My other life as a painter

I used to make large paintings on canvas, I had a studio and exhibited in a gallery, even sold a few. I was prolific, as I am when I have so many ideas and the creative juices are flowing. Looking back I now know I was stuck in a rut after having made so many landscapes and trees. I didn't realise that the small mixed-media sketches I made in between the 'serious' painting sessions were the key to moving on, but then the small things often are! The work I make now is very open to all sorts of media and mark making, with a very illustrative bent. I am less prone to playing to my own prejudices of what 'serious' work is (a hangover from a fine art painting degree). I know that the processes I used to make these paintings involved printmaking of sorts, using the sides of my brush, card or a paint scraper.    I now collect objects to create prints including my own children's lego (que horrified husband that I 'steal' my OWN children's lego!). So even back then my work was always creative in its methods and processes,  it's just that it's now gone into full flow juicy mixed-media! 
Yes I do plan in tackling those large canvases again (once my remaining little person is in pre-school), but they will be from a very different angle this time.
All images of paintings are from about six years ago using acrylic on canvas, the last however was made when I was 18 years old using inks and still a favourite of mine.

Photographing my work

I had a photographer friend come and photograph my work for me a couple of weeks ago and it was well worth it! I always think it is so important how you present your work online and a variety of other sources. Although it was a rush to get all my work together (little boy in front of the 'Frozen' movie with a snack!), I know i couldn't have created the same results with my limited knowledge of photography. I also love how he was creative with my work and the props I provided. So if you are unsure of doing the same thing,  I would recommend it, it certainly worked for me!

In the studio

Working in the studio, looking through old sketchbook work getting new ideas together, these include, hens, birds, jars of different things such as letters or jam! It's all in the pipe line. I have so many old sketchbooks that I love looking through, I forget I have had those ideas in the past that's it's refreshing to realise they could be new ideas now! Bits of paper linger in my paper dish ready to be used, such as raffle ticket stubs, envelope post stamps, even the little bits of paper found inside fortune cookies that the boys had at the weekend! All bits of paper are possibilities to me - as long as they have beautiful text or pattern that is!

This and that

A visiting friend noticed a book in my bookcase I've had since childhood, 'Now we are six' by A.A Milne, of course better known as author of Winnie the poo. I haven't read it since I was a little girl and then I apparently thought it better use as a colouring book - plenty of illustrations filled in with blue biro and my own written title on the front :'colouring book'!- A crime if ever I saw one! I have so enjoyed reading some of the poems again but the illustrations by E.H Shepard even more so. They are just so beautiful and seem to me to embody the nostalgic feeling of childhood. Over on pinterest I've added some illustrations by E.H Shepard, but if you're familiar with Winnie the pooh you'll know what they look like. I'd like to think they've had a subconscious influence on my own work.
Christmas is invading any time slots to get work made at the moment. All this feels fine at the moment but at the same time I do miss making work. I have some bird mixed-media pieces made pre - Christmas madness, and my studio work space is quite something to behold at the moment (aka mess!). 
More photos of my work are on Instagram,  of which I need to yet figure out how to add a little Instagram logo on my blog, aswell as a pinterest logo, so to transport you there in an instant! More time after Christmas means I can have a good go at doing this job then! Time- if only I could buy it I would!

Craft Fair

My first craft fair in a while (or rather post second child), took place in Clitheroe at the weekend. It was very quiet for all stallholders so we all left a little deflated, but as usual with these events it can be the contacts you make that can really make the day, and I met a lovely stallholder that gave me a few tips and ideas. Hopefully we'll bump into each other again at a craft fair. I really am glad to be making it to fairs again. A few photos of my stall above,  it was a little dark so included one taken in my kitchen too.

Bits & bobs, kids and new tape!

