Last Chance

Its the last chance on Sunday ( 3rd July) to come and see my studio and work as part of the Art Tour. I will be actually working on my Maidens Garlands exhibition so if you are interested to find out more then come and see me!

Beyonce

Am I too old to admit to just loving Beyonce?!

Remember Me

In between teaching lots, working for the Arts project, running workshops in schools and opening my studio for the Art Tour I have been slowly making progress with my textile response to the Maidens Garlands . The flyer for the exhibition has now been printed so put it in your diaries now .

I have been making a really big garland ( more another time) and 44 smaller garlands for the young unmarried girls buried in the graveyard between 1800 and 1900. They have been designed to be hung over the pews. I have hand embroidered their names, year of death and age and each girl has an individual flower, sometimes made of paper. From these hang ribbons which echo the hanging ribbons of the original garlands ( look at my blog of 2nd Feb 2011 for photos), a white paper glove and a blue heart. The conservation report on the garlands indicate these may have been present so I haven't made these up!

The conservation report was full of these lovely little diagrams and drawings.

Fabric and paper rosettes were a feature of the garlands at RHB and also the beautiful maidens garlands at Minsterley so I have used paper for some of mine. Old letters, pages from Tennyson " In Memoriam", crepe paper....

Garlanded Girls

I have been very influenced in the making of my garlands and flowers by these photographs of local Bay girls

Scarecrow Time

Every summer it is a tradition on our allotment site at West Jesmond to make scarecrows. Here is a selection from this year. Mine is among them but I am not going to reveal which one as some are so much better!

The Art Tour

The beginning of the Art Tour is only one week away and I am having a big tidy up in my studio in preparation for lots of visitors. Can I remind you that there is more than just textiles to see! I trained as a surface pattern designer and every now and again can't resist the urge to return to paint and print. Here are some mixed media pieces I have completed recently which celebrate the start of summer with a warm colour palette.

My studio ( Venue 25) will be open Sundays 12th, 19th, 26th June and 3rd July.

Every Thing's Coming Up Roses

I have been making a new range of cards for the Art Tour using the original illustrations from an Encyclopaedia of Roses.