My work today!

Every now and then I have the urge to visit old blocks that have been sitting on the shelf for a while . It's a bit like visiting old friends.The Midnight Fisher was an early block that I am very fond of . Every time I paint it the cormorant seems to have a different character. This one seems a kind old soul...just what I need on a miserable January day ! He will be for sale at the Forum in the Norwich Print Fair show beginning 20th January.

An image a day.....oh well!

Oh well here is one resolution I have failed at miserably already! So here are images for the

January 3rd The hound chilling out after a hectic Christmas!

January 4th time to take down the trimmings 

January 6th A Walberswick wander

January 5 th canvases ready to pack!

January 7 th my usual walk past a seat with many stories to tell !

A "hare..y" day !

Making new blocks today ready for the Forum exhibition in under two weeks! Cutting it fine as usual! Hopefully they will be dry to varnish tomorrow,another drying day on Wednesday and printed by the end of the week. Masses to do!
Slight drama too when I locked myself out of the studio! The door had swollen so much in this damp that I was pulling so hard the brass handle broke in half ( a strong Suffolk lass me!)...Hoping pliers will work until a replacement can be fitted....if not I can do no work at all....holiday perhaps?

getting sorted!

Busy day today trying to get the New Year plan of exhibitions and events together. I always seem to end up with clusters of events no matter how organised I try to be....still it makes for an interesting life! The fun starts this Saturday with a stall at The Fisher Theatre in Bungay from 10-3pm and then on the 20th to the 24th with a Norwich Print Fair Elements Exhibition in The Forum in Norwich. I am going to be  also involved in several shows with the lovely Byard Art in Cambridge and a new venue in the Lake District in April,an Autumn show,hopefully, in Aldeburgh and something exciting at The Folk East festival in August. I am very excited too to be hopefully soon selling my work online with Made by The Hands of Britain website.
I am hoping to start the year off by showing some new work in Norwich to be  presented in a different way....better get a move on !

An image a day.....technology challenges!

An image a day for 2013

I was hoping to have a separate page on here to record this new project but it would seem I have to have a new page for each one! The thought of 365 "new pages" seems too much so instead I am going to add them as I go along here. Best laid plans eh?! So here again is the image for 

January 1st 2013

 

It is of the most Easterly point of the British Isles down the road at Lowestoft. It looks very lovely here but is surrounded by the hurly burly and debris of the docks and local industries....but it is still very special. The  glimpse of the first  sunrise of 2013 would be here.

January 2nd 2013

Talking of sunrises...todays was an absolute cracker! Seen from the windows of our home the colour was spectacular and full of promise. I should have heeded the saying as a very grey drizzly day followed!

 Today was a day to blow the cobwebs of the old year away with a blustery walk along the prom at Southwold. It was one of those days I like the best ...a boiling rolling sea, a wind in the true Suffolk tradition (the sort that goes through rather than around you), good coffee and good company! A trip to the prom wouldn't be complete without a visit to the pier and a quick polish of the memorial plaque to my Dad. This kind of day would have been his kind of day, hopefully he was with us enjoying the rolling seas too.

It has been a lovely holiday break and now I'm itching to get on with the new print block ideas that have been going round and round in the old grey matter. My first  show in 2013 will be at the Forum in Norwich on the 20th January with The Norwich Print Fair.....it has suddenly dawned on me that is not too long away !!!

Getting ready for a New Year !

        A new start and a new look blog !

A very quick look at what turned out to be a catch up week.
Still a little more to do....looking on the bright side !

I have several orders which I really must complete.....can you guess which brown mut  the dog is based on ? Yes,the resident studio hearth rug ! Looking very grand below. This pic was taken while on holiday at Iona ...oh to be there soon ! This print called "come home soon"is for the lovely Ellen, an Open Studio visitor.

The "watching hare" below is an order from my website. I have to say I am so chuffed with the eye! I find "eyes" have a mind of their own ! (Apologies ...it is late and I am aware I am rambling !)

and finally the Wells print, a 50th birthday present ! Good to be crossing things off my "to do" list ...3 more to go !
The Boxing hares print at the top is a tiny drypoint ,also in the Bungay Festival exhibition.

Today was " delivery day" to the lovely Cork Brick Gallery in Bungay, Norfolk. www.corkbrickgallery.co.uk If ever you are in this neck of the woods Bungay is really worth a visit ! Especially Earsham Street where you will find a great mix of shops ...antique,flower,interior,art materials,restaurants and much more! Here you will find Cork Brick filled top to bottom with gorgeous antiques and a wonderful selection of art as you can see ! At the moment there is an excellent show by the Sudbourne Printmakers( several of Norwich Print Fair fame !)

 














There is also a selection of work from gallery artists such as Dee Nickerson ,Georgina Warne, Nicola Slattery and Tessa Newcomb to mention just a few of my personal favourites ! Every corner is full of interesting things to see and Ken,the gallery owner,(he of the striking shirt below!)will always give you a very,very warm welcome! 

                       

The next exhibition will be for the Bungay Festival and is called "Inspired by Bungay". It opens this coming weekend.

The latest ink/watercolour painting. It is of Bungay in Suffolk and shortly to be included in the Bungay Festival exhibition at the lovely Cork Brick gallery. The drawing took a long time....the painting was really enjoyable...love mixing colour on the paper !

