Sue Brown Printmaker

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2012-01-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

I seem to be getting the year off to a swift start and spent the last few days cutting and enamelling steel to make this concertina book about the

Oxford University Museum of Natural History. My dilemma now is, do I enamel the end boards or leave them in bare steel to let them rust?

STARTING AGAIN!

2012-01-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas and the holiday whizzes by so quickly, but the New Year leaves me feeling a bit panicky about starting again.
So December the 31st found me in the shed drawing and planning a big project.

These sketch book doodles are a plan for an enamelled concertina book,

it will be about the Oxford Natural History Museum and will be about 6ins x 9ins.

The plan is to make it in enamelled steel with screen printed transfers and drawing.

I can't wait to get started with the metal cutters.

Happy New Year to you all, lets hope it is a busy one!

A NIGHT OUT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

I thought this would be a Christmas image that would make you all smile. Thanks to my children and their friends.

To all my friends at Blog Spot, a very happy Christmas and a creative New Year.

FAIRY EXCHANGE

2011-12-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

A fairy exchange is no robbery. My friend Caroline( http://www.carolinemccatty.blogspot.com/) and I have been exchanging fairies at Christmas for some years now. The enamel fairy is my offering for this year. We have a theme which we choose in January, this year was faded fairy, in the past we have swapped scary fairy, furry fairy, famous fairy the list goes on. But I think this year we have both been so absorbed by the new processes we have been learning that the theme has taken a bit of a back seat. I am thrilled to be the recipient of Caroline's first posted automaton, as usual I feel like I am getting the better end of the fairy deal (not complaining). It does look like we have both upped our game some what, goodness knows what we will do for next year.

Collaborations with friends is a wonderful way to make things, it is always an inspiring and fulfilling process. Thankyou Caroline!

OBSESSIVE

2011-12-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

As you can see I am in the middle of decking the halls.
The tree is now up and covered in my favourite vintage baubles.

With everything still to do for Christmas, I am well behind on the mince pie production, I can't seem to stop making these enamel brooches!!

I think it must be a displacement activity?

CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION

2011-12-12T06:08:00.000-08:00

I am starting get into the festive mood and have begun to decorate here and there starting with the mantle piece.

When the sun shone through the windows this morning the decorations took on a life of their own throwing rainbows,

reflections and shadows.

Of course I have a great deal of spare time and Christmas pushes my creativity

into overdrive, so I can't help but experiment with bits of steel and enamel

and have made these broaches just to see if I could. The faces are enamelled using a stamp I have had for years, the legs swing...all very silly, but great fun to make.

BUGS LIFE

2011-12-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

A number of experimental enamelling techniques are gelling together

for me in these steel labels. Sgraffito drawing into wet enamel and screen printed transfers. Etched copper fired with clear flux to achieve these warm red tones.

These are then riveted onto the labels.

The transfers are from photographs I have taken at the Grant Zoological Museum at UCL and

the Oxford Natural History Museum. I am also starting to include lustre to get the iridescence found on beetles, but the photos do not show the twinkle.

GETTING STARTED

2011-11-27T23:40:00.000-08:00

I spent a great morning last Tuesday being shown behind the scenes at the Oxford Natural History Museum. Getting up close and personal to the collections of British moths and beetles. So as you can imagine I have a vast amount of resource material to work from now.
Consequently I have a number of sketch book pages underway. I have posted

a few in various states. Non of them are anywhere near complete, but it gives you some idea of how I build up these drawings.

A quick list of techniques used here, gum arabic transfer, photo copy/magazine and acrylic transfer, white acrylic paint drawing, indian ink washes, bleached Quink ink, label collage and a sneaky bit of pencil drawing.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-11-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

I am adding 3D moths to the enamel labels I am making.
It is still all a bit hit and miss, but I am enjoying the challenge.

I particularly like the effect of this stamped and sifted red.

MOODY MOTHS

2011-11-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

If in doubt hit the sketch book, I have been trying to find a way to include the moths into my

beetle work. I want to create a homage to the museum collections of insects, particularly the Hope Entomology Collection in the Natural History Museum, Oxford which I am going to take a closer look at later this month.

In the meantime the magazine, Cloth.Paper.Scissors has included the moth collagraph house in their readers challenge 'home sweet home' in the Nov/Dec issue. I called it a light house!! Get it?

STILL PLAYING

2011-11-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

This set of teaspoons will be at Nature in Art, Gloucestershire in their Contemporary Craft Exhibition. www.nature-in-art.org.uk And this spoon and fork set will be at the Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock for their Christmas show. www.twenty-twenty.co.uk

In the mean time I am still working in my sketch book.

AN INORDINATE FONDNESS OF BEETLES

2011-10-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the fantastic collection of beetles in the Oxford Natural History Museum
I have been filling up the pages of my sketch book

with these incredible creatures. These drawings have been a starting point

for more enamel experiments. The beetles give me an excuse to start using some bright colours.

ENCORE ENAMEL

2011-10-25T01:34:00.000-07:00

New Brewery Arts, Cirencester has order more moth spoons for the exhibition Only Words.
This collection has been made specifically for them.

So if you missed out on the last set it will be worth popping back to take another look at the exhibition.

The exhibition continues to the 20th November.

ONLY WORDS

2011-10-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

The exhibition Only Words will be on until 20th November at the New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. This is a taster of some of the exhibits, but there is so much more to see.

CAW!

2011-10-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

It was worth spending hours cutting out the background of this collagraph as it has been accepted for the RWA's autumn exhibition, starting at the end of this month, check their web sight for details, www.rwa.org.uk

SPOON FED

2011-10-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

New spoons!

SHOWING OFF

2011-10-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

These spoons will be among other artists work who use text as part of their imagery at the New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. The exhibition starts today, called Only Words, for more details www.newbreweryarts.org.uk

A DAY OF PLAY

2011-10-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have spent a splendid day with my daughter (celebrating her 21st) on an enameling workshop held at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester. The workshop was facilitated by Carol Griffin.
We used thin copper sheets and experimented with shaped paper punches,

paper crimpers,

an old sewing machine,

red, black and clear enamels,

and in some instances, just heat.

I really enjoyed working in a completely different way and exploring some new techniques. I also had a lovely time with my daughter.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-09-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

I am working my way through an eBay purchase of 1.5kg of vintage pocket watch parts, experimenting with copper, enamel and riveting.

I particularly like this one with the broken glass,

to make a change from using the realistic moth transfers I have rummaged through my pile of

screen print transfers and popped some random images on the moths. I think this is a line of enquiry I will follow further as the weeks go by as I have several dozen spoons that are crying out for decoration.

EXCITING NEWS

2011-09-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have just heard that this collagraph with the addition of a ring pull and bottle top has been selected for the Society of Wildlife Artists annual open exhibition. The Natural Eye will be at the Mall Gallery, London from 26th October.

It is well worth the effort to get to this particular group show, it is a marvellous mix of techniques and images, interesting prints and fabulous sculptures. I think because it is a show with the common factor being the subject rather than the technique it has a rich and eclectic feeling. I will be visiting it on the 28th...fancy meeting for a coffee?

TOP SECRET-FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

2011-09-15T00:46:00.000-07:00

I have had many email enquiries about how I make my collagraph plates, especially when I mention tile cement or Polyfilla. Every collagraph artist works in their own particular way, which I think is the exciting thing about this process. So here are my tips and wrinkles. If you are ever Gloucestershire way, I run weekend courses showing exactly how I work and pass on my secrets.

I am working on a commission at present, the drawings of which I have posted previously. I like to use grey board and as you can see I have reversed and cut out the shape of my raven and also started the background of oak leaves.

Mixing Polyfilla with PVA glue I have applied it to the substrate and while still wet pushed in pressed oak leaves. This gives a very delicate impression that will print fantastically. Remember less is more!

With the background dry I mask the edge of the raven with masking tape.

Apply another layer of Polyfilla(who are not sponsoring this post) and push feathers here and there again to give a hint of feather to the finished composition.
Feathers work really well, this photo looks as if the feathers are still there.

This plate is far from finished, Polyfilla and tile cement hold far too much ink and will print too dark if it is not sealed with PVA glue. I also want to use carborundum to make a really black bird.

So off to your nearest DIY store and see what fillers and tile adhesives they have on the shelves and experiment.

AR-T-PARTY

2011-09-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday saw the second Ar-T-Party, arty party, art tea party. The last one was 2 years ago.
Friends, family and neighbours joined together for an afternoon of tea and cake challenge, which was to bring an art related decorative fairy cake and a yum time was had by all.

A marzipan Magritte creation.

A Smarty Damien Hurst spot painting.

Dali floppy watches.

The challenging Van Gogh ear.

Then the cute creations, this cake has already been sampled.

Tea time...!

