Vanaheim

Another busy week…but in a good way.I'm in the middle of a watercolour- based mixed media phase at the moment.The Winter Olympic Games from Sochi are quite a distraction but inspirational .Having a TV in my studio/dining room means I can follow the action in between adding layers…..  

I'm using Arches 300 gsm paper on which I'll do un underdrawing followed by light washes of watercolour paint.Gradually I add layers of watercolour then gouache and finally acrylic ink to achieve the depth to my work .
It can be a long process as I wait for layers to dry before starting again. It allows me to look at the work and work out was is required in the next application.
Finally I'll use pencil and fine pen to draw the tiny lines-this can also take hours but again,is quite therapeutic.To finish off I add tiny slivers of gold or silver leaf which adds a final highlight to the piece.

Working this way can be quite a challenge…sometimes I think I've lost it …only to leave it,come back to it and it works out well.It can be difficult to know when a piece is finished.I tend to stop quite early on before tentatively adding bits here and there.

I've also been experimenting with new colour palettes. It's easy to become stuck in a rut however experimenting with colours in sketchbooks avoids paper wastage….and keeping ideas in mind for the next piece.

This is 'Vanaheim',50 x 30 cm, watercolour mixed media…..photographed before the gold leaf was applied.New colour palette and new techniques which I'm quite excited about.

After discussions on Facebook with a fellow artist,I've decided my next challenge will be to go big.The lady in question thought my work was large from the images she could see so we'll just have to see what happens next…...

A Time to Keep…..

I had thought that I would have a relatively quiet start to the year.How wrong I was! My first solo exhibition opened at the Mustard Gallery in Langholm on 18 th January. I was hoping for positive feedback and was grateful for the opportunity of getting my work 'out there'.The opening Saturday saw two sales…..

'A Time to Keep'

'Threads'

'A Time to Keep' and 'Threads' have both found new homes.Quite overwhelming really….and the positive feedback about the exhibition has been rewarding. It makes it feel that all the work has been worthwhile.

In the meantime I've had a couple of deadlines to meet with regards to submitting images for marketing for the Biscuit Factory ( April10-May 18)and Spring Fling for the exhibition in Gracefield prior to the Spring Fling weekend.

I was also invited to join The Yellow Door- an artists collective which has so far had a couple of successful pop-up exhibitions in an old building brought back from dereliction by Luke Moloney…..really exciting prospects in store.

A phone call from a fellow artist has started something which I am really excited about -a collaborative project…but it's very early days and I'm keeping it under wraps until we have more specific plans in place.

Yesterday saw me taking some new box- works to the Mustard Gallery  at Langholm. I really enjoyed making the miniature book and am very pleased with the outcome...

'The Weave of Time' is set in a pine boxed frame and measures 15 x 15cm. The title is taken from work by George Mackay Brown,the celebrated Orkney author and poet…...

     

Yggdrasil

Tomorrow sees the opening of my first solo exhibition at the  Mustard Gallery,Langholm. Entitled 'Yggdrasil',the body of work is inspired by my trip to the Orkney Islands and Norse mythology.
The latest piece that I completed is called 'A Time to Keep'-named after a book by George Mackay Brown,the Islands best known author and poet.

This is a detail of the scrolls -using paper,mod-roc,thread,acrylic ink and paint on a background of mod-roc,hessian and handmade paper……

On the right-hand side is my artistic interpretation of a Norse calendar stick. It's based on a long brown stick spotted in Skaill House-adjacent to Skara Brae .It was carved with runes and symbols indicating the annual festivals.

The background is again mod-roc with fragments of burnt paper symbolic of the rise of Christianity and the demise of the old beliefs in the 11th century.

'A Time to Keep'

Boxwork

36 x 36cm

Mixed media

Tomorrow I'll be at the gallery from 10am to discuss and demonstrate my work-something I'm really looking forward to.

Righto,off to finish packing my bags…..

Cut the Mustard Gallery

52 High St

Langholm

DG13 0JH

mustardgallery@gmail.com

013873 81180

Back in the studio….

