Embroiderers guild – helen sill

Mar 26, 2018

Magnificent 7

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Well it’s been seven months since I started my masters and the months have been rather magnificent also I wanted to write this blog mainkly about wahts been happneingin the last magnificent 7 days……..

Had some great speakers this term one who stands out is Philippa Lawrence. Principal Lecturer on the BA (hons) Artist, Designer: Maker course at Cardiff School of Art & Design. Wonderful work on a grand scale… definately worth a look…she’s got an exhibition coming up at Hestecombe House in Somerset..not sure when! Her work is currently on show at Ruthin Crafts Centre- A Darker Thread, 3rd February – 8th April 2018. I was lucky enough to have a tutorial with her which was extremely helpful. Her trees are amazing but shes about much more….. Image result for philippa lawrence

Also did a great workshop with Amanda Cobbett AKA the mushroom lady. Yes they are fabric!!Check out her website Anyway I made this little beauty…. she showed us how to make the body and I didn’t see the point of making something realistic. She does it so well so I went for more is more…..

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The body is a perfect scale replica of a Greenfinch…honest!!!

Love the technique and would like to adapt it to make more 3d objects….

I’ve been working on developing another body of work and am trying to push into 3d….. lots of potential here and I need to keep making and drawing…my sketch book is coming along nicely.. I do love drawing… I need to be more regimented about how often I am drawing though. Every day would be pure luxury. I’ve been making some more books too….

I also attended a conference for Hampshire Art Teachers at Southampton Art https://www.southamptoncityartgallery.com Gallery … as one of the speakers I was talking about my experience as an artist and a teacher as well as the Campaign for Creativity and the Embroiderers Guild’s World’s Longest Embroidery for Schools. I also managed to display my work in the gallery and do two great workshops…busy day but great!!! The first workshop was with Kwame from African Activities. An amazing company which does a wealth of different African themed workshops ….look at the website…its mind boggling what they offer! We did printing on to cloth…strangely I loved this!!! Great fun… loved the stories behind all the symbolism of the Ghanaian stamps we were using on simple cloth…especially loved the way Kwame ‘read’ our cloths once printed and made them into a life story…brilliant.

The next one was with Vanessa Stone a paper artist. Great activity based using papers to make designs inspired by the the current exhibiton Roger Mayne and St. Ives: A Defining Moment Currently at Southampton Art Gallery 13 Jan 2018 – 12 May 2018

We worked in the gallery next to the exhibition which was a real privilege…. I’ll definitely taking mine on and turning it into something textile…as well as exploring with children in workshops at school.

I am also in the process of co-ordinating an installation for Art Shop 2018 in Petersfield and am working with a group of year 6 children who will be installing work at One Tree Books in Petersfield from in April 2018. Lots of shops in around Lavant Street taking part. Look out for the work!

Then I spent a day tappy lapping from the Tate Britain to Tate Modern. The What makes us Human. Wonderful – as well as fantastic work by Bacon and Freud and Kossof. I particularly liked DE Souza…ahdnt seen his work before. I need to look at more…. and I time spent wandering around the permanent collection. Lots of new artists to research!!! Need more time!!!!

Next on to Matisse and Picasso at the Tate Modern. Loved the virtual reality experience in the Matisse. I can now say I’ve been to his studio in Paris circa 1915…FAB. And then one of my favourite artists Picasso. I know I shouldn’t like him because he was such a misogynist BUT……I love his work…. fantastic…amazing show. Made me think about the definite advantages of working with one image and doing it again and again in different ways. Loved it. Selfish narcissistic, ……,,hmmm……

Looking forward to another trip to the Tate and the Walker next week when I head off to Liverpool for half term.

When I return I’ll be running a workshop at the Taste of Textiles Day on Saturday 14th April at LisS in Stitches at the Community Centre in Liss. I will be teaching a workshop on the wonderful art of Kantha Stitching……come along any try a stitch taster for just £5..an absolute bargain…lots of different things to try.

Rights off to do more printing… I’ve just re-kindled a love for monoprinting.. and painting…….and I spent yesterday clearing my studio out…it’s a joy to behold!

