Welcome to my new blog, I initially started back in 2014 writing about my embroidery, book mking and printing, and have continued to regualry document my exploits ever since, so make sure you bookmark the page.
What to Do? – 27th July 2020
I am pleased with the print that resulted from my last plate, which featured in my last blog. All those edges that needed to be clean can be difficult but, I am now putting the ink on with an old artists paintbrush and it’s working well. As with many of my plates I cut them… Continue reading What to Do? – 27th July 2020
Following On – 13th July 2020
It has been quiet, the days have been steady and somewhat predictable. There has been little art because I have been painting walls and wood work and digging in the garden. Not exciting but essential and I’m a practical sort of girl!! I did complete the book this book, it’s part of the Collections series… Continue reading Following On – 13th July 2020
What Plan? – 29th June 2020
After several attempts at ‘Half a Yard of Memories IV’ I decided that I was trying too hard, I was fiddling and rearranging the design I had worked from samples of C18th whitework embroidery and although I had started to construct a plate I wasn’t happy so I just let it go. There has to… Continue reading What Plan? – 29th June 2020
Trying Too Hard? – 15th June 2020
Twelve weeks ago when it seemed that everything had taken a jump into an unknown and insecure world I like many people found it difficult to rebalance and creativity had taken a jolt, I had this idea of ‘Half Yards of Memories’ memories seemed to be an important part of everyday life and half a… Continue reading Trying Too Hard? – 15th June 2020
There are more Memories – 1st June 2020
From the last two half yard prints I have found my way back into a creative frame of mind and developed a third which became quite complicated and it was certainly a challenge. Cutting the grey board plate took several attempts as it is hard going, one slip and there is a problem! The image… Continue reading There are more Memories – 1st June 2020
More Half Yards – 18th May 2020
Currently I’m taking the view that any time spent in the studio is good and constructive, my mind is thinking and so far there is very little displacement therapy! My ideas exploring the theme of memories are progressing, see above for my second print. Whilst it’s a theme often explored it seems particularly pertinent at… Continue reading More Half Yards – 18th May 2020
Half a Yard of Memories – 4th May 2020
Here we are several weeks into lockdown, will I remember how to drive the car? Lots of walking and gardening and I’m pleased to say that being in the studio has become part of my day and each day I spend some time there, taking small steps. My current plate, “Half a yard of Memories”… Continue reading Half a Yard of Memories – 4th May 2020
Small Beginnings – 20th April 2020
Like many people in these difficult times I am finding it hard to settle, weeding the garden is fine, not too taxing, but to follow a constructive path has been challenging. I decided to paint some papers I set it all out I was taken by my mixing trays and was pulled back… Continue reading Small Beginnings – 20th April 2020
Finishing and Completing – 6th April 2020
I still haven’t been able to settle and I think that this is the case for many people. We are all affected by the events throughout the world and on our doorsteps, so all I can do is my best and be kind to everybody. New ideas and themes have passed through my brain, but… Continue reading Finishing and Completing – 6th April 2020
Slow Progress – 19th March 2020
The difficult and challenging times that we are all living at the moment can frequently invade our thoughts and it seems to me to be important to enjoy being distracted and think about other things so that we can more cheerfully cope on a day to day basis. My printing and bookmaking have been slow… Continue reading Slow Progress – 19th March 2020
Practicalities – 27th February 2020
Now that the euphoria of being selected for Printfest and Turn the Page has slightly ebbed there are practical things to be dealt with and the last couple of weeks has seen me concentrate upon books that are to be placed into frames to be hung on the wall and my stationary and packaging. I… Continue reading Practicalities – 27th February 2020
Interesting Times – 10th February 2020
I am still pursuing ideas around frayed edges and unpicked seams and I hope extending my printing practice. Above the curved edge of the print, which is 30cm long I have embossed three lines of thread, not sure as I’m typing this whether they will show up. When it’s dry I will stitch a blank… Continue reading Interesting Times – 10th February 2020
The Past is always Present – 23rd January 2020
