A clean and tidy attic studio

Tidied up my studio this afternoon so it is all ready for the public to visit over the weekend. Open 10.30 - 4 Saturday and Sunday. For details on how to get there please click HERE

Walking

I live in the centre of a city but try to walk round the town moor, which is close to where I live, two or three times a week. At this time of the year the cows are brought back  to graze on the moor and I love seeing hundreds of them in the middle of this green lung in the city. I also love being amongst the many other walkers, cyclists, joggers and commuters who walk across the moor early in the morning. I try and pretend it is a bit  like Central Park. With  broad beans and peas poking through on the allotment it feels as though summer is coming.

A sketchbook course

I have been teaching an oriental inspired mixed media course for the last few days and have been encouraging the students to work on several small pieces which can finally be brought together within sketchbooks. A lot of people ask me about my sketchbooks and how I get going and what techniques I use so I am running a course called The Decorated Sketchbook over 4 evening classes. The course starts Tuesday 8th May and at the moment there are still some places left on it. If you are interested please click HERE which will direct you to the Horsley printmakers site which will give you more information. 

Textile Collage

I am teaching an "All Things Oriental" course all week right up until Sunday night. It was lovely at the end of yesterday to go up to my studio and fiddle about with little bits and pieces to make some new cards for the Open Studios event next weekend. Every card is unique and hand sewn. One of these even has a little bit of an original 1811 letter sewn in to it. 

Vintage at The Hearth

Just over a week to go before we all open up our studios to the public once again at The Hearth. This time it will be quite different as we have invited 6 of the best vintage dealers in the North East to come and display and sell their wares as part of the event. Expect to see vintage homeware and kitchenalia, fashion accessories and textiles as well as old garden tools and objects. Sara Jane Palmer has just moved into the studio complex to share with Melanie Hopwood so expect to see new ceramic displays and we will have a special exhibition by Newcastle based artist Emma Holliday. If you don't know her colourful paintings come and check her out HERE.

Dusting

I only dust my mantlepiece about once a year because there is so much stuff on it, some of it very fragile. To earn a place on our mantelpiece the object has to be black or white.  So some of the things then...many types of animal and bird sculls, a white barbie boot, plaster casts, shells, religious paraphernalia, shoes, clay pipes. We have been thinking of moving  but when I dust this shelf it reminds me what a great space I already live in.

Karen Nicol at The Marylebone Hotel

Was in London yesterday and popped in to the Marylebone Hotel  to see an exhibition of the work of Karen Nicol. Those in the fashion/ textile world will have heard of Karen who for years has embroidered away for some of the top fashion designers. In this show of her own work she has recycled vintage garments into large scale animal portraits that are heavily stitched and manipulated  and need to be seen to be believed. The photographs I have taken are not wonderful but you can see better ones by clicking on this LINK which takes you to Karen Nicol's gallery.

The hotel is not far from Harley Street and Wimpole Street, nearest tubes Baker Street or Bond Street. Lovely staff in the hotel who were very enthusiastic about the art work and made us a good cup of tea.