As always it’s a bit of a balancing act trying to keep all the plates spinning while continuing to develop my art practice.. but it is a joy.. I am just re-looking at one of my chairs which I have decided I need to sell to make room for more……..ART! Fingers crossed and hope to see you at Taste of Textiles day Saturday 14th April 10 til 4pm

Speak soon

Aug 21, 2016Oct 19, 2016

A cow, a cow my kingdom for a cow!!

well too many flipping days since my last blog and I’m definitely starting to get confused over where I’m putting stuff a the moment as I gear up for Open Studios – I am exhibiting at the Physic Garden in Petersfield from Thursday this week..10 30 til 5pm ..do drop in…. I am also exhibiting at Christine Watkins Art House in Romsey….I shan’t be exhibiting at Owselbury this year as I’m spreading my self a bit thin! The Room6’ers will still be there tho and it’ll be great..have a good one ladies!

So why so long since my last blog? I hear you ask..or not as the case may be..well there are a number of reasons, and I’m writing them here whether you are interested or not…because I can….I keep having this internal conversation with myself..why blog?//..the thirteen year old going on 30 year old (ttyogotyo) tells me I should just instagram????* any way I have decided I blog really for myself as its good to get a handle on where I am..so sorry I am going to keep doing it…(*and I am instagramming as

mycathasniceboots now …I’ve a bet with ttyogotyo that she gets a share in my profits if she gets me 600 followers by Christmas…evidently there’s a method…all double dutch to me but hey I’ll try anything) ….I haven’t broken it to her that as I’m not Hemsley and Hemsley or Zoella there is no profit in it..but hopefully she wont read this…????well she will but whether she admits to it or not is another matter) the other reason I stopped was it was my birthday…..39 again…whoohoo..so I was busy…spent a great day at Art in Action….. there was also a flurry of activity when I tried to get a life size cow made …( hence the title of this blog)…. don’t ask..suffice to say it all got too awkward and mired in raising money.. not my strength…so I gave up on that lark and went to Glastonbury and Camp Bestival instead with glasto girl (Bananarama were cr** and always have been – they should have stayed with fun boy three..Turin Brakes were a completely different matter however……..)……also did a lovely work shop with the ladies at Droxford Textiles group…..they are doing open studios too next weekend too…pop by and see them..details in the Hampshire Open Studios booklet….to complicate things even further.and contribute to bloglessness.. in my search for studio space we decided to sell up and move but after selling and then losing our dream house with studio.. (yes flippin flippin heck!!1). we decided it was better to stay put and try and create more space in the space we already have…watch this space……space space..aaargh

…then there was rather a large amount of time spent writing materials for the Embroiderers’ Guild connected to the Worlds Longest Embroidery for Schools..look out for it in the autumn and please get schools involved..it will be great…….

……and there you have all my excuses…by the way… .I do realise I am just talking to myself now..this blog is about naval gazing after all….the next bit’s more interesting honest…if you;ve hung on in therr it wil lbe worth it….nice pictures to follow, anyway there are all my excuses and I do feel vindicated

Feel I’ve been neglecting my drawing and creativity so was good to get away to Cornwall for a week….

..arriving in St Ives in style…don’t ask….stitching and dinner out..when you have children….yes you are extremely happy with a plastic cup of wine and half a cheese and onion pasty….fine dining is so over rated!….who needs the Wolseley…

the mad canadian does……hello are you reading me in Canadia?

I digress….stayed in a cottage overlooking Barbara Hepworth’s garden which was definitely good for the soul and did a great Tate Walk ..as the Tate is closed .they’ve got loads of stuff going on..I had a great week….. also worked on Viyella bodies…yes the ladies are still there…..

saw some fab exhibitions in st ives.. .Arthur Lanyon..getting the household paint out as we speak!!!..one of the best exhibitions I’ve seen in ages..the images don’t do the paintings any justice they really were fabulous…really inspiring and very tactile…

also saw great work by Terry Frost, Tony Shiels. and Bryan Pearce…...

aren’t these lovely?..There was a lot of rubbish too…

So that’s it, my edited highlights for the the last month and a bit and I think I’m back to the present and I’ve caught up with myself….