Fingers crossed we're all back to good health,antibiotics finished, children  back to school,back into routine and finally  back into the studio.

My first solo exhibition at the Mustard Gallery ,Langholm opens on Saturday 18th January until 25th February.I'm therefore in the process of recording images ,dimensions,materials and carefully wrapping work to take over on Tuesday.I'll be at the gallery on Saturday  to demonstrate my work-something I'm really looking forward to.

I've also been completing some new works which have established themselves over a period of time.I'm pleased with the outcome-especially as they are a new venture for me.

I haven't put a title to them yet.They are a series of three box- works with materials including Egyptian paste ,shell,slate,burnt paper, hessian,handmade paper,watercolour,acrylic ink,silver leaf,sand and mod-roc.

Each frame measures approximately 18cm x 18cm.They have the depth which allows the layers of materials to be built up.

The photographs don't really do justice to the colours,layers and textures.

I'm also completing a larger piece that includes the small scrolls I made earlier -crumbs,July 2013!That however,will be my next blog…….x

A new year

 The end of a year and start  of a new one is always time for reflection -on what has passed and what the new year will hold.It has been another roller coaster year for us and the start of 2014 is going to be difficult as we deal with impending loss.We are fortunate to have so many family and good friends who have stood with us through the good times and bad.

I don't really make any resolutions  but I'll endeavour to have more of the following ….

And instead of thinking about things for the year ahead,I think this is more apt ...

We have a number of positive things to look forward to both from a personal point of view and in my creative world.Sometimes though ,it's just the simple things that bring me the most pleasure…today was a walk and the sun came out……

may it shine brightly through your new year too……

Peace,health and happiness to you all….x

Baking and The Biscuit….x

Another busy week and only one week until the children finish school for the Christmas holidays.
I'm currently putting work together for my exhibition at the Mustard Gallery,Langholm which starts on the 18th January,2014 until 25th February.I'll be at the gallery on the opening Saturday to demonstrate my watercolour -based mixed media.Hope the weather holds off!

Spring Fling have also announced the 95 selected participants for next year's event 24-26 May.I'm delighted to say that I'll be participating and exhibiting from my home /studio in Dumfries. Bea has already been practicing her baking for Bea's Bakery -yesterday was home-made mince pies and orange & chocolate scones.Absolutely delicious!

Spring Fling have a number of exciting events arranged for next year .The website is www.spring-fling.co.uk where you can check everything out. As part of their Going National campaign,  I was  delighted to find out that I've been selected to exhibit at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.The exhibition runs from 9th April to 18th May.This will be my first time exhibiting outside of Dumfries and Galloway-very excited!

The work selected to go into the Spring Fling brochure for 2014 is this one…..

Last week I purchased an anglepoise desk lamp with a daylight bulb.I can actually see what I'm doing now through these twilight days-result! 

  

December 1st!

Apologies that it has been so long since my last post but life and it's priorities often get in the way of my art.It can be frustrating however a tragedy such as the Glasgow disaster on Friday night whereby a police helicopter not only fell out of the sky but landed on a crowded pub certainly helps put things in perspective.

Back in the art world I have exciting news to tell followed by more exciting news…however my lips are sealed for the time being as requested by those involved.In the meantime I'm fortunate to be selecting work to go in the rather wonderful Mustard Gallery at Langholm's Christmas pop-up exhibition next weekend (6-8 December).I'm selecting 3 larger pieces -2 of which have gone off to the framer's.

This piece is entitled'Threads'-the photo above is of it in its unfinished state but as it is at the framer's I couldn't update it. I used gesso,sand and modelling paste to build the 'threads' then used a printing roller to build layers of colour with acrylic paint. Acrylic ink was then used on the textured areas before adding highlights of silver leaf.The canvas is 20 x 60 cm and a departure from the square canvases I had been using.The threads relate to the Three Norns who sit and weave  the destiny of men. I wanted an element of fragility  within the texture to represent  our own lives,  life cycle and how our threads intertwine with so many others.

I'll blog again soon with Part 2 of my work but have a wonderful December…can't quite work out how that crept up so quickly…...