Drawing in the Lakes

So this weekend I sent a few days with my friend who came to visit me after she went on a short experimental drawing course. I took her up to my folks caravan and we got lost in the lakes for a few days drawing en plein air. It was fabulous I loved it I mean really loved it, it was so relaxing and I have not giggled or laughed so hard for a very very long time.

We ended up getting lost and found Torver Common after a few detours well I love this place so we stopped for lunch and well didn't get very far afterwards as it's where I drew 'For the love of trees' a number of years ago so its a place close to my heart. 

 It was all very experimental and about mark making with different tools and grounds. I ended up using a feather to draw with and so very new Derwent coloured charcoals which I fell in love with. 

I introduced twigs and sticks from the surrounding birch trees and bracken we were sat in. 

Playing with a palette knife too  

Drawing with feathers dipped in inks

Sorry I have only just realised these are upside down! bugger I will see what I can do to rectify this min the meantime here's the link to the online shop.

drawings in the shop  

Sorry its been a while

Well that's a month of intense working and sadness I don't want to repeat.

I think I'm just coming out of a flare up and with new meds for high blood pressure its been eventful. 

New work going to new homes 

Lord Montague Weasington Popgoes if off on his way to his new life down in Bristol 

 We have been working towards Open Studios which was yesterday which went well down at Higherford Mill.

 When my fingers are seizing up or joints causing a lot of pain (psoriatic arthritis) I try and work on something that doesn't stress them out too much which extraordinarily are these little things bird and hares etc in a soft stoneware. 

But as they eased I could get back to playing with my slab roller trying to work out how to combine the simplicity of the leaf prints but not loosing the drawing aspects of my slip cast work. I have combined them but and still developing the ideas to get a product I feel would be saleable, reasonable priced and keep me developing the porcelain side of my work which I feel such a strong bond. Do I stop it and concentrate on the animals and birds? I don't know that I am ready so I need to see how the wrists, joints and other things play out so here's the results. 

So onto the reason of throwing myself into the work.....well some may know others may not but we lost our Charlie Dog on the 18th April. And it hurts, a lot, I can't write more as I will start to cry again. It's too raw and fresh even now it lose such a character who captured your heart with those big brown eyes. We are sadder than a really sad thing but glad to have met him to one of his pack and to be loved by such a marvelous creature. I am signing off as I am crying again.... see I said to raw to soon and too beautiful a boy. Sleep well my lovely. 

New but old Work now on the website

Well it's taken me a while to get it going and making the work as I want it (I'm still being frustrated some days but we'll gloss over that). But I have now put the leaf print vases, my first ever product in my newish website shop.

 click here for link to the shop 

I know that sounds a bit bonkers so I'll try to explain.......Since Arthur(ritis) I had to stop rolling out clay as it would be excruciating for days after and I couldn't use my hands. So I bought a slabroller and tried everything to roll out the clay to as thin as I wanted before. With a few modifications I kind of gave up as it still took a lot of effort to turn the wheel and tighten stuff up its a strange thing until you have it its hard to explain. Despondent I just used the machine as a really expensive table lol and tried slip casting. But after that little interlude I have well I won't say mastered it but I have conquered the slabroller after some really lovely guys motorised it for me! I know wow! 

So I am hoping to build up some stock of the new old work and contact some galleries who maybe used to stock them and see if there is any call for them again. I was thinking I may give some a twist with different coloured leaf prints and maybe so a colour for the seasons? what do we think?

 For now though is anyone would like one click the link above. Or email me at info@juliemiles.co.uk and we can have a chat if you would like to stock them again

seams

detail of the wrap around seams

lavender print

Playing with colour - new jewellery

So a few months a go I was given a box of brightly coloured underglazes. Me yes me given some colours to play with. Well its not like I didn't have some colours but these were something else. Bright cheerful tubes of Apple green, Hi ho Silver and the like, all taunting me to use them.
So I did. I've been playing with colour.
 I know it may come as a shock it's not white but I am getting a bit more confident in using it and playing with it and making spots and the like and even glaze yes glaze. 

small dotty dots

small hearts

Now if I can just work out how to put a colour selection on my web shop then I will get them up there it maybe I have to clone the products so more photos will be taken this weekend and uploaded too.

small daisies

 Honestly I could be dangerous if I knew what I was doing with technology!

Colour! dotty dots

 These I love and have been painting more today with a few more colours.
There's no stopping me now. 

This last pic is of our family dog Charlie. He's not been well and well he is just too gorgeous to not share a pic of. The vets just say hes old but we are his 3rd home that we know of and he could be anywhere between 10 and 15 yrs old. Crossing fingers, paws and all things he is back to his normal self soon its always a worry when they are older but just look at him he's just adorable and almost always asleep these day xxx

Review of 2015 well a little one

So 2015 seems to have been a busy one with a few bumps along the way. It's been different. 

I started the year with the Bowland exhibition and the birds stonechats, lapwings and snipes. I will be carrying the thread on hoping to make more and with my gift membership to the RSPB for Christmas. I have had my slab roller motorised too so hopefully back on the slab built porcelain too.

I am loving the dog commissions I know I need practice so I am having a go at a few friends dogs in the new year too. It's all very exciting. 

So more bird, dogs, animals and porcelain and maybe better health and less accidents (currently waiting for my new phone to be delivered after the last one got run over!) It's never ever boring is it! 

Here's to a happy and healthy 2016 to all.