Just been to drop off some stuff at Petersfield Arts and Craft Annual Exhibition this morning and tomorrow I will be mounting some limited edition prints I’ve had done..my latest money making scheme.. or not……hmmm

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PS I have called them Mighty Chondria..thanks for that one Annabel!! BTW tell your daughter Nathan threw a pot on a wheel in St Ives and he’s a natural!

PPS If my car holds up I’ll come and see you at Open Studios this week Sarah..sorry this is a bit of a jumble but I just decided I need to get it written and posted..once you fall off the horse its hard to get back on if you leave it a while…x.

May 13, 2016Oct 19, 2016

It’s my Turn(er)

The Turner prize winners 2015 have nothing whatsoever to do with this blog..but it is my ‘turn’, well the last seven years have been..been thinking a lot recently about what I’ve been doing with regard to art and embroidery in the last seven years… the reason this train of thought started was that i needed to give a presentation to the Embroiderers’ Guild AGM last weekend about my scholar year …more of which later..anyway thinking about what I’ve done in the last seven years and I really do believe that getting the EG scholarship was my Turner so hey…..my golden ticket …(see my very first blog!)

and what a fab time I’ve had since Brock…… bit pooped tho. Arrived home in the evening to find a house full of people around celebrating the now teenager going on thirty year olds’ 13th birthday, him in doors hadn’t really thought much past ‘ sausages and chips for the kids’ (ooh we’re classy!) so needed to whizz to Tesco express to buy nibbles and drinks,ho hum good job I’m creative! Just would rather not be that sort of creative too often! Went to the Shard the following week and sat and did some drawing up there ..and more when back on the ground…

these are really easy..go on google views of london and see what you come up with. Kids love this and so do I!

The view is fab made me think of great work by ‘paint the town’…lovely skylines..Ann is coming to do a workshop at Liss in StitcheS week after next and I’m her slave for the day.

Anyway back to the shard…. most proud of the fact that I got past the heavy security with my trainers on..evidently there’s a’ dress code’… being foolish enough to pay a tenner for a g and t should be the perfect criteria for admittance in my book but there you go…. i reckon my dangly earrings, lairy coat and too many rings swung it for me….well that along with the mad artist ethereal smile..some nice art work upthere too..cut outs…..last time I was turned away from some where for wearing trainers was the Fridge in Brixton circa 1987.. oh and Tiger Tiger, Leicester Square in the 90’s but hey who wants to go there anyway! Any hoo the reason I’m prattling on about this stuff is because I’m hoping it’s all fodder for future art works… ‘the stuff that is around you influences you on a daily basis and I think its interesting how one incident sparks a memory that sparks another and so on’..all part of the creative process..well that’s what you hope anyway.. need to stay focused enough to make something now..and not keep wandering off at a tangent as is my want….got another meeting for the Heath project coming up that’s one thing to keep me focused…and open studios….more of which later….

now any one can draw this..go on you know you want to..now stitch it…

Anyway I digress, after the shard went to the O2 which I found to be a bit like a sociology experiment….. sorry big arenas just don’t do it for me..surely you’re supposed to connect with an artist? It’s too big for me to do any connecting…. could have seen a band on the telly… but!!! its interesting how distance changes the artist’s connection (see there was a point to this ramble too) and this helps illustrate why I feel it’s important to connect with the viewer in some way…anyway I did really enjoy the lines of the building and the sheer vastness of the space..lines and light were amazing..more sketching!!! ..not many people do that at a concert now do they …..and so to the Embroiderers’ Guild AGM in Manchester last Saturday….

