Author: helen sill @mycathasniceboots

Hello! isn’t it a buggar when life gets in the way! Been up in the North East for the last 5 days. Bit of a family emergency going on there, but let’s not dwell…am back and trying to get ready for Dublin tomorrow. Omg! Not ready at all! Have had to do a bit of a rethink and just go with the flow! Tickets money passport and off to the Emerald Isle.  Went to boots and did a bit of emergency maintenance.

 

 

Then into spec savers to try to make sure I can see whilst I’m there.

 

 

 

Am putting this photo in just so my children remember what I look like. Yes. Mum’s off galavanting again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately already done a bit of stitching, so got a few bits to sell to try to supplement income whilst there…so should manage more than cuppa soup and pot noodle! Might even manage a pint of Guinness!

 

 

 

 

Have got the cheapest flight going with no luggage allowance. Just praying that I can squeeze everything into the rucksack and make it look like am not carrying a handbag.  I’m sure this luggage allowance thing is all smoke and mirrors anyway ….or am I living in the past? Probably!

Thought for the day…..why are contemporary art galleries often full of crap? ie the Baltic (ps this a totally personal opinion but it’s mine and therefore valid! Anyone can not ‘get ‘my stuff too! But I do hope that it’s nice to look at.)  And why are lovely little quirky galleries sometimes over looked? SIDE gallery ….Confronteir…Kai Weidenhofer…..check it out if you’re in Newcastle.  Worth a butchers.

And ….just for the record there is no where on this Earth called NewcastleGaTeshead.  Mind you, looking at the lovely corporate website devoted to ‘NewcastleGateshead’ (and just be grateful Gateshead cos at least you keep a capital letter, even tho you’re tacked onto the end of Newcastle….) it does have a ‘strong track record of successful delivery’ so there you go, what do I know. Just for the record, I left 30 years ago and I will never call it NewcastleGateshead.  And, after a quick straw poll,  it appears that neither will anyone else from the North East.  See ya! X

 

 

I think. My head is still buzzing with everything that went on last week. But I think I finally get that it’s not a race. I am allowed to take my time and begin to form my work.  Really starting to think about what I want to to get from my fine art course at Chichester.  Drawing and a trying more techniques to get my drawing on to fabric.   I want to make books and pictures and draw and write in them. I want to get better at how I do this. I want the space to do it in.

Lots of head chatter on the drive to Chichester this morning.  Asked lots of questions when I got there.  Another great artist’ talk …Paul Westercombe. Amazing drawings and paintings. Great story. Had tutorial with him which has made me want to keep going.  These photos don’t do the drawings justice.  Would love to see them for real.  Exhibition coming up in Newcastle. ( think it’s probably Gateshead the Baltic).

Right can’t work out how to insert the pictures above so going to need another post!  Bye….

anyone who recognises this as a song lyric is way over 37 and a big bit. I have been packed since Sunday (honest) but left the last bit of bubble wrap till this morning, at 6am, well I was up anyway. This was what my packing looks like in my head….

This photograph is probably more representative of what car will look like leaving Hampshire this morning…10 boxes and counting.

and a rather large plinth. Than goodness for beautiful mad Canadians who are happy to attempt to cram it into the back of spanking new audis. And act as a taxi service.  Most important stitching last night? Check out those rather expertly attached badges..=I

 

I do it all in the name of art.

well have started to box up ….goodness me didn’t think it would take this long….

Doesn’t that plinth look good…think I might have to keep it in my garden!  Would be preferable to lugging all the flipping boxes I have amassed in my hall, back room, kitchen, car boot, every available surface… Am looking at market stall holders in a totally new light…..would everyone just like to come to my house instead? I am a great host and have perfected  my coffee and walnut cake thanks to Mathew  Harris..see blog no 6 I think! That seems like a very long time no time ago!

N.B. when I was packing up my books for display I came across the old note book  that I started when I moved to Petersfield. In it was the telephone number of a lady called Chris Harris who was pivotal in me starting all this stitch malarky,and..she didn’t remember me! We had a lovely chat though!  I really do owe her everything as it was her pep talk on the embroiders guild that set me off in the road I am on today!  Before I met Chris I had never heard of perle or the embroiderers guild or city and guilds.

 

 

Am ready to JUMP again…………