspired by the idea of making vessels as it relates to my own work anyway and I thought it would be a good workshop activity as we could create our own installation at the end. When I was asked to do the workshop I was asked to create a session that would look at using mixed media and possibly 3D so I decided to look at using mixed media to create interesting surfaces that we could then manipulate into 3D forms.

Poster paint prints

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

Combining textures and printing techniques

For this session I wanted to focus on encouraging people to have a play and experiment. I kept the materials and techniques simple so that people could just enjoy trying out different materials and techniques without worrying about getting it wrong or right. All the tutors teach art and design in some form or other but within that there was great diversity; including glass artists, fine artists and textile artists. I wanted the workshop to appeal to all disciplines but to also offer a bit of a challenge or at least the opportunity to do something a bit different to their normal practice.

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

Experimenting with mixed media surfaces

The workshop began by looking at different ways to create interesting surfaces using every day and basic art materials. Once we had created these surfaces we then looked at rolling, tying and stitching the 2D surfaces to make vessels which we then arranged together. Throughout the session all the tutors were talking to each other, sharing ideas and hopefully enjoying trying things out. There was a friendly, creative atmosphere with lots going on.

Making the pieces into vessels

Making the pieces into vessels

Making the pieces into vessels

This piece really evolved during the workshop

As with all the workshops I've run I really enjoyed seeing the different approaches everybody took, I always find this very inspiring and come away with lots of new ideas and enthusiasm myself. One thing I found particularly interesting was peoples approach to colour, I don't use much colour in my work but for other people it's a really important element and their main starting point. For other people themes and ideas developed as they worked and it was good to be able to see the evolution of the work, even in such a short session. It was great at the end of the session when we put all the vessels together; there were so many really different pieces but they all worked well together.

My samples

The finished vessels

The finished vessels

The finished vessels

The finished vessels