A pair of pandas.

This oasis in a sea of delicious glittery cakes.

And then there were the people who could not stop at one cake.

These butterfly cakes came with a wonderful explanation of fairy wing testing.

And last but not least the monopoly board.

This was an afternoon for all ages, tea and cake, what more can one ask for to celebrate the end of summer and the start of a new term?

WHAT'S IN YOUR GARDEN

2011-09-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year, the garden seems to have a last colourful push before the autumn.
Looking around my garden I am thrilled at how much colour I still have.

From vegetables,

to flowers,

this flower is at the top of a 5 foot stalk,

and I will be soon picking my own chillies, but I am not sure how hot they will be.

My window box still has blooms too with these exotic looking flowers. Although I envy the dahlia growers, I am still pleased with what I have before the winter sets in.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES

2011-09-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

As you may have gathered I have not been about, Mr Brown and I have had been on our annual trip to Dorset for a few days under canvas. But things still happen!
I have had these 2 collagraphs accepted by The Society of Graphic Fine Art for their 90th Annual Open Exhibition.

To be held 3-15 October at the Menier Gallery,London. Check out the details on www.sgfa.org.uk

The New Brewery Arts in Cirencester has invited me to exhibit enamel spoons in their exhibition Only Words, 3 -20 October. Inspired by the Cheltenham Literary Festival happening at the same time it will be a stimulating exhibition of artists work that have text elements. www.newbreweryarts.org.uk

I am still inspired by Marley and have been planning more collagraphs.

These drawings are in preparation for a commission, of which I will tell more when I am further on with it.

It feels like my break in Dorset was 4 weeks ago not 4 days, I could be showing you glorious coast lines and charms of gold finches, but while on a walk Mr Brown and I found a house with these in the window. Now my imagination is going 10 to the dozen...any suggestions?

COLLAGRAPH AND ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-08-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

My day out on Saturday must have done me the world of good as I have spent the last 2 days in
the shed finishing off prints and playing with enamel. These are the Eider ducks I started at Art in Action.

I have added strings and a label to the rooks.

I have completed this raven and I am calling it The Bargain.

This is a proof of Marley that creased because I had the paper to wet, so I thought I would experiment with cutting out a background. It certainly sorts out the crease!

I spent today making these little sculptures.

Etched copper, enamel and screen printed transfers My riveting is a bit out of practice, but I am pleased with the ease of firing in my new kiln.

I might take a day off tomorrow or do some drawing?

A GRAND DAY OUT

2011-08-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

The lovely Mr Brown could see that I was getting a little frayed around the edges and needed a day out of the shed, so off we went on an adventure. Our first port of call was The Foal Yard in Bransford, Worcester to see my chum Sharon McSwiney. Sharon was not in but we had a fab time chatting to her Mum and her other half Tim and came away with a few purchases and a lovely lunch.
A treat from Mr Brown, these lovely silver earrings, made by Sharon. The Foal Yard is a great place to see designer jewellery, unusual kitchen ware, good food and more. Check out Sharon's web sight for directions http://www.sharonmcswiney.co.uk/.

Next stop was just outside of Worcester heading north, the Bevere Gallery, we have traveled past the AA signs to this gallery on the way to Kidiminster for years and at last we have had the time to pop in. What a gem for those of us interested in ceramics and artists prints.

At the moment there is a wonderful sculpture trail through the gardens. An amazing gallery full of big name ceramicists and printmakers plus a cafe with great cake. For those who know me well great cake is a vital ingredient!

These photos give just a taste of the variety of work available in the gardens. Mr Brown was tempted into a purchase, 2 beautiful ceramic pieces by Lara Scobie. I feel like I have had a bit of a holiday, so tomorrow I can tackle the Eider duck plates waiting for me in the shed.

PROOFING

2011-08-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

I came back from Art in Action with freshly made collagraph plates and I have now had time to proof 2 of them. I am very happy with this raven plate, a portrait of Marley, the bird I met a few weekends ago. So this is now ready for editioning.

I am also pleased with this raven, but it needs a few added items to give the piece a narrative. I will get to work on that tomorrow.

ALL FIRED UP

2011-07-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who know me slightly this will not come as any surprise.I just could not resist having a bit of a play, so even though I am going to have to wait patiently for the delivery of the large trivets I have fired a couple of pieces of steel, 4" x 3" with colour experiments. I now feel confident about using the digital control and just thrilled with it all. Thankyou again Adrian from Northern Kilns, so far so good!!

IT'S ARRIVED! IT'S ARRIVED!

2011-07-28T05:46:00.000-07:00

If only everything was as straight forward, reliable and as much fun as buying an enamelling kiln! As promised Adrian arrived and installed a 9in cube (internal measurements) kiln into my studio this morning and instructed me about how to use the temperature controller. Now all I have to wait for, patiently, is a larger trivet and fork and I will be away. Yippee.
It's going to be a hot summer in my studio, I can't wait.

FIRED BY NATURE

2011-07-26T01:05:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to have been included in an exhibition at the Rostra and Rooksmoor Galleries in Bath during August. Fired by Nature is an exhibition spot lighting new work by enamel artist Janine Partington. Also showing ceramics by Joanne Cooke and prints by Kirsten Jones and Trevor Price. For opening times and more information www.rostragallery.com.

ART IN ACTION 2011

2011-07-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Art in Action is like no other arts festival. Held every year at Waterperry Gardens it shows about 400 demonstrating artists to the public. If you want to know how and why art is made then book your ticket to Art in Action 2012 now.
I was invited by Nature in Art to join a group of artists demonstrating their passion for the natural world. Nature in Art is also an extraordinary place. Between Tewkesbury and Gloucester it is the only museum in the country dedicated to art work inspired by nature. www.natureinart.org.uk. I am very grateful to their support during the festival and also the camaraderie of the other exhibiting artists in our area. As you can see from this photo a good time was had by all.

The refreshing thing about Art in Action is that it is not all about sales, the public come and watch us working. We tell our secrets and send people away keen to have a go themselves.

I must have spoken to hundreds of people, but I still had time to make 4 collagraph plates.

Here are 2 of them, I can't wait to get printing. My favourite reaction when talking to people was the complete disbelief when I said I used tile cement to make my plates. I sense there may be a run on it at the closest B&Q to Waterperry.

As busy as I was, I made a real effort to look around at fellow demonstrators, especially as there were a few personal heroes at the festival.

I was very excited to be able to see Sarah Morpeth's work in the flesh. www.sarahmorpeth.com.

We share a passion for the natural world and Sarah is such a sharing artist.

I know I am completely obsessed when I look at the work that has caught my eye. These fantastic bronze casts, of clay built sculptures made by Brendan Hesmondhalgh and David Cooke. www.sculpturelounge.com

I love the character of these creatures, so strong and bold.

Back at the Nature in Art area I shared a space with Philip Nelson. www.philipnelson-artdecoy.co.uk. He makes the most beautiful decoy ducks, they have a wonderful soft , feathery look to them and they are skillfully carved from wood. We shared a wicked sense of humour throughout the festival.

Being involved with Art in Action is a real honour, it is wall to wall talent wherever you look, but more than that, as demonstrators we are warmly looked after by an army of volunteers, coffee flows and we are well fed. Our egos are boosted by 4 days of almost constant flattery. Thankyou everyone for making my Art in Action such good fun.

SETTING UP WEDNESDAY

2011-07-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

Waterperry Gardens near Oxford is now decked out ready for Art in Action.
Everywhere you turn there are the most beautiful floral displays.

And here is my home for the next 4 days, it will be torture as the Nature in Art area is set up next to the tempting treats of the garden centre.

The work I am displaying is all collagraphs with a mixture of current work

and old favourites. My rooks and crows seem to be dominating, it will be interesting to get a public reaction.

PREPARATION FOR ART IN ACTION

2011-07-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

In preparation for next week I have been making some drawings to make into collagraph plates while I am at Art in Action, demonstrating how I go about making collagraphs from drawing to print.

I had thought I would use some drawings I had made from a visit to Slimbridge in the New Year, these eider ducks being one.But so inspired am I by my visit to see Marley the raven, yesterday, that I have had to spend the day drawing.
It has been more like trying to make a portrait than produce an image of a bird, Marley is such a personality. I now have more than enough to get on with at Art in Action

CAW!!

2011-07-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

I have several sayings that I trot out for my classes, one being that 'ink is infectious', the other is that 'I don't get out enough' when I get excited about a luscious ink mark while printmaking!
Well my lovely friend Lesley (Printed Material) took me out for an airing yesterday to meet the very generous, Martin and Lorrie who supply the Tower of London with ravens.

Meet Marley. This is a real privilege to get this close to the king of the corvids.

