Friday 16 December 2011

Bluebells

At the beginning of last year I had a request for a painting of bluebells- possibly in and oval format.The bluebells weren't out at the time and I needed a few references and a really good look at the sort of areas where they grow. Our trip up to Ulverston and the Lake District for Printfest at the beginning of May gave me just the opportunity I needed.
The woods were filled with a soft blue haze, dappled spring sunlight and the perfect opportunity for information gathering. This is the resulting painting and there are several others on the easel awaiting completion- I haven't painted an oval version yet but perhaps the circular one will do...

Thursday 8 December 2011

Cauldrons and Furnaces





The production of a large number of small ceramic figures has been taking place by students from Fishguard schools (some of the staff got involved too...) and as you can see the results have been excellent.
The figures will be about 20 cm high after firing and have been modelled using paper clay.
 The aim is to combine the modelled figures together with film of actual buildings and landscape  to recreate a mediaeval pilgrimage to the Bishops Palace. It is hoped that the film will be projected in the undercroft of the Palace whilst the line of ghostly figures continue to process through the grounds during the 'Cauldrons and Furnaces' main event at in St.Davids next summer. Fishguard Arts Society artists are just one of the local groups and individual artists creating art works and performance pieces as part of the 'Cultural Olympiad' in Wales.

Friday 2 December 2011

Tunnel Books



One of a series of 5 (so far) tunnel books using various methods but including this little chain print. The print is 4.5 x 7.5 cm and the book is just a small handful at 9 x 11 cm. Each book is slightly different but uses the basic method of the tunnel book- revealing a little more as you pass through each layer.

Friday 11 November 2011

Glenn Ibbitson and Carole King in Artists and Illustrators Magazine



Glenn Ibbitson and I have been featured in an article by Jenny White in the December issue of Artists and Illustrators magazine. Jenny spent a long time with us, talking about the many aspects of our work and what it was like to live and work alongside another artist- I hope you will enjoy reading it.






Monday 7 November 2011

Back Lane - Tenby


Having completed the posters for the square pegs I was able to get back to a couple of paintings that have been on the easel for a couple of weeks now. This one of the back lanes, down by the harbour had reached the not quite finished stage and needed a couple of full days when I was going to be able to concentrate. The good weather last week meant that there were much better light conditions in the studio which makes it all so much easier.


The same picture - before completion - can be seen in the latest edition of County Life magazine - thanks to Jenny White for this really well written article about Glenn and myself.



Saturday 22 October 2011

Gifted 2






Poster for our next Square Pegs 'Art and Fine Craft' show in Cardigan has just been completed. Four layers of ink silk-screen printed onto heavyweight cartridge. The posters are becoming collectors items and start to disappear before the show is over, so I always have to print extra to replace them

Monday 18 July 2011

Imaging the Muse

This artists book was created for a group show at Tregwynt ,Pembs. Poems by six contemporary poets from West Wales have inspired artists from Fishguard Arts Society and will be on show later in the week. 
The book uses a mixture of drawings in pencil, or ink and watercolour and places them with text from the poem. This has been digitally reproduced and bound into a concertina book of 14 panels. There are 2 versions- one with a hardback cover and the second with a simple card binding.

Artists book, inspired by 'Cwmbach: the garden',a poem by Mike Sharpe.





 To be shown at 'Imaging the Muse'- an exhibition of works inspired by 6 contemporary poets at Tregwynt Manor from Thursday 21st July

Sunday 12 June 2011

Tall Stories Exhibition now open

Artists and crafts makers showing at this event are Yvette Brown,Annie Coombs,Glenn Ibbitson,Carole King, Steve Thompson,Clare Ferguson Walker and Moira White,

Thursday 26 May 2011

Posters

Posters have now been screen printed in two colours and are ready for distribution.

Friday 13 May 2011

Printfest - the other printmakers

Just to give a flavour of the other work on view : pictures include the other printmakers, the workshops and the new Printmakers printmaker receiving her crown for next year
 Printfest photo gallery 2011

Friday 6 May 2011

PRINTFEST



Printfest 2011 at Ulverston, Cumbria
 30th April/ 1st May
Showing at “Printfest 2011”
Ulverston, Cumbria     April 29th – May1st 2011

   Why travel over 260 miles to show prints in a town smaller than Llanelli? Well, for the same reasons Printfest attracted other participants from as far away as Brighton, Norfolk, Cornwall and London: Ulverston comes across as a ‘can do’ town. It is a busy market town with many independent shops; it was once famed only for providing one half of possibly the world’s most famous comedy duo; now it provides an opportunity to network with, and test one’s own work in the company of artists who dedicate their time to printmaking techniques. It soon became apparent to us that after 10 years of close aquaintance, this corner of Cumbria is populated by an educated public who know what they are looking at. Their interest in the technical aspects of printing came as a welcome surprise. There might just be the chance of a sale or two here…
   The interior of the Coronation Hall is guarded by Britannia and her entourage, with Edwardian ‘Putti’ watching on from the tops of the decorated pillars. Below them were arrayed 37 stands, with not a giclee or digital print in sight.
   As recently as the 1980’s, a print show would have been a largely black and white affair, with just the odd splash of dayglo colour on a screenprint. No longer, monochrome was very much a minority presence here. There were few intaglio images; relief prints [woodcuts in particular], and serigraphy were in the ascendant. There were no lithographs in evidence. Its materials are hard come by now after the stone-breaking purges, which took place in our art college gulags during the 1970’s.
   As regards subject matter, representational natural forms predominated. Birds in general [and crows in particular] nested in several stands. But of course there were those works which defy categorisation. The work of Anne Bridges is built from collaged print surfaces, rich and dense in their North Wales green-ness. Tessa Pearson builds mark upon mark through multiple screened layerings to form frenetic, floating hieroglyphics. Ian Williams carborundum prints are almost unfathomable; keyboards? Sports pitches? Or simplified versions of those wonderful Snowdonia slate fences? Who cares? These images are engaging in the extreme.
   Prints were mainly of domestic size, and the prices correspondingly affordable, as prints should be –even though many artists eschewed the financial potential of producing large print runs in favour of experimentation through single, unique works.
   As newcomers to the event, we found the number of visitors impressive. We were told that actually, footfall was down on last year, but sales had improved. Credit card facilities and free wrapping services obviously make the buying process easier. The event also provided a programme of demonstrations during the event, and workshops for community groups and schools are offered throughout the year. The website is well worth a look.
Did we enjoy the experience? Yes. Would we do it again? Most certainly.

Carole King  Glenn ibbitson   May 2011



Wednesday 27 April 2011

PRINTFEST

Printfest - Ulverston in the lake district. Preview Friday evening 29th April, open to public Sat and Sunday.
 Will be showing a variety of my work around the theme of maps and journeys.

For more information about the event http://www.printfest.org.uk/

Sunday 17 April 2011

Working Drawings

Interesting exhibition of working drawings by a a group of artists from Fishguard Arts Society can be previewed in this short slideshow http://youtu.be/BriZxyANXg0.
A drawing in progress is shot in time lapse, working drawings and sketches for finished pieces are all here. the exhibition is currently showing in Fishguard Library Gallery, Fishguard, Pembrokshire- Library opening hours. Some of the finished pieces can be seen a few hundred yards away in the concurrent exhibition H20 (water), showing in the Junior school.