Gave my out going speech as education scholar…along with the other scholars – Georgina Bellamy and Lou Baker.. nerve wracking but I did it

.and once i got started it was a little hard to stop. oops! Really interesting to hear first hand fantastic things the EG is doing.. it’s really important that it survive as an institution .an amazing educational charity that deserves to go on and get stronger..Magna Carta, Game of Thrones and Capability Brown Festival are huge!looking forward to the next project what ever that may be

Went up to the City of London on Monday night to the Beryl Dean award . Some truly inspiring teachers of adults were commended. Hannah Maughan, lecturer from Falmouth University won the award…look forward to see where this goes next. Great church for venue rebuilt by Mr Wren after the great fire. Bought the amazing book of Miss Dean’s work that was brought out in 2011 on the centenary of her birth and talked to her archivist. Read it on the train ride home. goodness she was a power house!!! Apart from all the fabulous photos of her work I really liked the ten commandments for the Deanery created by some of her students including gems like ‘ In the beginning of thy work thou shalt ask thy teacher. Thus shalt thou save thyself many problems.’ I remembered be blown away by her work at the knit and stitch in 2011.! Saving up for my goldwork course at the RSN…just need to fix some dates!! My fine stitch skills …still need much work but I love to learn
..there is always so much to do and too little time to do it in..

And finally I end this blog on a total high. Just been with the lovely Ruth Smith doing amazing Chinese stitch workshop with a wonderful tutor, Len Rappolt. Here are my efforts..trust me this took ages!!!

THINKING about my version and how to bring into my work …really looking forward to that..watch this space…. will be experimenting !!!

PS Fine Art Degree show on at Chichester..some fab work go and see

PPS went to see this at Pallant House…especially loved the Radical Craft by outsider artists…I think its just great art tho and not outside

especially liked this poottery and now want to do a pttry course and some work entotled waht i dowhen ima supposed to be doing the ironing

PPS Are you coming to mine on the 20th Sarah…have got the cereal in!

..right off to stitch…

Mar 16, 2016Jan 16, 2019

Rites of Spring… Birth…..

Remember that thing I wasn’t allowed to talk about a couple of blogs ago? Well I am now…… I recently did some work for the Embroiderers’ Guild to do with a launch of the new chapter of HBO s Game of Thrones and my contribution was a heraldic shield … blink and you’ll miss it…my bit is very small…. but here’s the proof I actually did it!!!! It was great fun to be part of something so big. We were allowed to do what we wanted as long as we followed the drawing and stayed in the colour scheme. The picture above shows a White Walker, a bit from my my sketch book and a copy of the original piece… …basically me trying to work out what on earth to do. I didn’t panic at all ..honest…was totally cool calm and collected about the whole thing…… a lot of procrastination was involved and lots of u-tube videos on crewel work!! Still trying to get hold of a picture of the final piece I have no idea what it looks like!!!.., it should be on social media later today..tune in for more later….or check out the .Embroiderers’ Guild Facebook page for more pictures of beautiful work submitted……gorgeous aren’t they!! I did not do these!!!!!!!

The first opportunity to see the complete “Hardhome Embroidery” created for HBO Game of Thrones Series 5 boxset launch will be from 10am on Friday 18th March until 6pm on Saturday 19th March 2016 at the Crossing Gallery, Central St Martins, 1 Granary Square, London N1C 4AA. It’s free too!!!

Gutted that I won’t be able to get there! Am in Worthing on Saturday giving a talk to the Embroiderers’ Guild and on Sunday I head up to Birmingham to stand by my exhibits!!! The Embroiderer’s Guild are currently in talks with HBO to arrange a travelling show so perhaps I’ll get to see it then?

(The Embroiderers’ Guild led the design and production of the piece and invited stitch partners The Royal School of Needlework, Hand & Lock and Fine Cell Work to participate.)

any way .isn’t it funny how everything I’ve done this year so far is touched with grey???? What colour will I be next year? Exciting!! Or not!!!!

So ever onwards Brum here I come…… Please come and say hello if you are visiting the ICHF show. I am exhibiting with Room6 textile group. My bit is called Gray’s Anatomy.

I gave birth to the last of my bodies- Gray’s Anatomy- geddit- I do like artistic interpretation… Ralph ….last Wednesday.. Here he is…

He’s from a drawing I did of a self portrait of Ralph Steadman at the Winchester discovery centre…he was a long time coming as I couldn’t decide on who to join my other 8 ….Korhogo, Pablo, David, Cat, Frida, Cel, Gene and Ed, anyway here they all are……

They will be at the ICHF Birmingham NEC until Sunday along with my mitochondria – (that started off as an iron curtain but thanks to a metamorphosis and wild artistic interpretation, an ex dentist with a brilliant scientific mind etc etc ) …when they will return to Hampshire before more outings in the summer. Let’s hope they don’t lose a lot in translation! I loved doing them and managed to even get in a tribute to Mr Perry.

