Halloweeen in Barrowford

Well I am not too hot on the fancy dress but as I was dying my hair this afternoon I thought why not and put a white streak through it with watercolour crossing fingers it doesn't rain and here we are! Lily Munster! Honest!

Oh well there were better ones by the more experienced! There were more but I had put the camera away by then Helens was very scary!

pinhead

cat woman

freddy kruger

cat in the hat

Matt being scary!

Reb O Ishii from Kill Bill

Autumn tour of Scotland

Well what a lovely week off it was touring the western edge of Scotland with its Autumnal colours and an inspirational trip to Skye. Visiting the Handspinner having fun on the harbour at Broadford and maybe purchasing some blue faced leicester wool.

We saw some amazing colours across the landscape and sky resulting in getting my watercolours out whilst there so hoping to produce some new paintings in the next few weeks.

We spotted some wildlife too starting with a stag that crossed our path on the road to Poolewe, Wester Ross but of course the camera was not being kind and I missed the shot of him right in front of us on the road!

white tailed eagle

what we thought was an otter but on closer inspection.....

Birch, my favourite tree

Autumn colours

Tullie cove

Picture taken from the balcony of our room, Poolewe, Wester Ross.

C-Art Fair, Devonshire Arcade, Penrith

So this rainy weekend I spent up in Cumbria with my lovely friend Gwen exhibiting as a precursor to Nostalgia Meets Design in November. On Saturday we went to see her new studio space at Brougham Hall it's looking good so far and I can't wait to see it all finished it is an exciting time for Gwen. I would like to wish her luck with it all. We spent the evening at an event to raise money for Breast Cancer awareness in our cocktail dresses it was fab to go out soo dressed up but strangely felt out of place after in a nightclub! Well you don't normally get to wear evening wear for a night out in Penrith so we thought we should make the effort! No pics I am sad to say but it was a fun night out with a few surprises and naked men I shall say no more but to say we were very well behaved.

Unfortunately the week before the show my kiln is out of action so my lovely new work using my granddads button jar and my nans sewing box as inspiration was not on show still waiting for that all important firing! So I redesigned my stand again with new fabric and plinths hopefully to display work more successfully. Take a look as opinions and constructive criticism are welcomed.

The event was very busy with a selection of Nostalgia stands advertising the event at the George Hotel  with live bands there too to add to the atmosphere. A great day was had by all.

Advert for the Heebie Gee Bees who will give you a vintage make over at NmD.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nostalgia-Meets-Design/103276353054252

Creative Style stand run by Maggie my course leader on my Degree at Cumbria

I thought I would make the effort and was dressed by my stylist Joejoe Hesketh in full on 1940s hat handbag and crochets gloves.

Gwen Bainbridge

looking good, Gwen Bainbridge jewellery 

As it was an Eden Arts event it would of been wrong to not make a pompom sheep for their fantastic 'Flock' a public arts project promoting the wool industry http://www.edenarts.co.uk/flock/ mine was a little scruffy but Sarah who came to see us at the show made a really lovely one and will be sending pics of it on its travels will keep you posted when she does.

And it would be very wrong not to post a pic wouldn't it so here it is! It was lovely to see my snooty fox friend Dylan who was looking as snooty as ever bless him sat between his to besties Gwen and Simon. Ooops I seemed to have missed them off ;-)

a trip to the British Ceramic Biennial

Well today was a clay gathering day for the onslaught of one day shows on the run up to Christmas the first starts on Sunday at the Devonshire Arcade in Penrith 11am - 3pm as a run up to Nostalgia Meets Design in November with some new work which is sat waiting for firing whilst I update you on the lovely exhibition I saw this afternoon. Well as I was in Stoke or more precisely Basford after visiting Potclays, Potterycrafts and Valentines I received a call from David Smith who had read a rave review of the newly opened Ceramic Biennial exhibition 'AWARD' at The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. Well with such a recommendation I though I might as well.

Merete Rasmussen

Merete Rasmussen

Ken Eastman

Ken Eastman

Katharine Morling

Katharine Morling

Robert Cooper

 And look who we spied as we walked around the permanent collection f the museums contemporary ceramic collection but Dylans mum oh alright Gwen Bainbridge and her lovely LizzyBet collection of jugs.

Great Marsden St John's Church of England Primary School Mosaics

So this is the first school project of the new term and we looked at what would help make it into an attractive Eco School. Working with Year 4, 5 and 6 from Great Marsden St John's Church of England Primary School where we looked at wildlife they would like to attract to the school grounds. There is a lot of building work going on but with this project the school wanted the pupils to be involved in all the processes involved in designing and creating the new art work for the school entrance railings. Here we can see my dad learning to use a jigsaw to cut out the exterior ply shapes as I was out of action with cellulitis in my forearm and rendered useless in my jigsaw skills. My dad was rather proud of himeself as he had never used one before.

the children looked at photos to help them draw some of the birds and animals they wanted to see more of in the school grounds

large hare

butterfly being grouted by Year 5s

 Today whilst the sun was shining I installed the mosaics on the railings leading to the school just in time for the children to see them on their way out at home time. Everyone seemed really pleased with the results they just need a final polish now in situ so that's tomorrows job for the children involved.