And although he gave the impression he was friendly letting Lorrie scratch his head and feed him grapes,

he was just waiting to lull an easily impressed human stranger close to that beak. He tolerated my presence, letting me get close enough to take these pictures, but his intelligence gives him the capacity to trick and tease. I now have the most fantastic resource materials for some new work.

But not only were there the delights and thrills of the ravens, but Lorrie and Martin have a passion for all things wild life. This barn owl chick will be raised by hand

as is this kookaburra. A morning of natural delights, I am so grateful to Lesley, her cousin John who organised the trip and Martin and Lorrie who tolerated my gasps of delight.

AT THE TOP!

2011-07-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Abbi, Jack, Jack, Tom , Mat and David for completing 28 peaks in 120 hours. This extraordinary challenge was completed yesterday at 12 noon at the top of Snowdon. To learn more about the challenge and the charities they are raising money for check out www.ukthousandschallenge.moonfruit.com/

MIXED MEDIA EXPERIMENTS

2011-07-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

I have worked further into the drawings I started last week.
More ink, more wax, more bleach.

I have also cut out some of the moths wing sections to add surface interest.

I do like the added colour of the orange, but

I am drawn to the faded, monochromatic quality the bleached ink gives.

Both these drawings are a means to an end and I would like to try to achieve this quality in a print or an enamel.

PAGE PREPARATION

2011-06-30T08:33:00.002-07:00

Back in the shed today preparing 2 sheets of A2 paper to work into tomorrow and Monday.
The first page I have decided to keep simple so I started off by scribbling with candle wax.

Covering the page with water soluble black ink.

Then applying gum arabic prints of moths, beetles and cow parsley in black and silver.

The second page became more adventurous...wax first then some gestural marks in Mars orange and orange acrylic ink.

Then a layer of water soluble and indian black ink, finishing off with the same gum arabic transfers.

Now I have 2 pages ready to bleach, scrape and draw into which will in turn inspire some enamel pieces.

It has been a liberating experience working on a larger scale, usually my sketch books are A5 and smaller. Bigger marks, bigger photocopies.

My next sketch book techniques and gum arabic transfer course is here in Cheltenham in October.

SKETCH BOOK

2011-06-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

There must be something in the air, perhaps it is the closeness of the summer holidays, the ever changing air temperature or just inevitable cyclical change, but I am having the same conversation with friends about how difficult it is to get down to work at the moment.
So this morning with determination and after 2 cups of coffee I strode out to the shed to work in my sketch book. A few weeks previously when I have been feeling even less motivated I worked on empty pages putting in random acrylic and magazine transfers, the technique my daughter taught me.

Then a couple of weeks ago I went through the transfers making them bird shaped using white paint.

And today I have spent several hours with ink, paint, bleach and

gum arabic transfer working into the pages.

As you can tell some have worked better than others, but more to the point I am now up and running again. By the way, it is not a spiral bound sketch book, that is the gum arabic transfer image. I am looking forward to Thursday when I can again spend the whole day playing with ideas.

COLLAGRAPH EXPERIMENTS

2011-06-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

June has been a really busy month. The house is now back to its usual state after the Cheltenham Open Studios, it was a very successful event. I have also just come back from teaching a collagraph workshop for the Twenty Twenty Gallery in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. I had a lovely weekend with some very enthusiastic and talented printmakers. Fab food and lovely work, what more can one ask for?
Well, to finish a collagraph I have been working on for a while. So enthused was I by the tremendous prints made at Much Wenlock that I came home and got straight down to proofing this silk aquatint plate.

This rook looks like a youngster still demanding food, or have I been watching too much Spring Watch?

Pressing alium heads into tile cement produces these wonderful textures.

For those of you with long memories, you may remember that I blogged about the arrival of a Scarlet Tiger moth in my garden this time last year. It must have met a friend as in the Spring we had caterpillars on the comfrey.

We now have a whisper of Scarlet Tigers fluttering exotically around...next year how many will we have?

DAY TWO IN THE HOUSE

2011-06-05T01:28:00.000-07:00

Did you read the title to this Blog in a Geordie accent?
Yesterday was the first day of the Cheltenham Open Studios and we had people popping in while out buying milk because of the signs and bunting, so thankyou to the people on the committee who organised the designers. Will Sunday be quieter?

The fantastic thing about an event like this is that the public can see how and where artists work.

Now to be honest this space feels tidier when standing in it than it looks in this photo and I have squeezed 5 people in here to do a taster collagraph workshop. If nothing else Cheltenham folk will know what a collagraph is and how it is made...then I unlock the shed door!

AND THEY'RE OFF!

2011-06-03T03:37:00.001-07:00

Yes the Cheltenham Open Studios has started, my house is clean and the lounge is now a gallery space. Sharon, Stephen and I set up the exhibition yesterday.

Stephens ceramics work really well with my collagraphs and enamels.

Sharon's metal work pieces are hot off the work bench, these bird pieces have been made especially for this show.

I love the way this wall sculpture works with the colour of my walls

Stephen's ceramics also look very sophisticated in my sitting room.

Flashes of colour and the lovely crackled effect of raku match the enamelled spoons.

I could quite happily keep my sitting room as a gallery, neat tidy and surrounded by beautiful things. The show kicks off at 11am June 4th and continues to June 12th.

For details of the other open studios, www.cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk

Ask me at the end of the week how I feel about keeping the house gallery tidy...!

READY, STEADY...

2011-05-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

One week to go before I open the door to my little house and shed studio as part of the Cheltenham Open Studios event starting on Saturday June 4th. Sharon McSwiney, Stephen End and I are joining forces to put together an intimate exhibition at my house.
As part of the show there will be examples of my latest collagraphs.

Sharon will have decorative wall pieces in copper and brass, including her latest leafy designs and abstract textured plaques. Stephen is showing contemporary hand built raku vessels.

I will also have some of my latest enamel creations available.

I am opening the doors at 11am on Saturday morning and the exhibition continues through to Sunday 12th June. Check out the web sight http://www.cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk/ for more details about other interesting studios to look around in Cheltenham that week.

COLOUR CHALLENGE

2011-05-26T23:31:00.001-07:00

So what exactly is happening here? Colour? For those of you familiar with my work
these collagraphs are a departure from my usual style.

Tile cement and carborundum enhanced with blended rubs have produced

these subtle neutral greys and flashes of pure colour.

This colour is exploding into the enamel work too.

It is all so liberating, why have I never done it before?

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY

2011-05-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

About this time 2 years ago I was contemplating starting a blog, my first post was about the Cheltenham Open Studio event that I and my friends were about to take part in.

So 2 years on here I am again getting ready for Cheltenhams bi-annual artistic frenzy.

This time I am getting together with metal work artist and chum Sharon McSwiney and ceramicist and chum Stephen End. I will be showing collagraphs and there will be a number of enamels available.

We will be snugly fitting into my front room and a short walk through the garden will offer a snoop into my studio. All this takes place in Cheltenham, 4-12 June and we are inviting everyone to our preview evening 2 June 6-9pm.

A RESULT

2011-05-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

Thankyou to everyone who took the time to come up with a suggestion for the dome.

I agree with Sarah that the dome creates separation and anything in it will feel special. Jane's idea of painting the dome black to give the impression that the moths are flying out of darkness has a lovely Gothic feel, that's if Gothic and lovely really go together. Sharon's idea for a contrasting, brightly coloured moth works, as does Wendy's moth predator. Narrative will play a large part in what I want to make next.

Other ideas have been suggested to me, a carriage clock although I think that person watches too much Antiques Road Show. A stuffed bird, a dead bird with it's legs in the air. Cruel and not what I would really do, but a fluttering trapped moth has appeal, if I was technically adept a projection of a flying moth would be very clever.

You have all got me thinking and trust me a bare light bulb has not been ruled out as I had already bought a bulb with a curly filament from Baileys last year when I started making the moths. But Lesley's alternative light source using reflective surfaces or glow worms has set me off in a different direction.

As you can see I made 2 moths and drew out 2 names from the up turned dome just after 8pm, so congratulations Wendy and Lesley the moths will be winging their way to you later in the week.

Thankyou everyone.

ENAMEL MOTHS

2011-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

So I have at last put together an object, this is feeling focused and less experimental.
The steel moths are spot welded together, I have sand blasted some of the enamel off and left

a few moths enamel free. But what would you put in the dome or is less more? I have decided to give a single enamelled moth to the person whose suggestion has possibilities. To make it fair I will pull names out of a hat. I will do the draw on Sunday 8th May at 8pm British summer time.

HAPPY EASTER

2011-04-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

PRINTFEST 2011

2011-04-21T01:35:00.001-07:00

When Easter bank holiday is over we all have another long weekend to look forward to, so why not pop over to Ulverston in the Lake District and check out Printfest, Britain's only print fair held in a rural location dedicated to exhibiting and selling original contemporary prints.
Printfest will be held at the Coranation Hall, Ulverston on Saturday 30th April and Sunday May 1st between 10am and 5pm.