 Well, I can't believe I have ignored my blog for so long! Most definitely not the thing to do! But, I have been very busy just lately getting to grips with a new project that has been travelling round and round in my grey matter for a long time ! Finally, it is now taking shape  as you can see from the label above! I can't tell you how many hours and hours it took to sort that...name,colour,font etc ....and I mastered (sort of on a good day!) photoshop !!!
 So welcome to the Dawdling Day ! Just what I needed to let my imagination run riot ! The work begins as an ink and watercolour original painting which is framed for gallery/ exhibition. The images are also reproduced as very high quality canvas and giclee prints which I will sell direct online and at art fairs etc. My long term goal is to have images from all over the British Isles...so of course my treasured Isle of Mull will feature!
As I hoped having a break from printmaking has renewed my enthusiasm so lots of new images are brewing in the grey matter! (My grey matter is always too busy ...which is why I forget so much !)
But, I will remember my blog from now on ! Promise !

a task and a half !!!

Now exhibition frenzy has eased slightly I am on a mission to lead a more organised life ...with regards to art paperwork etc. Anyone who knows me will know this is a lost cause in any other area of my life !!!! So I am going to apply myself to a book that I have been dipping in and out of (without any constructive action so far ) called "I'd rather be in the studio"by Alyson B. Stanfield. This was recommended to me by the lovely Julie Howe of "My curious teaparty" blog fame a good while ago and now it's time to take action before I jump off a cliff in a flurry of pieces of paper!!!
So here goes....I will keep you posted ...meanwhile would love to hear your organisation procedures/tips in all areas of your art business (especially with regards edition records all you printmakers out there) !!!
Meanwhile I must get into the studio...The Norwich Print Fair Elements show to prepare for(hanging on Sunday at The Forum Norwich)www.thenorwichprintfair.co.uk

A busy head !!!

My head is full of a new project which will hopefully see me finally get to grips with the problem of continuing to make my prints,which I can never envisage a life without, and having an alternative creative business which will not compete !!!
Oh dear this sounds like a riddle !!!! Anyway ,once these buzzing ideas become concrete I will let you know ! The problem is to stop myself thinking about these and get to grips with orders from the exhibition and making work for the Norwich Print Fair show at the Forum in Norwich to be hung next Sunday !!!! Time for a dog walk .... Happy Wednesday all !

Yet another busy week with a happy ending !!!

It is far too long since I have paid a visit here....as per usual ! This last week was hectic in the extreme but it ended with a lovely evening at the preview of my Southwold Gallery show. It was great to see so many of my images together and I have to say I felt very chuffed !!! It was also lovely to meet folk who had travelled quite a distance to see my work having already bought several pieces previously....collectors ....double chuffed !!!! I will post some pics of the exhibition later but for now here are a few images that you may not have seen !

And some of the finished results !

"Under a Southwold moon"

A break from printmaking this is a watercolour/ink/and gold acrylic design which I have absolutely loved doing ! And two more finished and ready to frame !             

A busy start !

Happy New Year everyone !!! Sorry it's rather late ! It's a busy start to the year for me as I have a solo show in February and then orders and other shows shortly after! So...  I have had to postpone all those lovely New Year activities such as new diary/year planner/getting organised(as if!!!)until
later ! I thought I would post a few photos of my working week just finished...
painting,drawing and cutting new blocks and even a bit of mixed media. Looking forward to Monday !

Happy Monday !

Hectic weekend with my stall at The Cut Halesworth. Loads of lovely stalls selling everything from lamps made out of old gas pipes ,beautiful ceramics, lots of vintage and textiles and of course a good smattering of artists. The nice thing about doing such events is that you actually get to meet your buyers and admiring non-buyers ! Something I really miss when supplying galleries....although there are obvious advantages too ! I had a real selection of prints from mini drypoints to the big prints and of course lots of the Christmas cards !!!
So after all the craziness of getting everything ready ands a hectic day I started the week very weary in a house that looked like a bomb had hit it but what a beautiful Winter morning it was !
So ...a bowl of porridge and a frosty dog walk does Mandy a very happy Monday make !!!! How was Monday for you?

Hello again !

Many many apologies for being absent from the blogging world for so long ! Have had lots of things to put on and tell you about but just never got around to it ! A special apology to Julie ....I have only just read your comment below !!!!
So what to say first ....

Well the new studio has arrived and it is wonderful ,a really special place to work and at least three times bigger than the original (the brick one )  which is now the print room only ! There have also been some new prints ,most recently this one

Happy new year !

You might think this is a strange heading but a hang up from many years of teaching in a previous existence means that I cannot help but see each September as a new beginning !!!

I've been thinking for some time now how to manage this online "me".... I am  a twitter(or should I say twit),facebook(twice) and blogger person but never seem to be able to keep up with it all so do it badly ! Hence the gaps between posts on here !

So decisions made so far....

my blog ie. here... will be an ongoing account about everything that grabs my attention,great skies,interesting exhibitions,observations on life......

facebook 'like' page .....purely print etc business

facebook 'normal'(!) ....links to here etc and printmaking /craft news,good links etc

twitter ...news,chatter,support etc etc

what do you think? How do you manage all this online lark ?!!!! Still seems muddly but hopefully will make sense eventually !

So happy new year to all my online friends and fellow printmakers,arty folk !!!

Here's to a really successful year for us all !

My next exhibition ! Work still to frame,cards to make ! One day I will be prepared !!!