Man in a Wall

 

So this week or so I have been working on a brick commission for some interior designers working on a new Wetherspoons in Dorset.

The piece is based on a Man in a Wall so I am using standard brick facings but 330mm deep in a red Ibstock brick.

 

Planning and designing for the first carving looking at varying depths for each plane or section.

starting to smooth surfaces to differenciate the planes and section.

 
once I was happy with it I sent the pics to the commissiones who wants it to look more abstract.

so we coloured some of the surfaces and receded varing bricks to break up the surface. These can be accentuated when it is brick laid into the wall.

Art Market Meets Nostalgia

It's been a busy few weeks with two weekend shows and work sent to galleries for Christmas. The first show was the Art Market at Holmfirth which was really good for my birdhouses and porcelain snowflakes.

Stand at the Art Market

Birdhouses, more can be seen at the Artroom Gallery, Garstang Christmas Exhibition

The second show was Nostalgia Meets Design in Penrith which again was a good show, this time for my small 'flock' dishes and nostalgic maps and photos of the lakes vases.

Stand at NmD

There was also a night do with Nostalgia meets Design with three different bands on so I may of let my hair down with a few other makers and we indulged in a cocktail or two....

Priscilla Jones and her cocktails

And if you haven't seen it yet the Platform Gallery has put my image into this months Crafts magazine to promote their Christmas show and I have had a couple of phone calls already even from such a small picture so all good stuff. If you want to take a look, 'flock' are featuring in both the Platform Gallery in Clitheroe and the Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge Christmas Exhibitions so please go and have a peek there are some lovely christmas present ideas in both shows.

Prep for the Art Market and Nostalgia meets Design

So the first one is Sunday so if you are anywhere near Holmfirth there is an amazing collection of contemporary makers displaying their wares at the Market Hall on the main street through the town.

http://www.artmarkets.co.uk/

Then the week after is the fab Nostalgia Meets Design up at the George Hotel in Penrith town centre you might even get a glimpse of me in some vintage gear!

http://www.gwenbceramics.co.uk/GBC/Nostalgia_Meets_Design_2011.html
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nostalgia-Meets-Design/103276353054252

There maybe some of the classic Christmas snowflakes on display along side my new work playing with my granddads button jar and my nans sewing box we shall see.

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 ;-)