Monday 10 August 2015

Lots of fun....

They say that time flies when you're enjoying yourself, so I guess I have been. Ages since my last blog, mainly preparations for Cambridge Open Studios; as it takes time to transform my space I now open for all 4 weekends in July. It was a successful OS with lots of lovely, interesting people visiting from all over the place. I so enjoy meeting people who take time to travel out to the sticks to sleepy Steeple Morden and made new friends and useful contacts with other artists.
 I even managed to take a photo or two and as my sister came to help actually appeared in one!
I'd planned a day at Art in Action as I missed it last year, so Gina and I had a lovely day.
Of course I found the Printmaking tent fun and also loved the ceramics on display, purchase mades in both!
The willow weaving interested me as I was booked at Cottenham Summer school on a weeks course.
That was at the end of July and I really enjoyed getting to grips with a different medium. I've always wanted to try it and thought I must do it before my arthritus in my hands makes it impossible! Sue Kirk was an excellent, talented tutor who guided us expertly through the different weaving techniques and types of willow. I enjoyed the whole process but my hands didn't! They have flared up in new places and have been quite sore, but as I'm having a rest from even lino cutting for a while are gradually settling down.
The beginning of my round basket and it finished; roundish!!
It took me a day and a half, as did the following one which was very tricky!
The last 2 days were on garden structures and this sphere even came home one evening to work on!
It now sits in my garden along with 2 dragon flies which I haven't photographed yet.
A fun week and Barney and William have already found a use for one of the baskets, it was a helmet when they were playing racing cars!
Now I'm spending 2 days in Dorset before preparing for Folk East, a festival near Woodbridge. I'll be demonstrating screen printing on textiles for 3 days; should be fun!
During all this I have been preparing in different ways for my big adventure....more soon... but it involves walking.....
Sorry, this picture seems to have disappeared, here it is!