I tend to get work done infrequently, this includes writing blogs posts. I think I might have talked before about being a full-time mum and artist and it isn't an easy combination, but then being a working mum and artist isn't either! I'm not sure what an easy combination is? I'll make a start with some work and inevitably four little feet will be wandering in to find me, no matter if I've set them up with colouring or lego. Yes it can be very frustrating, but in contrary to that I also find my children incredibly inspirational. No matter if it's random drawing, play dough, lego or just playing outside, I love how they think creatively and make something from nothing.
Also, lately I've bought new paper tape, I've been meaning to for ages, and aswell as being kinder to my studio walls it's (more importantly!) very pretty. Love the geometric pattern. Honestly how excited should I be about having new tape!?
I've made a few bits and bobs of work lately,  mixed-media and collage using found papers and my own printed papers. I just want to make more, usually when I'm in the middle of making a lego spaceship!
Snaps include work taped up using my new tape(!), and a few studio shots this morning, one with a little visitor!

doodle to complete piece

'Hare' mixed-media and collage on recycled wood. Had this mixed-media sketch taped to my wall where I put all my finished sketches and drawings. Didn't think I'd do anything with it until an artist friend said she liked it, so I mounted it onto a piece of wood. I quite like it now too!
On another note we are weathering x-hurricane Bertha well up here in northwest England. Maybe the gales that are predicted are due to come later!?
It's a very easy and lazy tea here at home: pizza! Can't even brag it's homemade- good old frozen! But always feel a pang of guilt giving my kids frozen food!!
I have a craft fair booked for the end of September which I feel excited and nervous about in equal measure, but know it's a step I need to take.
This has been a mixed bag of a post! So sorry about that to any readers,  just writing what's on my mind this evening!

Guinea fowl

I love guinea fowl, the quirkiness of them and since my sister has some at her farm I have learnt they sleep in trees! I find this has fairytale qualities (with a dash of humour!), just thinking about their large rounded bodies in contrast to their long necks suspended precariously on the nobbly branches of a plum tree (what they happen to roost in at my sister's farm). So of course I had to use this subject as a piece of work. Seems anything quirky has my attention. Using mixed media which I need A LOT more practice with of course,  but enjoyed making it non the less.

Bird feeders

The bird feeders have been hanging empty in our little garden for a while, until I eventually got round to buying more bird food the other week! Poor things, they must be getting used to the sporadic supply of food for them at our house though, as they seem to come back and root around until one day their luck is in and they have a fresh mound of seed ready and waiting!  The empty cages of the feeders seemed to catch my inspiration one day and I enjoyed making these little collage pieces.

printmaking

I do love printmaking! I used some random bits and pieces to make these prints - the end of an empty tube of glitter, a tiny piece of round lego, a larger piece of round lego, and the bottom of a plastic lego shark- yes apparently lego sharks do exist! All using indigo watercolour paint, watercolour because I like the imperfections and entirely-out-of-my-control marks and blotches. Quite like these.

This evening

This evening I had some time so I made some hand printed papers ready for making work with. Other images are of the tools I use for printmaking- so anything from little bits of lego (told you my kids were an inspiration in my last post!) to old pen lids. An all important cup of tea amongst my desk mess and pots of pens, pencils and water. A quite productive half hour!

Ideas in progress

I've begun to make a few scraps of work in the few snatches of time before little feet come padding in or I hear a 'Muuuum! '. I find being a full time mum doesn't combine well with being an artist, time wise anyway as in you find there isn't any to make work in! But I also find my kids are a constant source of inspiration,  yes through the work they make be it drawing,  painting, glueing and sticking or playdough, but also just being with them I find I have more ideas flooding in. The sunny weather which has miraculously decided to make an entrance here in the UK also helps, after so much grey (which is a colour I adore by the way but not in terms of light!) I think everyone feels refreshed and renewed, and the inspirational cogs start turning.
Images are of recent little ideas I am having at the moment using collage and mixed media, beginning with vessels: jam jars, bottles & bird feeders, then animals and birds such as hares and guinea fowl. Also a few  peeks of my pinboard.