Liberty Open Call - Last Chance to Vote

Today is the last chance to vote for me if you like my design.  Please vote here:

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/features/design-and-living/liberty-open-call-voting.html

Thanks for all the support received so far :-)

Seaglass ...

Just over a year ago, when I was on my honeymoon in Overstrand on the Norfolk coast, we were located right next to the beach.  We often walked along the beach into neighbouring Cromer and it was lovely to beachcomb along the way ...  I found an aqua coloured piece of seaglass one morning and have kept it ever since.  I recently found a jeweller who made pendants, earrings and bracelets from seaglass.  I asked if she could make a pendant from my piece and she willingly did!  Here's the beautiful result ....

I now have a lovely reminder of my honeymoon week that I can wear.

You can see more exquisite creations here, all at a very reasonable price:


https://www.facebook.com/seawavejewellery/

Make It In Design

Another reason for being quiet on the blogging front is that I've been following Make It In Design, Module 2, 'Creating Your Professional Identity'.  I've loved doing this course and am still creating my logo and business stationery for it.  It's made me do a bit of soul searching about where I want to go with my designing ...  It's a fabulous course for helping you get to the nitty gritty of who you really are as an individual.  I've been able to take up where I left off at art school years ago ... it was all about drawing and creating then, which is ok but not so hot for preparing you for the business world! This course and the preceding one 'Designing Your Way' which I took last year are great for this.  I am planning to do the next instalment, Module 3, 'Monetising Your Designs' next year.  In the meantime, I have lots of time to practice, get proficient with Photoshop and organise my portfolios. I'm glad that I've kept all the art I've every done over the years ...  This photobook was created using some of it as well as more recent work. I've learned how to mock up my ideas on to products which really brings the work to life and shows how it can be used commercially.  The company that made the book is Saal Digital. I took advantage of an Instagram offer to create the book and thought it would be a good way of having a go at making a 'Look Book'.  I'm really pleased with the quality of it and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

New Designers 2016

Amongst the wedding preparations, I did find time to go to this show last Friday.  I've been meaning to see what it's all about for the past few years now and finally I had the chance.  It's held every year at the end of June in The Business Design Centre, Islington and has been going for 30 years now.

The main angle is for the various UK (and one from Sweden I noticed ...) Art Schools to bring their final textile shows to London.  There is a lot to see and take in.  However, it is possible to identify various strands and themes running through the work.  I noticed some designs reminding me very much of Memphis from the 80's.  Most of the work though seemed to take its influences from Natural History and Botanical Prints.  Insects, butterflies and moths were a recurring theme throughout the show.  I was also surprised at how much hand painted work there was, in that there is a noticeable shift at the moment to digital printing.  There was even a demonstration of digital fabric printing:

The students were very eager to chat and talk and I enjoyed finding out more behind the work I was seeing.  They all had their own business cards and some had printed flyers and booklets.  Now the show is over, it's possible to look at their websites and find out more.  I don't want to post close-up photographs of their work here for copyright reasons.

These are some of my favourite business cards to give you a flavour of what was there:

Make It In Design also had a stand at the show and I was able to meet and talk to the ladies who organise everything, as well as take away a goodie bag.  It gave me inspiration to finish the last two exercises I have to do from my course, Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design.

I've signed up for the Summer School which begins in August.  I have a week off work then so should be able to make a fair job of it.  Looking forward to then!

Street Art - Cambridge

I noticed this near the railway station one morning on my way to work ... cheered me no end for the rest of the day!

Found - Sheep artist

Did an internet trawl and found that it's by Ted Roocroft, 1986, done as a competition entry for a work of art inspired by 'Peace'.  It's now part of the Manchester City Art Gallery collection and can be seen in its home outdoors.

Baaaaaa

I forgot to mention about these fellas in my post about MOSI.  They are in a little park, more or less opposite.  I'm sorry but I can't remember the name of the sculptor now (and I can't quite read the plaque at the base from the photo)!  If anyone knows, I'd be grateful.

Mousehole, Cornwall - commission

I had a picture in an exhibition and as a result, I received this commission. It's pen and wash, my favourite technique, depicting the harbour in Mousehole, Cornwall.  Years ago, I did a series of pen drawings all around Cornwall - love the place - inspired to do more ...

Repeating Seashells II

This is a companion design to the one in the previous post.  Although both were requested by my agent at the time, it's still a subject I love ...

Repeating Seashells I

Using densely packed shell motifs, rather than an allover effect, this design has a range of possibilities and here are just some of them ...

Coast

Continuing on the beachy theme is 2 designs I did as a set of 4 for wall art, coasters, mats, in fact anything needing a square format...  I collaged them with torn papers and drew in with fine detail for the flowers, boats etc.

Ships and Lighthouses

Ships and Lighthouses are a favourite subject of mine even though I was specifically asked to produce designs around this theme by my agent at the time.  It's the watery/beachy theme that appeals ... always has, and it fits in with my favoured technique for painting, in a watercoloury style.  This design is a side by side repeat.

China Tea

Well here I am again, at the start of 2011 and determined to try and make my blog work for me this year.  I've had a busy time at work since changing jobs but have still managed to do some creative things.  I'll start with a little potted history ....  I completed some textile designing for an agent and I've posted a couple of examples here, China Tea. These are for anything kitchen related but particularly wall art, coasters or pot holders for examples.

A Norfolk Village

This is Wimbotsham Village in Norfolk and I painted the border of the green there a while ago as part of a sketching day course. All the students sat around the village one sunny Saturday.  I enjoyed working outdoors and the immediacy of the pen work and loose wash technique.  It's something I'm comfortable with and I really need to get into doing more ...

Poppies

This blog is a place for me to share my creativity, beginning with one of my favourite painting subjects, poppies. Their papery petals suit my watercoloury style of painting and they are abundant here in Norfolk.  I find it very hard to use opaque paint and always want to water it down to achieve a certain effect ....