I will be there exhibiting so come and say hello. If you can't make it check out the Printfest web sight, http://www.printfest.org.uk/

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-04-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with liquid enamel in red, silver and chestnut brown. I like to draw through to colours underneath and wet enamel is easier to handle, sifted colours can create technical difficulties and it is harder to layer. The silver is a revelation, it is soft and subtle and just slightly twinkly. I have also fired glass headed steel pins, this adds another element.
The black letter transfers pull these little abstract compositions together. I can't wait to try these on larger pieces...red spoons? Or the irony of silver enamelled spoons?

SKETCH BOOK PAGES

2011-04-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

I have been lent a wonderful resource, an 1867 catalogue from the Paris Exhibition. Thankyou Brian. This has inspired me to try different imagery with the gum arabic transfer technique I like to use in my sketch book.

But I can not help but draw the occasional bird.

So what's in your sketch books at the moment? Check out the blog spot, Wendy Rhodes-Artist, her latest post shows how she turns work from her sketch book into etchings. Fascinating and inspiring.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-04-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

I spent yesterday at UWE making this collection of spoons ready for my Open Studio event in June. All went very smoothly, there are usually a few moths that come adrift or flop in the heat of the kiln, but no, I had a morning of hitch free enamelling. But my luck did not hold out for the whole day and not all experiments go to plan, but the more one has technical difficulties the more one learns. At a quick glance these 2 pieces are not completely lost and if I ignore where the enamel has blown off one part to land neatly in a smooth white area I could almost be pleased with parts of them. These are close ups of the sections I like and will repeat on other pieces.

I particularly like the way the text breaks through on the grey.

And through the spaces on bare steel.

With a mistake comes a nothing to loose attitude which can generate other ideas.

ABSENSE OF COLOUR

2011-04-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is a silk aqua tint and tile cement collagraph measuring 65cm x 35cm and has been a delight to make. I was spurred on by the success of the smaller silk aqua tint experiment I made a few weeks ago. This shows the textures where I have pressed leaves and wall paper into tile cement. The high lights and details on the crows are achieved by painting wood glue onto the chiffon, this is the silk part of silk aqua tint.

This is an enamel on steel, not quite finished yet, I am toying with the idea of adding some colour here and there, but I do rather like the moodiness of it all.

I particularly like the way the transfers react on bare steel. And yes I cut the shapes out by hand.

I am happier with the colours, or lack of colour in this piece, the previous enamel on copper was way too green for my liking.

Both these pieces have been a pivotal learning experience for me and I am looking forward to working further with these techniques.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-03-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am still exploring the creative possibles of enamel, my last few posts have been enamel on steel and these spoons are an extension of those experiments. I am busy making lots of these for the Cheltenham Open Studio event in June.

I have also been working on these copper pieces where I have the advantage of being able to

etch through the plate with ferric chloride to make holes and lacy edges. The transfers are of the Natural History Museum.

The copper creates this green tinge as the piece is fired, the more firings the greener it goes. To of set the green in this composition I decided to rivet on a couple of red moths...it just had to be done! The spoons are bolted on so they have a bit of a swing to them.

SILK AQUATINT

2011-03-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

The holy grail for many printmakers is to be able to print a dense black. In etching this can be achieved through mezzo tint or using a lung damaging resin which is melted on to the plate. For collagraph printmakers it is usually carborundum grit, difficult to ink and only really useful in large areas. Easier to handle and wonderfully affective is silk aquatint.

Using chiffon or silk attached to the card plate using acrylic paint, tones are then introduced using acrylic gel mediums and PVA glue in various layers, the white area on the above plate is a thin piece of card with detail scored into it.

When inked with colour the plate prints like this.

This silk aquatint has tile cement with leaves and wall paper pressed into it to make the textures.

The resulting print is full of subtle tonal contrasts. The chicken print is 5ins x 5ins and the rook is about 10ins x 5ins. Inspired by these 2 experiments I am now working on a much larger piece, wish me luck!

SKETCH BOOK PRACTICE

2011-03-08T01:21:00.000-08:00

I have been really inspired by a blog post by a friend of mine about her sketch book practice, http://www.wendyrhodes.blogspot.com/ , it made me contemplate my own need to work in sketch books.

Using a variety of techniques that appear no where else in my work I experiment with ideas and media.

I feel that this is where the hard work is done, where an artist can be privately creative. I often think that the work I do in my sketch books has more spontaneity and freshness than work I produce for public consumption.

I use my sketch books to record and rough out ideas. It is my safe place to draw badly and make mistakes. If I do not make a note of an idea immediately it will often be lost forever.

Artist's sketch books are the support to their work, most are private and it would be a tragedy to rip pages out to display as it is often the juxtaposition of one idea following the other when the page is turned that makes it so interesting to look at.

I love to see other artist's preparation, a sketch book, like a diary shows what is going on in a creative mind. Here are 3 of my favourite books, this one about Picasso's sketch book, full of spare gestural line drawings which shows the development of some of his most famous works.

This book about Palmer full of annotated drawings that look so contemporary, but then quick drawing does not date.

This well thumbed book is full of ideas and techniques to get a sketch book under way. Chapter 1 is entitled, Purposes of a Sketch Book: Pause, record, reflect, move on... says it all really.

So... what is in your sketch book?

Here is the challenge, let me know if you post about your sketch book, the techniques you use and what you use your sketch book for, do you have a favourite subject or technique. Like dieting and exercise, regular sketch book use is on that New Years resolution list. For inspiration check out Sharon's post from September 1st 2010 on
http://blog.sharonmcswiney.co.uk/ . I look forward to hearing from you.

CAW!

2011-03-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

So why have I been making these large enamel crows?
So that I can place them on fence posts of course, this one I found in a Welsh field...on the ground I might add after the farmer had renewed his fencing.

Adding the moths adds a lightness to the piece. Upwards and onwards!!

ENDLESS ENAMEL

2011-02-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

I am very excited about this experiment. I have spent the last few days cultivating these rust
patterns onto a white enamel surface. It is then fired in leaving this shabby chic look. A fly transfer and the addition of a newly acquired stamp and hey presto, the character of a mixed media piece in durable enamel.

ENAMELS - CAW!

2011-02-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

These enamel crows on steel are 12" tall.
The first 2 using black and white enamel with the edition of transfers are made from one complete

piece of steel. Due to their size they were fired in Elizabeth Turrel's kiln at UWE, I am grateful for her support and advice. I was really over the moon with these 2 crows until I made this one last Friday.

Made in sections so that it fits in the ceramic departments enamel kilns then glued together. I used clear flux instead of white which has given me this lovely soft grey, I am finding this tonal range more satisfying.

Everything is exciting, new and all such an adventure at the moment.

ALTERED BOOK

2011-02-28T00:38:00.001-08:00

6 talented artists, 12 months and 6 random books equal an extraordinary altered book project which has now sadly come to an end.

But we all own a wonderful artifact full of treasures.
I launched this project 12 months ago with the challenge...alter a page and send the book on, take 2 months to do the next section and send the book on.
Everyone approached the project in their own style, trying out new things.

Playing and experimenting. Having fun and challenging themselves. The deadlines were strict, but communication allowed for flexibility.

We all have busy lives and this project was out bus mans holiday.

Every other month the postman was anticipated excitedly.

To mark the end of the project we met for tea and cake yesterday to hand over the books in person, except for our book mate in America who was with us in spirit and the gorgeous pages of her contributions to the project. Daunting and stimulating in equal measure.

The project punctuated my year, which has not always been straight forward, with a sparkle of creativity which would otherwise lie dormant.

It has been a joy to share this project with such a lovely group of creative people. Thankyou for my book.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2011-02-21T10:00:00.001-08:00

I have spent the day in the shed experimenting with my newly acquired enamel grade steel.
The exciting thing is that it does not need sand blasting to degrease it and I may even get away with not grip coating it if the experiment on the right is anything to go by. I really like the look of the burnt metal. I have been playing with black, white and flux. Layering, scratching and stoning back. A little bit of sifted enamel in orange and brown has been added here and there.

Being fairly new to enameling it has been so valuable just to spend an afternoon doodling. The greyness looks so English, I quite like this shabby chic thing though.

PRINTMAKING PANIC

2011-02-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

I have had some very exciting news, I have been selected to show at Printfest. This is an exhibition of printmaking in Ulverston, Cumbria, Saturday 31st April to 1st May,www.printfest.org.uk for more details.
It has put me in a bit of a panic as I have been neglecting my editioning duties and stocks of work have got a bit low.