So what with that and doing travelling books..I need a rest!!! Thank goodness it’s nearly Easter!

heres my Easter bunny…..

P.S. Hey it’s a grey bunny Sarah .. How weird is that! X

P.S. Listened to fab talk by Anne Moore last night at Liss in StitcheS. Check out her website by pressing the link. Lovely stuff!!!

Feb 22, 2016

Forgive me dear reader it’s been 60 days

since my last blogsession however I am still Perhaps it was the post prandial seasonal lull..but I haven’t been totally dormant.. I’ve started an artist’s page and I’ve been making a lot of stuff . So with the glut of blue cheese and gin and too much Xmas cake a distant memory I am back in the blogosphere? (and arent you happy about that!!) Reading Nicky Barfoot’s blogs has made me laugh thru january , well feel happy then get terribly depressed when i realise i should be blogging too and that I need to get back into the saddle…. she’s also managed to provide me with displacement activities…good and not good..as I should be doing other things!!!! Check out her post on the textile challenge https://www.facebook.com/TextileChallenge……and reader, I did enter..heres my ‘Patch’ original huh!! You bought patches to make something.. Gedditt?????

Anyway the good news is he sold and made lots of dosh for the canine trust..really pleased..it was fun to make …….

So what else have been doing..well .Ive been making something that I’m not allowed to talk about..more in my next blog, and have been finishing my’ grays anatomy’ work for Birmingham in March …

Have pilfered loads of grey stuff ……

Heres a preview it’s all about the body and have taken a lot of inspiration from grays anatomy……Ralph Steadman evidently used to use it a lot too!!!!!

steadman I love his work and the exhibition at the discovery centre last month was absolutely amazing!!!

also been finishing off my piece for the Embroiderers’ Guild on the celebration of 300 years of Capability Brown…heres a sneak preview.

Check out the Embroiderers’ Guild site for information of exhibtions across the country happening near you.https://embroiderersguild.com/index.php?page_no=278 I based my piece on Uppark, Petworth and Hills Garden in Horsham. Went to great exhibtion in a little museum and art gallery there which has uncovered original maps by Brown. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/ Was particularly drawn to this as it was pushed foward by a formidible woman called Frances Irwin, illegitimate and widowed. I really liked the strong female connection. There was also a fab piece about him on the Gardening Show on radio 4 a few Fridays ago so my sketch book filled nicely and gave me lots of ideas. I still needed to wait a while to dream about what I was going to do…don’t ask……. And my sewing machine is on the blink again but I still managed to do something..

47563890384dc56f841216a1c7f282e3 Another reason for lack of blog is I have had to take on another paying job to keep me going on the art front but there are lots of nice things in the pipe line and, as a good friend said to me, Jan and Feb are the most miserable months and the best time to work lots. I’m also still in touch with uni and hoping to finish my degree next year, so I delayed the module I was going to do this term so can work to earn money to pay for the module..isnt that a 220px-Catch22 ?

As my on line shop is suspiciously quiet at the moment, I am reading this at the mo!!!!

Dont you just love the title….Need to work out where my market is first…doesn’t seem to be in Petersfield!!! ah well someone in Midhurst loves me…they bought Patch!

Also been to Bedales to see the Tate travelling exhibition of the Matisse cut outs.. so lucky to get it here in Petersfield

Started back at my life classes the other week doing two classes a month…..

I have been procrastinating a lot but procrastination can be seen as thinking and I do keep doodling in my sketch book so it’s all good…. Keep the faith… And all that jazz…

Looking forward to exhibiting at the Brockenhurst Needlework Fiesta in April and have some workshops planned at the Ashcroft Centre in Fareham. I will also be taking part in Open Studios again in August, will be exhibting closer to home too this time ..in Petersfield with ‘the art group collective’

Ps Sarah..him in doors has just bought me a bike from somewhere in the new forest..do you think he’s trying to tell me something?..as we need to pick it up..when are you around?

PPs thank you for all the grey stuff A..its being put to very good use…….

