Tofino Eagle Necklace by Sarah Hyams available at Two Red Trees

Hand and Stone pendant by Sarah Hyams available at Two Red Trees

I'm starting a 4 week course with Sarah Hyams in making silver charms in a few days time. It's just 4 mornings and then it will all be over, but i've never tried to make jewellery before (perhaps because I don't often wear it). Since i've started working full time I find that I have more energy and inclination to do something creative with my time outside of work, i've also recently made some new friends who are talented artists and makers, and that's got my creative bones itching again. I deliberately took the year off from making when I went to do my MA, but now i'm back in the world of work I think I need to factor some creativity into my routine.

 At the moment one of my pieces of work is on exhibition in America. The ever wonderful Susan Schwake included a piece I did several years ago in her new book 'Art Lab for Kids' for which I am very grateful.

 

The incredible print show!

There's lots happening today- one of the things happening is the opening of The Incredible Print Show at artstream. I'm delighted to be part of this show- I have six prints included and am in really great company. All the work is available for sale via the shop and the show runs until the end of June so if you are in the Rochester, NH area please pop in and visit.

Mythologies at Haunch of Venison

Hew Locke

Polly Morgan

At the start of the month I took a trip up to London and went to visit Mythologies at Haunch of Venison's new venue in the old Museum of Mankind building. I knew that I was going to enjoy this show before I even got there, but what I wasn't really expecting was the sheer scale of it- rooms and rooms of art, most of which was just the sort of thing I like- ranging from gold and dinosaurs to taxidermied animals via pieces by favourite artists of mine like Sophie Calle and Christian Boltanksi.

The exhibition runs until the 25th and if I wasn't so busy with other things I think i'd be trying to get back up to London to take another look at it.

Cafe Kino Preview Party this Sunday

I've got three pieces of work in this show, but i'm not the only reason you should come along and join us on Sunday- the lovely Claire Platt will be showing some of her newest embroideries, featuring planes (as seen on her blog) and Mithi Shafiq will have her lovely embroideries inspired by Stitch'n'Bitch on show. There'll also be work by Joe Roberts, who is promising ' it's a monster attacking on the downs.....kind of like cloverfield meets skins......but nothing like that....that would be horrible'. And recent Tiny Showcase star Aaron Sewards will have work for sale too.

A percentage of money from work sold goes towards Cafe Kino, a not for profit vegan and vegetarian cafe (and the rest goes towards some very deserving young artists (ok not so young in my case!) .

Lovely Hearts

I'm delighted to be able to let you know that three of my recent embroidered doilies will be heading over the Atlantic to be part of the Lovely Hearts show at Susan's wonderful Art Stream Studios. All the work will be for sale and proceeds go towards breast cancer research- if you can't make it to the show you will be able to buy work from the online gallery as well. I'll keep you posted nearer the time, but if you are interested in taking part yourself you can make a submission here (there's a $10 submission fee, but you can submit up to 3 pieces for that).

Pulling it all together for Abracadabra

Just a little post to pull all the other posts about the show together, so they are neatly stored in one place for your viewing pleasure.

We start off with:
4 weeks to go

then
6 days to go

me hating writing about my work

a photo of Claire Platt's work

a little about the opening night

me talking through some photos of my work

and to follow there will be photos and more info on Claire and Cindy's part of the exhibition.

a smattering of press

Claire's flickr set for the show

Disabling Conclusions

Art+Power is an artist group that I did some voluntary work for last year. Some of the artists are having an exhibition of their work, opening next week at The Art Gym.

More photos from the opening night

I am so happy with how the wallpaper turned out, i've decided that i'm going to use it in my house when the show is over. It's A3 sheets of photocopied paper, which almost match up, but not completely. It's just stuck up with masking tape, with the corners at the bottom left flapping, kind of like peeling silver birch trees. I couldn't have got the walls done without the help of Simon, who is super tall and reached the top bits while I passed paper and masking tape to him.

Steve and Kat peering at the sparkles. Steve and Kat arrived at about 5.30 and offered suggestions for pricing the work and then posed for photos because I was a bit worried no-one else would turn up.

This is Battle, two found ceramic figurines, that I made gel-flex moulds from and then cast copies using herculite plaster. Some are headless, other's managed to keep their heads. They are all lined up ready to bust a move break-dance styleeee.

An Army For me. A collection of found figurines that I reglazed with a gold lustre. Some of the objects took the glaze better than others- it was interesting that the cheapest, most poorly made figurines seemed to come out the most golden, whereas the 'quality' pieces took on a more treacly look.

I'll post some photos of Cindy and Claire's work tomorrow with any luck. Today I became an auntie again, this time to a niece, which is nice. I also lost half a tooth, while eating toast and homous, which is not so nice. How did I get to be old enough to be losing teeth?