So this weekend I rolled my sleeves up and set too. I now have available supplies of Two Winter Birds and Three Winter Birds.

Maran II

Lakenvelder

Leghorn

Light Sussex

and Guinea Fowl

Three Coots is a new image in my portfolio,

so is Mute Swan. They are all collagraphs, tile cement, card and wood glue are some of the materials used to make the plates. But after this weekend I can safely say that my career as a nail model is well and truly over!

ENAMEL IDEAS

2011-02-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

Less is more, keep it simple, advice I hear myself offering all the time. Do I take my own advice...very rarely. In this case I think I might. It is tempting to add moths or crows to these screen printed enamel transfers, but I like the clean lines and the image continuing on the spoon. I am fighting that little voice that is saying it was too quick to make. But I have to remember that I took the photograph, I made the screen and printed it onto the transfer paper and it has taken me months to learn how to apply a smooth thin layer of enamel onto a steel surface. So half an hours enamelling, months of preparation to get there! Too quick?

ENAMELLING EXPERIMENTS

2011-02-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

I have at last found time to complete this enamelled concertina book.
I set myself the challenge of combining transfers with drawn images and experimenting with a variety of contemporary enamelling techniques. The construction was also a challenge, making the hinges and riveting the black moth onto the piece.

The copper is first etched in ferric chloride and the wings are cut with a piercing saw.

With so much going on with the shapes, textures and drawing I thought it would be best to keep it all simple and keep to black and white. I am so relieved that it all folds flat on itself.

It is the little triumphs that keep me going!

SKETCH BOOK EXPERIMENTS

2011-01-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Finally I have found a couple of days to work through some ideas in my sketch book.
When I am really stuck I start the blank page with a gum arabic transfer,

then using acrylic, ink and pencil work into the surface.

Metallic oil pastels add glamour, but tricky to photograph.

I have also spent some time creating enamel work to show in the Cheltenham Open Studio event at the beginning of June. It seems along way away now, but time soon passes so the more I can get done now the better.

A FLYING START

2011-01-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

For a couple of years now I have had a strategy in place to beat the post Christmas blank page. In the build up to the festive season making plates and deliberately starting work that needs to be finished goes hand in hand with my mince pie and decorating routine.
I am pleased to report that it still seems to work. I timetabled days in my studio leaving family to do creative things with left overs.

This left me time and space in my head to rework and resolve these crow collagraphs.

A family trip to Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust fired me up to create more bird compositions.

I even had the energy to do some experimental enamel. I received some eBay purchases of pocket watch parts before Christmas, so I have been itching to make things with them.

With steel moths and an etched copper disc I experimented using my new riveting skills.

I am finding if I look at something long enough ideas pop into my head, so using small but powerful magnets I attached this moth construction to a previously enamelled fork. If I add text to the cutlery and do a little more work on the moths I may have a set of work I could use...can I hear you saying spoons?

With a brisk return to college in the first week in January I have been able to start a new enamelled concertina book. Very much a work in progress, but again all the components were prepared before Christmas, so I just have to continue rather than try to start again, psychologically it works for me.

Happy New Year everyone and here's to a creative continuum.

FOR CAROLYN

2010-12-19T22:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas to everyone and here's to a creative 2011.

DECK THE HALLS

2010-12-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

Every year I start to decorate for Christmas gradually, I like to enjoy the camp glamour for as long as I can. I will always start with table decorations and paper lanterns.
This cake stand I made gluing vintage plates and charity shop glasses together. I did not make these cakes though.

The lanterns get hung around the 10th, these are vintage and have been collected from charity shops for years. They remind me of the ones that never got hung when I was a child, Mum was into the new foil decorations and these looked too old fashioned.

Most years I make an advent calender for my offspring, this year each envelope holds a chocolate coin and a reminder of what is to come. To give it that wintry feel I hung the crocheted snowflake I made last year.

These go back a few years. I got sacking from the local health food store and Father Christmas would mysteriously fill them on Christmas eve and yes they will still get filled this year.

In a former life I painted objects made from birch ply, I made several of these wreaths to sell and put up the prototype every year.

I have a penchant for vintage decorations and this Father Christmas was given to me by a dear friend last year.

This little chap however is from my childhood, a proper 1960s Christmas object.

In the past I have taken part in Christmas sales and never quite had the confidence that pictures sell, although they did, so I would always make some Christmas items for my table. One year I made a load of stockings from old jumpers, no knitting required. I now hang it every year in the hope that Father Christmas might notice this one...?

Last but not least, a new tradition in our house is our macabre decoration. Rudolf now comes out every year. Surreal, humorous or just scary...you choose.

Happy preparations.

CROCHETED SNOWFLAKES

2010-12-15T01:01:00.000-08:00

I feel at my most creative this time of year, I have always found myself making Christmasy things ever since I was a child, but now I find that I am in a complete making frenzy. I am working on new collagraphs, experimenting with enamel and ....whizzing around the house putting up twinkle. Looking at the work I am blogging today I can now see the seasonal influences.
These collagraphs have a wintry feel to them.

I wish I could attract more birds into my garden, these are blackbirds from Hampen.

This is very experimental. Copper and steel moths enamelled, the steel left bare to rust. I have more to do to this piece before I am completely satisfied.

But the red...am I thinking poinsettia here?

I am happier with this piece, less is more with the addition of colour. I am now finding that making enamel work is not as quick as it was when I first started, I am becoming harder on myself about the finish to the surface.

I am also getting a bit complicated about the forms I am using. Is it a book? Is it a sculpture? No it's an experiment!

Etching, pierce sawing, cutting, bending and a variety of enamelling techniques. My biggest thrill is that it collapses into a closed concertina book with ease, but the etched lace is in danger of snapping off.

So where are the crocheted snowflakes, have my textile followers been cheated? Although I will be locking myself in the shed for another few days, finishing off stuff and starting things that I can go back to after the Christmas break when the glitter has settled, I promise to post a Christmas blog with things I have made just for us at home.

CITY

2010-12-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

I know we are all up to our ears with Christmas preparations, but I urge you to take an hour off and go to the RWA in Bristol and visit the exhibition 'City' in the New Gallery, www.rwa.org.uk.
The show is hosted by the Association for Contemporary Jewellery and is a selected contemporary exhibition of work made in response to the urban environment.

I have to say that it is a gem of an exhibition with beautifully made and thought provoking work.
A number of pieces are enameled, often stretching the medium to it's limits. The drawn elements in this brooch by Fionna Hesketh make for a textural finish to the enamel and I like the inclusion of the red thread.

There are enamelled panels by Sarah Braun, photographs do not do them justice. Delicate stenciled enamel describing the intricate metal work of Bristol Temple Meads Station.

Stacey Bentley is showing these delicate and vulnerable looking pieces which stem directly from

her sketch book work. I find it very inspiring to see the workings out of a project.

The exhibition is all about the Bristol urban environment and the work shown by Jessica Turrell maps her personal history in Bristol. This process using symbols to represent stages in her life connected to the places has produced a sensitive and simple necklace. Kirsty Summerling has made this experimental piece describing the effects of time and decay and exploring the unpredictability of the enamel surface.

In contrast this colourful enamel by Kathleen Reeves represents Bristol's nautical past. Ship shape and Bristol fashion. The message spelt out in international signal flags. Both witty and skillful, it is hard to make smooth, even enamel pieces and control the unpredictability.

Sally Medlicott made 100 small copper foil boxes, enamelled each individually and placed them to give the idea of a birds eye view of the built environment.

Each box is a small work of art, abstract compositions showing what enamel can do.

These are just a few of the exhibits, there are several more I like, but I only have so much time to devote to blogging, I could go on and on and on!! The show also contains more than enamelling, you are just witnessing my current obsession. It is not a big exhibition, but it is worth a visit.

CHOUGHED AT NATURE IN ART

2010-11-19T03:25:00.000-08:00

I heard yesterday that Nature in Art, Twigworth, Gloucestershire - www.nature-in-art.org.uk have extended their exhibition, Choughed by an extra week. This gives anyone who wants to see it until the 21st November. A bit last minute I know, but worth the effort.
I have to say for those who like all things Corvid it is a gem of a show, sculptures, prints and paintings are on display, I feel really honoured to be part of it. Here is a taster of what you will miss if you can't get there this weekend.

I have a collagraph, an etching,

and this enamel in the exhibition. But the show is just full of treasures, this reproduced drawing by Terence Coventry

together with the bronze inspired by the drawing. Both capture the argumentative nature of Choughs, the Cornish cousins of crows.

One of my favourite sculptors at the moment is Harriet Mead, I saw her work at the Society of Wildlife Artists exhibition at the Mall Gallery, London this summer and I am delighted to be able to take a closer look at her work in this exhibition. I am intrigued by the way artists use scrap and see images in them.