Dec 9, 2015Oct 19, 2016

Sugar how you get so fly*

Image result for robin schulz images

isn’t it amazing what can happen in a week? If I told you dear reader, what had happened to me in the last week since my return from the Knit and Stitch in Harrogate you would not believe me…… therefore I’m not going to..suffice to say stress over with and feeling a lot more fly… meaning unlike Robin Schultz* ( now there’s a man who likes his sunglasses) no I’m not being big headed and saying I am gorgeous but I am feeling a lot more beautiful on the inside… instead of horrible ugly and stressed out…

*(check it out on u tube ft Francesco Yates ..its my guilty pleasure at the moment. I am sure its very misogynistic but the bass line is fab….how sad am I????)

Any hoo a blog is a bit like child birth..doesn’t come till its ready..(obviously without the excruciating pain, gas air and copious amounts of drugs..but hey its a simile).. so here it is….sorry it wasn’t sooner…just been ever So just a tad stressed over the last week… and so stress week from that awful place over and I am back, my dreams are back – so I have dreamed what I am doing for the NEC in March for the ICHF and Room 6…. which I was panicking about ever so slightly..loads of ideas but nothing talking to me ( ever get that?) but I’m there now …just got a display issue but am sure it will come to me and also yesterday the fabulous Liss in StitcheS came to my rescue with this marvellous Christmas deco…all from an old book…hope the boy wonder doesn’t get to it and chop it up like he did with the last deco I made.

and so to Harrogate…. Image result for harrogate knit and stitching exhibition

Bodies II

Bodies I

…..where do I start…another amazing week with the Embroiderer’s Guild…think the graduate show case looked even better than it did in London. Really enjoyed my stint with ArtVanGo. My mini sculptures had their first outing…by the Sunday they had had enough as they kepy voluntarily jumping off their box,,,they where ready for home too, me thinks! (now on sale in Stuff...see later in this blog).

Great feed back, lots of lovely galleries to look at and I was well looked after by the EG..loads of great volunteers from the EG came by to help out on the stand which was great and it was good to catch upon all the things that are going on in different parts of the country. Special thanks to the ladies who helped me pack my stuff at the end of the day so I could get on the road home sunday eve, you were all great tho and it was lovely to meet you! Had a fab journey home with Georgina Bellamy….. following Anthea Godfrey down the A what ever its called from Harrogate through Wetherby

Image result for christmas lights in harrogate

..losing her by mistake north of Knebworth then driving straight through central London at night…fabulous…..I’ve never done that before! I did mean to tho as I was dropping Georgina, well actually I

Image result for christmas lights central london 2015

abandoned her to a mini cab driver in Kennington and then pushed back down the A3..to Petersfield only nearly fell asleep once… honest..home at 2am..phew…..

STUFF and NONSENSE

And finally home and shopping…I went in to the marvellous ‘Stuff’ in Petersfield,..where Lyn has been selling my work for me ..she is rather good at it …. I took also took some of my mini sculptures in ….exhibited in Harrogate for the first time. ..the shop has the most beautiful items. If you are in the Petersfield area check her out..I have got my eye on one of her lovely kantha quilts…they are exquisite!!! ‘Stuff’ sells fab furniture, artwork and stuff for your home, and is at 2 London House, Chapel Street Petersfield. GU32 3DR and is open 10 til 4.30 Monday to Saturday or youican visit stuff on line at http://www.thestuffshop.co.uk/

and finally (honestly) talking of online…. more shopping….

mycathasniceboots ….please like my page..you can get to it by clicking the link on my other page of this blog or if you click this link or type in http://mycathasniceboots.bigcartel.com it should come up…not sure how I do the liking thing independently..??? I am trying to get better at this…but I have actually started selling..somehow!! Decided to make my website bigger so will add more stuff soon. Anyway off home now been working all day have two days to myself to get making and the creative juices are flowing again…thank goodness!

PS Hello Sarah..I need a day in the new forest!x

PPS if anyone other than Sarah makes it this far..well done I am truly amazed…and thank you for putting up with my drivel ……..

Jun 15, 2015Jun 16, 2015

Catharsis….