Over the last couple of months I have been exploring, along with ‘Unpicked Seams’ the theme of ‘The Past is always Present’ and I have now completed two editions of 2 and 3 books. I began with a piece of Indian embroidered silk which had been imported into England in about the year 1620, this… Continue reading The Past is always Present – 23rd January 2020
Bringing it all together – 7th January 2020
The prints that I began back in November, see ‘Picking up the Threads’ November 25th were dry enough to begin folding and making into books. As the plates were somewhat complicated with one having open spaces flowing out of the 6cm body of the plate and the other having punched holes off the top and… Continue reading Bringing it all together – 7th January 2020
Up and Running – December 26th 2019
I have missed posting my blog over the past few weeks whilst some technical problems have been sorted out. Writing the blog gives me the opportunity to gather and sort out ideas and the formalising of those thoughts into text is, I feel a worthwhile discipline. I have taken several prints from the plate featured… Continue reading Up and Running – December 26th 2019
Picking up the threads – 25th November 2019
The past few weeks have been somewhat disjointed, there have been trips away, a rotten cold that lingered and the tidying up the garden for the winter. I often say to people that i garden in the summer and print and make books in the winter. It isn’t quite lake that but I’m sure that… Continue reading Picking up the threads – 25th November 2019
One step forward, one step back – 4th November 2019
We have been having some technical problems with the images on my blog, so I’m posting this one with text only and hopefully by the next time ……. I’m not really one for quotes but this one popped up on Pinterest, (where there are studio images of all my books) – “These are not grey… Continue reading One step forward, one step back – 4th November 2019
Gallivanting Again – 14th October 2019
We have just had a trip to Tuscany – I can just about still feel the warmth on my back and it is easy to recall all those olive trees and lines of vines, the views were splendid and there was some art – this is Leonardo da Vinci’s shell notebook. Before and after the… Continue reading Gallivanting Again – 14th October 2019
Completing and Finishing – 23rd September 2019
I know that I frequently mention process, and here in days of peace and routine I have been photographing each stage of the two books that I have been working with, both inspired by the idea of ‘ A Collection’ So this post follows on from the last, which can be accessed from here. The… Continue reading Completing and Finishing – 23rd September 2019
So, where have I got to? – 8th September 2019
I found that the momentum that i had gathered from the printing of the 215 small ‘blind’ prints stayed with me and I was able to have several shortish periods in the studio furthering ideas. I find that sometimes the final design of a book wafts in front of my eyes and I then have… Continue reading So, where have I got to? – 8th September 2019
That ‘End of Term’ Feeling – 26th August 2019
It’s been two weeks since Art in the Pen, all my work is packed away and the studio is tidy. It is summer (either too wet or too hot!) and there are few pressures on my time, so what art work I have done has been gently undertaken. There are no events in the diary,… Continue reading That ‘End of Term’ Feeling – 26th August 2019
Conversations – 12th August 2019
My time has been taken up with planning and preparing for Art in the Pen in Skipton Auction Mart. There are 200 pens, decorated as mini galleries and the place is alive with jolly noise and lots of visitors. Of course all the artists also manage to catch up with other exhibitors and it is… Continue reading Conversations – 12th August 2019
Meanderings – 31st July 2019
The process of giving thought to my latest idea – ‘Stories from the Collection’ is ongoing and in many ways it continues the pattern of previous themes and bodies of work. Along side the thoughts a lot of stuff is written down and those jottings are written again more formally to hopefully make a little… Continue reading Meanderings – 31st July 2019
Process and Completion – 15th July 2019
This last two weeks has seen me not doing too much in the studio – I have been playing about with mock up books and the idea that the ‘Collection’ of printing plates has become the essence of current work rather than the antique fragments of cloth. I shall have to see where that leads… Continue reading Process and Completion – 15th July 2019
An Event – 1st July 2019
Yesterday saw me taking part in ‘Crafted by Hand’ in Masham, the market town at the eastern end of Wensleydale. It’s held in the lovely town hall and about 40 artists take part. I have had the privilege of taking part for several years now and it’s always most enjoyable. The organisers undertake an enormous… Continue reading An Event – 1st July 2019
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