This sculpture is by Nathan Jones, there is great strength and character in this raven and I particularly like the rust and the red...something I am exploring in my own work.

There are several lovely prints on show, a number of Greg Pooles block prints. I like this lino print by Thelma Sykes, after seeing this I was inspired to be more creative with the use of orange in my own work.

I really like combining materials and this piece of ceramic sculpture works so well. Rook, by Simon Griffiths puts together, ceramics, wood and found barbed wire.

Bryan Hanlon has shown the less attractive side of the magpie, nature in tooth and claw. The way he has incorporated the metal shears together with the egg in it's beak gives this piece a narrative. This bronze is available to purchase, as are many of the other pieces in the exhibition.

If you cannot get to Nature in Art this weekend I urge you to visit it another time, there is always interesting work on show and the cafe does great cake.

RUST

2010-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

At last I have found time to finish my latest enamels.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I wanted to experiment with combining the enamel with the rusting qualities of the steel.

I have not been disappointed, the rust adds a set of warm orange tones to the pieces,

giving the work that sought after shabby chic quality I like so much.

Scraping enamel away, layering and applying transfers, firing and refiring a piece

to distress the surface, suddenly my sketch book pages are turned into glass and metal!

COMPLETED COLLAGRAPHS

2010-11-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

In September I made 2 collagraph plates during my residency at Nature in Art, I have finally completed them.
Locked in my shed for 4 hours this morning I have spent the time printing the collagraphs onto the screen printed colour. These 2 images are a bit of an experiment for me.

They are perhaps a little tentative and I should have had the courage of my convictions and

made stronger marks at the screen print stage, but I have learnt a great deal.

With the screen made up it takes minutes to try a different colour, so I decided to use a bonkers orange, but surprisingly it works quite well. I should have used both colours on the same image.

I am looking forward to trying out this process again and with a bit more gusto.

SKETCH BOOK EXPERIMENTS

2010-10-22T07:23:00.001-07:00

I have wanted to spend some time working back into the acrylic transfers that have been building up in my sketch book. I also wanted to draw some moths and beetles.

I spent a happy afternoon working on top of these pre-prepared backgrounds, but started to feel that the drawings were becoming laboured.

So rather than abandon the exercise I took out my scalpel and set about cutting and lifting the wings and

carefully working around legs. This has made a complete difference to the way I feel about the pieces.

I know that the names are not accurate for the moth they are with, but I love the names moths have, there is something moralizing and serious about them, butterflies have such frivolous names, moths have sturdy, worthy labels.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

2010-10-18T00:29:00.000-07:00

I can only experiment with small luggage label sized enamels in my kiln at home, I have the opportunity to make larger work at the University of the West of England.
Using this drawing as a starting point to experiment on a slightly larger scale I set about making a post card sized piece on steel. My intention was to use the techniques I had been trying out over the summer.

The first thing that struck me was just by tripling the size of the piece how it threw up a variety of technical difficulties. Applying the grip coat evenly to the steel being a major factor. I wanted to leave areas of steel bare to rust, so using a stencil to achieve accurate drawing I scratched away the enamel at the edge and in the body of the composition.

I used the same technique to place the bird. The white numbers are stamped and sifted, this makes them pale and they will melt into the surface with subsequent firings.

A wash of watered down black enamel, scratched into gives me the grey. But in hind sight I wish I had made the mix stronger, there is too much contrast in the finished crow.

So I thought at this stage the piece was resolved, I like the composition, I like the light quality that bare metal contrasting with the smooth coverage of the enamel gives. But it needs more, this is why it is good to have a week between stages, it slows things down, gives me time to think and I avoid the rash over work that I am prone to.

In week 2 I add transfers to the crows body to try to knock back the white...I should have used a darker black wash. I add red stenciled and sifted numbers, the addition of red gives the piece punch. I reinforce some of the white numbers and finally add white transferred text, the addition of these white elements help to make sense of the lightness of the crow...which is still too light.

I can't wait to see how it changes when the steel rusts, this will add another colour dimension and give the piece a rough natural quality.

OCTOBER

2010-10-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

I love October and this weekend has been glorious. I spent Sunday morning walking in the Autumn sunshine being inspired by all the natural colour.
I am drawn to the gorgeous reds and oranges in the hedgerows.

The berries are like jewels encrusting the branches and

dripping from surfaces.

The leaves are beginning to turn.

These ladybirds looked like walking berries. My Sunday was a relaxing time after a very energetic Saturday running a mono print workshop at Hampen Factory.

I had 6 talented people for a 1 day workshop where the creative possibilities of mono printing were thoroughly explored.

The first 4 images were made with a single pass through the press.

With the group becoming confident with this technique and lots of exciting images appearing

it was time to start working into them by inking up shapes and wall paper to over print the initial images.

With the backdrop of the Cotswold countryside around us at Hampen it was no surprise to see Autumn colour in the work. It was fantastic to work with such a talented group of people.

PRESS GANG EXHIBITION

2010-10-05T22:48:00.000-07:00

Press Gang

an exhibition of printmaking at Hampen Factory

9th & 10th October 2010

open 11am - 4pm both days

On Wednesday afternoons in term time I facilitate a group making large prints and this exhibition is a celebration of their exciting and experimental printmaking.

The exhibition is at Hampen Factory Arts Centre, Hampen, Andoversford, Cheltenham, GL54 5RH, where the group makes the work. The exhibition shows the various plate making and inking techniques used to make collagraphs.

Tile cement, wood glue, wall paper, grey board together with a number of inking techniques appear in the show.

This is just a small glimpse of the variety of work on show. You can meet the artists during the

weekend as they will be there demonstrating their working methods. I will be there Sunday afternoon, so if you are in Gloucestershire this weekend pop in and say hello.

A RUMMAGE THROUGH MY DRAWERS!

2010-10-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

I am having a studio sale on November 6th, so I have started clearing out experiments and edition ends to sell off at bargain prices. You can imagine as a printmaker and hoarder I have lots of works on paper building up all the time, so from time to time I have a clear out.

This tidy up is like a walk down memory lane, I find treasures in the backs of drawers and experiments that rekindle interest and inspiration...as long as I can remember how I did them.
This etching is 1 of the first, done on my degree course 30 years ago.

This little etching, nitric acid etched zinc, I made at a teachers etching workshop.

I then made this etching in my first studio in the cellar of our 3rd home, where we still live. It is the size of a real Walnut Whip.

1 of the first collagraphs I ever made.

My first experience of non toxic printmaking. Done in Dumfries on an ImagOn work shop run by Kieth Howard, the developer of this new process.

These are a couple of non toxic soft ground etchings done with ferric chloride and acrylic ground on copper after attending a workshop run by Friedhard Kirkeban.

I then experimented with combining etching and ImagOn

This is a much larger etching using separate plates to build up the colour.

I made this at a carborundum workshop at Leicester Print Workshop, I took wall paper just in case and caused a bit of a stir using it with the carborundum. I have to say that it was a long way to go to find out that wood glue was the best thing to stick carborundum on with.

This was one of the many experiments I made at a workshop run by Brenda Hartill. Brenda has a specialized inking technique.

Here is a transfer mono print that I had forgotten about, done as an example for a workshop I ran at Ruskin Mill, Nailsworth.

And an etching using gum arabic transfer as an etching resist on aluminum, bitten in copper sulphate, the chicken is a collagraphed element as I used carborundum for the body.

Here I wanted to see if I could print a collagraph plate onto some silk paper I had made, this then appeared in a 'handbag' exhibition. I had quite forgotten about it, as it has been stuck at the bottom of my plan chest.

This work represents 30 years of experimenting and absorbing new techniques. I feel that I still have so much to learn and so many ideas still to explore...it is good to look back. How many of you have archives to share?

CRUCIBLE

2010-09-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I just had to let you all know about the most fantastic exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, it is on until 30th October and is well worth traveling to.
The sculptures look wonderful in the magnificent setting of the cloisters

and the grounds, each piece sensitively placed to best effect.

The work is varied and dramatic. This is St Bartholomew, Exquisite Pain by Damien Hurst.

Waiting for Godot by Marc Quinn.

Close V by Anthony Gormley RA, all very dramatic, shocking and moving.

This is a small detail from a monumental piece, It's a Swell Day for Stormy Petrels by Phillip King PPRA. I am drawn to the bird images.

This exhibition has very challenging and controversial works one of which in my opinion is this, Calvary by David Mach RA. I like it's intensity and the way it works in the space it is placed.

I may be a little predictable but this head, Noah & the Raven by Jon Buck is one of my favourites. This piece is an early work made in the 1980's, he works very differently now. It is interesting that he has used the raven and not the dove as the focus in this narrative.