Light bulb! — Actually I feel a bit more like a minion having a light bulb moment than a person who goes thru catharsis but there you go…..anyway have decided I need a definate action plan and need to totally chuck myself into this art business with a bit more aplomb…I am a fantastic procrastinator…it is rather time consuming and tiring looking for leads but it sure beats the 9-5 any day. (also him indoors is quite good at this so need to capitalise..)….I really Would hate to wake up one day and think if only……anyway week one of my cunning plan…

I’m in print…..thank you Embroiderers Guild (see above) I _am in contact magazine
two shops in Petersfield have my work on sale in their shops…’stuff’ on Chapel Street and ‘White and Rees’ on Lavant Street
I have signed up to being involved in an artist project for ‘People of the Heath’ which will begin with an exhibition in Petersfield in the autumn*

People of the Heath.docx *People of the Heath….A community project hosted by Petersfield Museum to understand and conserve Petersfield’s prehistoric barrows. A four-year project focussed on a remarkable but little-known prehistoric monument complex on the edge of Petersfield dating to the Early Bronze Age.This large group of barrows has seen no active research since it was mapped in the 1930s and it is one of the most impressive and diverse barrow cemeteries to have survived in south-east England.

had a fab day with Ruth smith making books….my first love….
and room6 have an exhibition confirmed at the ICHF next year……

ok lets back track….thank you for the pep talk Sarah… this is my self realisation week……I will be more proactive …look at the fantastic things that have happened since Wednesday…and my big decision, also looking at going back to uni to finish my degree..appointment made with tutor…tick

him indoors gets me to go and talk to Dr Kathrin Pieren re the people of the Heath project…and it sounds fab….what a gift for an artist.. I have started my sketch book already…. I know I am a bit sad but hey it’s what I love..tick

get lovely book and card from mad Canadian ..as pressie for my scholarship …which I put to good use immediately by starting my Heath project in it…is that serendipity? Tick

get my glass cut for beautiful old frame for my cell work piece for Eastleigh Exhibition..nearly finished all my pieces now..big tick

Friday-and saturday go to the Petersfield dig….really is a gift got loads of ideas for the exhibition…..tick

spend so long with a friend purloining free fabric that I arrive extremely late at son’s school fair which consequently as the kids are done spending …almost….only costs me a fiver..big tick

meet glasto girl to try out camp beds…we working Glastonbury …going to search out Kurt Jackson. I am working in a food tent….!!!! I must be mad!

Ps does any one want a lift to Glastonbury ? I am leaving Petersfield at ridiculous o’clock a week on on Wednesday.. and have a big car …

And so to my fantastic workshop with Ruth Smith… making folded secrets books. Or zhen Xiang bao . I first came across Ruth at world textile day earlier this year ( and Alison Hulme if you are reading this that indigo home top needs to go to Glastonbury…you know it makes sense…) a wonderfully inspirational day.

If you are in the vicinity of Southampton or can book Ruth to come to you..do! You will not be disappointed! Or if you if you can’t, buy her project books or her book on the ZHen Xian bao. I had such a lovely time. Ruth is an amazingly generous tutor and has a wealth of information about these beautiful historic artefacts… she has gathered some beautiful examples from her travels in China talking to the Miao people….as well as the gorgeous ones she has made herself….let’s hope that her enthusiasm helps to revive this dying art…..it was lovely to hear her talk about these lovely treasures…. her book on this folk art is currently being translated into Chinese!

I will post a photo of my finished work……lovely to see all the different ideas and potential of these beautiful books …mine is a work in progress…not nearly as beautiful as Ruth’s or the other participants….but I hope it will be….

my efforts….

some beautiful old books that Ruth has gathered from her travels…….

Phew I am quite exhausted..and I did a workshop with 30 children today which was fab!!!…. No photo sorry forgot my iPad!! …. textile art inspired by Turner…..I think I will need a week to recover! No chance as I have bags to make, a dress to finish and I still need to look for more opportunities to make my art work! Help!!!

Ps See you on Friday, Sarah for ‘Made’ at West Dean

May 29, 2015May 29, 2015

WOW

Well what a half term… I start the week with bad news that I didn’t get a job I went for.. sandwich in between a trip in the new forest camping (really glad I caught up with you too Sarah and you were very polite as I gate -crashed your felter’s day smelling of woodsmoke and looking decidedly the worse for wear..I never sleep properly when I’m camping!) and end it by being an Embroiderers Guild Scholar.

...took a bit of stitching to the Forest just to keep my hand in.... — …took a bit of stitching to the Forest just to keep my hand in….

So, I am very proud to announce that I will be the Guild’s first Education Scholar or Educational Scholar…. not quite sure about the title just yet but it’s all very exciting. Can’t quite believe it and really pleased to be involved in what looks like will be a fantastic project. The aim is to get more stitch into schools by providing resources for teachers linked with the national curriculum and to inspire children; make stitch based projects important in schools and raise their profile. It was great to visit Guild House and meet the team there, some of whom I know from last year. Can I just say I didn’t realise there were so many gated communities in such a small acreage of Surrey..my rather old Honda was very out of place!!) Got to look at the some of the stitch collection at the Guild…..I still love books tho….even though we think we don’t need them because of the internet..there’s nothing that beats the smell of an old book!…or a new one come to think of it!

There will be an article in the forthcoming edition of Contact magazine explaining more about what is happening re my scholarship and on the Guild’s website. Bottom line is I will be at the K & S again this year. I’ll be on the Guild’s stand with my new work and answering questions about the new programme for schools. It is really great to be involved with something so worthwhile and recognised for doing something that I love and I really do appreciate being given this opportunity.

There really were some lovely pieces at the EG to see and the photos I took don’t do them justice… ….Audrey Walker…..Jane Lemon….. Diana Springall …as my photos really don’t capture the beauty of some of the pieces there…. here’s just a few photos of the children’s work which is on display…

Oh and I case you thought I abandoned my children, they came too and him indoors took them on a tour of Walton on Thames whilst I pootled around the EG. I think his experience of

Walton ended up being a lot less serene than mine…nuff said!! He did come in handy when the fourth plinth needed to be howked into the boot of my Honda for its return to Eastleigh College.

We also got to see this fabulous piece that was in the most intricately carved wooded chest from turn of the Century Hong Kong…the last one that is…

And so, with the fourth plinth now safely in my boot and heading back to Eastleigh for another outing at the End of Year Show (2nd – 4th July), I sign off.

Well not quite.

P.S. Went to Graduate Fine Art Degree Show at Chichester University. Hopefully I will be there in a couple of years time! Few highlights for those of you who didnt make it….

P.P.S. Really looking forward to my felting day with Julia Little tomoro – being organised for the volunteers that help run Phoenix Junior Stitchers in Petersfield. I will post a picture of my bag…it wont be quite as ambitious (or as good) as yours Sarah…but I am learning….baby steps!..it will probably need to be an arty snap of a corner!!!!

P.P.P.S. Can anyone explain to me why every time I check my facebook account even within a few minutes it says a lot has been happening on it since I last logged in…this is a blatant lie!

P.P.P.P.S. And finally if anyone out there is thinking of making their fortune at car boot sales…remember that when you put the key in the ignition as you are paranoid about losing your keys, remember to make sure they are in the definate ‘off’ position as the 25 quid you make on the booty doesn’t come close to covering the £81.95 it costs for a new car battery!

Aug 4, 2014Aug 4, 2014

Glorious Goodwood and more…

Well the weekend started we’ll with me managing to pick two winners and a second place at the races on Friday….I have a very scientific system…I go on the name! If it works don’t knock it. Not talking big stakes here….might fund a couple of forays into charity shops for vintage fabric to make more boxes.

Anyway, I digress, got home to find an email from the Embroiderers Guild asking me to exhibit at the Knit and Stitch! Very flattered, excited , chuffed, and a bit well I don’t know really….can’t quite believe it! I await my official invitation from Twisted Thread!

Still trying to work on my “Art Cubes” started to make some related to artists I like and about art in general as it’s my passion. Being inspired by fashion designer Bella Freud. Really like all her Ginsberg is god logos. Mixing it up and using free machining to construct cubes……1 down not sure how many to go!