My favourite piece from the whole show is perhaps the easiest to walk by unnoticed, called Dripping by David Behar-Perahia it is a sound and light sculpture. Representing the everyday activity of hand washing by the monks before entering the Refectory with dripping watery noises and the tranquil shimmer of coloured light on the cloister floor it has a soothing effect.

The whole show is a feast for art lovers, it is stunning to see so many works of art in such a beautiful setting. The richness of the Cathedrals interior does not overwhelm the work but adds a strength to each piece that a white cube gallery does not. I have only scratched the surface of this exhibition as there are 76 sculptures to see.

THE PROOF IS IN THE PROOFING

2010-09-17T03:39:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to look at your blogs again, here I am, I could not resist posting the results of my plate making frenzy from last week at Nature in Art. I am relieved that on the whole these plates have given me exactly what I wanted.

I have a bit of work to do to the crow images, but it is great that this technique allows

for making adjustments. I can change the shape and tone.

But most of all I am looking forward to developing screen printed areas to over print these crow images on to. I will also have to decide what exactly needs to go on the labels?

Any suggestions?

SUNNY SUNDAY

2010-09-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

The weather has been wonderful this week and has made the grounds at Nature in Art look spectacular.
As I have observed, Autumn is with us but it is bathed in sun light.

This has made the sculptures in the grounds glow.

Today is the last of my residency and I had 110 visitors to the studio. It is startling that so many people have no idea what printmaking is and I got into many lively debates. Giclee has a great deal to answer for, many people have no concept of the original print and I was asked many times what my original was, where was my painting. But then there were the enthusiasts who came to see me because I was a printmaker and knew exactly where I was coming from. I have been the printmaking evangelist this week. Despite all this energetic banter I completed 2 more plates, this means I have 5 new pieces to print over the next few weeks.

I also had the chance to doodle over the magazine and gum arabic transfers in my small sketch book.

It has been a busy week, hugely valuable in kick starting me into new collagraphs and my head is full of new ideas. I hope I can keep the momentum during this term. I think the toughest thing has been having the discipline to blog everyday...but I hope you will all be relieved to know I will give you a rest while I get on and print all these plates.

I look forward to showing the results.

SATURDAYS CHILD WORKS HARD FOR A LIVING

2010-09-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

Autumn has come and the grounds of Nature in Art demonstrate this beautifully.

Not only have I been making work this week, but I have a tub of blackberries in my freezer, but while wandering around the naturalized part of the grounds there are still artistic surprises.

This Alan Jacks sculpture roosting among the briar's.

Nothing stuffy about the way this sculpture has been displayed, the thrill it must give small children when they come across it.

The sculptures in this part of the museum are sensitively placed and at this time of year this one looks quite natural.

Today work was a little slower, there really is only so much you can do in a week, but I did have 60 visitors. It has been lovely to see friends and very exciting to meet blog followers who have come to see me in the flesh. But I have found myself blushing when exerts of my blog have been quoted to me, for some unknown reason I don't think of people really reading it, so it is a shock when some of the daft things I say come back to me. Thankyou everyone for taking the time to come and see what I am up to.

Sunday is my last day, I am looking forward to completing these 2 plates, I feel optimistic about them and look forward to the next few weeks when I can get to print them. I feel back on track as far as printmaking is concerned, I have been so engrossed with the enameling that I feared I had forgotten how to do it...it's all about balance and momentum.

FRIDAY - PRINTMAKERS PROGRESS

2010-09-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

4 days down, 2 days to go!
I have had a really rewarding day, I have had friends visiting me, lots of ideas being swapped and stimulating ideas flying around. Friday has been my busiest day to date and my visitors have been really intrigued by my working practices.

I spent half the day working over the magazine transfers in my sketch books with

gum arabic transfers.

By lunch time I had 2 new plates on the go and I am looking forward to working on them both in more detail tomorrow.

Will the weekend audience be different to visitors coming to Nature in Art mid week, it will be interesting to see?

THURSDAY - STILL GOING STRONG

2010-09-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

The sheep plates are now finished and ready to print.

I have had the opportunity to complete this crow plate, this too is now ready to work on in my studio back home.

With these plates completed I have the time and the energy to do more drawing.

Developing this piece as a companion to the 3 rooks below. It is amazing that 3 days of solid drawing and plate making leaves me wanting to make more and more and more. 3 days left!!

WEDNESDAY - POSITIVE RESULTS

2010-09-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

I got into Nature in Art this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find that although the sheep drawings from the day before were not amazing, they would do the job as the start for 2 new sheep collagraphs.
So I set too and traced both drawings, modifying the images as I went along.

I then proceeded to make both sheep using card, wood glue and wall paper.

Adding detail by carving into the card with a sharp blade.

To get really black blacks for the faces and legs I am using carborundum.

Tomorrow I will seal the carborundum with Klear floor varnish and shellac both plates.

In between waiting for glue to dry I wandered around the grounds and

came across this wonderful water feature, I love this bird which is hiding under neath the piece,

and this frog nestling among the reeds reminds me of the frogs the cats are bringing into the house from our pond.

TUESDAY - GETTING STARTED

2010-09-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Day 1 in the studio, I had lots of plans and good intentions, but I had forgotten how hard it is to work in the public eye.
I had examples of sketch books and collagraph prints to illustrate any explanations I had to give about my activities.

I also spent the whole day doing a number of prep drawings in my A3 sketch book...not feeling positive about these I have to say, it has been a while since I have worked like this and I feel very rusty. I feel a little under pressure as Nature in Art has today opened a prestigious exhibition of Gary Hodges work www.garyhodges.org.uk a very different style.

But when it all gets too gloomy in the studio I do have the opportunity to immerse myself in the quirky sculpture of Alan Jacks.

I met Alan several years ago, he use to visit me when I was here, we would talk art and inspiration.

Sadly he died in 2006

I miss his visits and encouragement. Tomorrow is another day, I will lick these sheep into shape and make a collagraph plate that always bucks me up.

MONDAY - SETTING UP

2010-09-07T21:33:00.001-07:00

This week I am artist in residence at Nature in Art, near Tewkesbury, www.nature-in-art.org.uk and I thought I would give you a taste of my week day by day, the highs and the lows. This residency was booked up at the end of 2009 and I can't believe how quickly it has come round. It gives me the opportunity to communicate to the public about artists original prints and get a solid weeks worth of drawing and plate making done.
The museum is home to an extrordinary collection of art inspired by the natural world. A beautiful building in a glorious rural setting it holds a diverse collection from paintings by Sir Peter Scott and David Shepherd to Picasso. This is my home for the week.

Around the grounds is a collection of art sheep.

I believe this is their last week on display, well worth a visit.

Inspired by these creatures and some sheep I encountered on my Dorset holiday I plan to make a sheep collagraph plate among other things while I am here.

My residencey starts on Tuesday 7th September and contiues to Sunday 12th, from 10am to 5pm.

FROM SKETCH BOOK TO ENAMEL

2010-09-05T02:58:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough this summer to be asked by Brewery Arts in Cirencester to teach a 3 day workshop on mixed media techniques for sketch books. Now we never allow ourselves enough time to just play with techniques without worrying about having an end result, the 3 days allowed 8 artists , myself and my daughter (who came along for 1 day to get some sketch book pages done) to do exactly that...just play!
In return for coming for the day my daughter shared with us all an interesting transfer technique. Apply a thin layer of acrylic paint, we used emulsion, on to a surface, lay a glossy magazine picture face down onto the wet paint and massage the back. As the paint gets tacky it peels the first photographic layer off the magazine. The above image is an example with the brush marks of the paint picking up bits of image. Now it is a great technique for starting off a blank sketch book page and I spent 2 of the 3 days filling my small book.

This was a very figurative image that I drew into, a bit obvious, but I wanted to see if I could make the transfer work clearly.

This was a more random transfer that I worked on much later, the transfers can act as automatic drawing to spark off ideas or reinforce existing inspirations.

I really like to use the transfer as random texture and backgrounds. From this little drawing I thought it would be interesting to make an enamel piece.

On steel I have worked in exactly the same way as I would in my sketch book, I have collaged enamel transfers for texture and background, scratched through white enamel to black to create the drawing, collaged gold leaf and sifted brown using stencils. I like the scruffy look to the drawing, is my sketch book work escaping...?

I am looking forward to a week long opportunity to draw and make collagraph plates as I am artist in residence from September 7th to 12th at Nature in Art, Twigworth. If you are in sunny Gloucestershire at all do come along for a chat...the cafe does great cake. For further details about this gem of a museum, www.nature-in-art.org.uk

GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

2010-08-31T03:15:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year, not quite the end of Summer or the beginning of Autumn. All sorts of plants are flowering and fruiting.
I have a small town garden, but big countryside garden ideas.

I am thrilled with what the garden has produced this year, although I am now sick of runner beans.

The great thing about gardening is that it is so forgiving, if it does not workout this year

there is always next year to have another go.

As usual this time of year I am planning what to plant for next year.

Winter salad has been sown and is sprouting already and I am looking out for garlic to plant soon.

This is the first year I have successfully grown tomatoes.

As I only have 2 artichokes I think I will leave these to flower and just eat the Jerusalem artichokes from another part of the garden.

And this year I will be taking these into the studio to keep them safe from the frost.

EYES RIGHT

2010-08-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of my life size collagraphs, the title is a homage to my eldest son who has an army scholarship and spent 3 weeks of his summer holiday doing officer training at Sandhurst.
Why am I telling you all this?
This morning I heard that it has been chosen for the Society of Wildlife Artists Exhibition on the 22 September to 2 October 2010, at the Mall Gallery, London.
Please don't think I am blowing a trumpet here, it is just that I enter these open exhibitions every now and then and more often than not I fail to get in...a similar image failed to get into Originals 09 at the Mall Gallery, also the RA Summer Show, is it luck...I think so, but if at first you don't succeed and all that. So get out your copy of AN or hit Google with Open Exhibitions and see what is out there to enter. Judges can't see our work when it's under the bed.

ESCALATING ENAMELLING

2010-08-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

I know, I can't seem to stop myself at the moment. I can fit these label shaped pieces of copper or steel, 4cm x 8.5cm into my kiln. It is a bit like working pages of my sketch book.
Layering, scraping back adding silver and gold leaf and then reworking.

These were directly inspired by my holiday in fossil filled Dorset.

The piece on the left started out as the piece of copper at the top of this post.

I am beginning to amass a body of enamelled work but I am still struggling with the one off nature of each piece. I can't quite shake off the printmaker in me. I think it is safe to say I am stirred by this technique...sorry!!

BESIDE THE SEA

2010-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

In Dorset to be precise. Rob and I have had a happy few days camping near Lyme Regis where I indulged my passion for interesting stones.
And stones are very interesting on the Jurassic coast. Full of fossils, like this star rock, each star is a cross section of a plant stalk.

But the thrill is finding fossils on the beaches, here are a few of our haul. Nearly every pebble has evidence of a former life.

I am particularly excited about this sea urchin pebble which found me. The more you don't look the more fossils you seem to find.

Inspired by seeing Ravens for the first time on a cliff walk, I came home and did some more drawing in my small sketch book.

Still experimenting and trying to let the ideas bubble up.

This corvid is carborundum with deeply etched copper plate printed together with the addition of red cotton to add a bit of movement. The etching is soft ground textures from fabric, am I in danger of including textile and stitch...?

But I can't seem to get the black bird out of my system quite yet!

SKETCH BOOK EXPERIMENTS

2010-07-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

I seem to be in the mood for developing some ideas, so with my A2 sketch book calling to me to fill some pages, I have been pre preparing them with emulsion paint and Quink ink.
More layers of ink and paint, combined with bleach and printed wall paper and images are emerging.

I am hoping to develop these crow drawings into a series of collagraphs.

Mean while back on planet enamel.

More experiments and more play, these pieces seem to need to be next to each other.

Both enamels started out like this. These two pieces of copper sat in ferric chloride for a day, unfortunately the label on the left came badly apart, but with a bit of ingenuity and a lot of luck I fused it together with the crow image to make the piece above.

It feels really good to be making work just for the enjoyment of making at the moment. It is so easy to loose that feeling. I heard a great radio program by Grayson Perry on Sunday, he works with the motto Creativity is Mistakes, so true.

ETCHING AND ENAMELLING EXPERIMENTS

2010-07-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last two days etching a set of soft ground copper plates very deeply in order to enamel them later.
I love the way the copper is eaten away by the ferric chloride

leaving me with a set of moth eaten labels in copper.

Before I start enamelling on them I have inked and printed them. This has given me a

a set of prints that have a textile feel to them as the soft ground faithfully reproduces the textures impressed into the plate.

Still working on the label idea I experimented further with enamel. Gold leaf, screen printed transfers and using watch parts as stencils.

These two pieces are the result of a days playing.

BURIED TREASURE 2010

2010-07-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

This post is from this time last year. I am re posting it as part of Seth Apter's Buried Treasure 2010 project to be found on his blog The Altered Page. He has asked folk to collaborate by re posting favourite past posts. I felt that it would be apt to post this one as a celebration of my blog being just over a year old now...Happy Blog Day to me.

Enjoy going back in time.

I have just spent a wet week in Bude, Cornwall with my husband Rob and son Toby. While they spent the days frolicing in the waves in wet siuts, I had an enjoyable time exploring rock pools and collecting stones.
I find seaside pebbles irresistable, the Bude coast line is edged with these gorgeous stones before the sand appears when the tide goes out.

The rocks on the edge of the beaches are covered in the deepest blue clusters of mussels

and although the orange fishing net is really rubbish it looks fabulous against the blue.

I knew I would have sometime left to my own devises so I cut up a larger sketch book to make this square format, 11 x 11cms and at the end of the week decorated the front with beach finds.

I managed 2 to 3 drawings a day, some on the beach, some inspired by the day.

I prepared pages with acrylic paint and wall paper before coming away,

and used collage to inspire some pages.

I am left with a personal reminder of a lovely holiday that is easier to look at than a set of photos.

PRINTMAKING PROGRESS

2010-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

My work is beginning to take on an independent life of it's own. Once made it needs to leave home...if you see what I mean?
Atonement (the pelican) has been accepted in the RBSA Print Biennial 2010. The exhibition opens on the 15th July to 21st August. For those of you who are printmaking fans the exhibition is a must. The gallery is round the corner from the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery which is also worth a visit as it has a fantastic collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Check out the RBSA web sight for details, www.rbsa.org.uk

These 2 crow images are appearing at Art in Action this year. I am delivering a collagraph workshop on the Saturday and the collagraphs are forming part of the teachers exhibition and one will be in the Nature in Art area.

Art in Action is this weekend 15th -18th July at Waterperry, Oxford. It is an incredible day out for lovers of art, there is every kind of art form being demonstrated and you get to meet makers face to face in action. Sharon Mc Swiney will be in the market place tent and I am running a couple of high speed collagraph workshops on the Saturday afternoon. Come and wave at me. For more details www.artinaction.org.uk

SKETCH BOOK EXPERIMENTS

2010-07-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my sketch book recently, I now need to do some solid playing to generate and consolidate a few new ideas. I start when I am feeling at my most lack lustre, not a creative thought in my head
and spend a day filling up pages with random wall paper and paint texture with a wash of ink for good measure.

I then start drawing incorporating and covering whatever the mood takes me. Having something already on the blank page helps hugely, I have never got over the blank page thing!!

Spending time working in this way gets me kick started again, this sketch book is a small 4inch square trifle and I now can't wait to do more pages. Who knows where it will lead?

ENAMELS

2010-06-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

More experimental enamels, yes it is beginning to look like , if it moves enamel it!!
These are cut down teaspoons and a butter knife together with the screen printed transfers

I made earlier in the term. I have also been playing with gold leaf which fires into the

surface of the enamel giving a delicious twinkle under the sifted colour.

COLLAGRAPHS

2010-06-20T12:37:00.001-07:00

As you can see I am still experimenting with tile cement and carborundom plates.
I have also tried to be a bit daring (for me) with the colour in these prints.

Simultaneous colour separation inking really shows up the textures in these plates.
I am really enjoying the little birds at the moment. I have had a family of sparrows come to visit my tiny town garden.
But I am really excited about this visitor, I believe it is a Garden Tiger Moth, please let me know if I have got that wrong.

I had three of these beauties flying just out of reach of Iris the cat this evening. A gorgeous flash of colour!

RESEARCH METHODS

2010-05-29T09:59:00.001-07:00

I have just finished my assignments for the Research Methods module of my MA course, everything has to be handed in next Thursday. To celebrate I have made a homage to the language of Research Methods.
This is a collection of enamel experiments put together as a collection of moths, genus Researchium Metholepidoptera. Inspired by the curious names moths have been given, collected here is the Large Heuristic, the Scarse Phenomenologist, the Artium Magister and of course the very rare Bloody Deadline. All a bit of fun, but will mean I will not loose my experiments or forget the new terminology I have had to learn.

COLLAGRAPH AND COLOUR SEPARATION

2010-05-23T10:45:00.001-07:00

This weekend at Hampen Factory I ran a class teaching collagraph plate making
using the two plate colour separation technique. Making plates with glue, textured wall paper

and Carborundum powder, a variety of images were made and printed.

It is a versatile way of working, plates can be printed singly

or layered together for interesting results.

It is fantastic what can be achieved using card, glue and a craft knife.