I've sort of stumbled into teaching one-on-one Professional Development sessions
for artists.  I love teaching and haven't done it for a little while as I've been settling into my life here in the UK.  But with my "day job" as a curator for West Ox Arts Gallery I had decided to offer a session on creating a simple website to its members; I felt this was a good way to connect with local artists and offer up a skill that I knew they were interested in.  As is always the case when I am offering something like this up - I totally underestimated how popular the session would be, not to mention the need for such a skill!  So I began offering bespoke  one-on-one sessions in addition to other workshops I was already promoting through my website.  It's been a great experience so far and I'd like to see this expand into something far greater.

But that's not what I logged in to talk about - well, not entirely anyway.  What I really was keen to share with you the artistic results from one of my Creating a Nostalgic Print workshops.  The artist I worked with - Andrea Hewes - has a background in art, specifically printmaking, and currently works as a print technician for a printmaking group.  So she was a natural at picking up the process I taught her.  She had a specific photograph she wanted to transform into a piece of art and which would serve as something of an homage to her deceased brother.  She took the skills I imparted to her back to her studio and created a wonderful mixed media collage and she was kind enough to share her results with me, which is the photo to the left.  I just love it!  There's a dreamlike quality to the work that is very fitting if you ask me.  I can't wait to see what else she comes up with! 

For my readers who are interested in learning more about the Professional Development sessions I offer, just visit the "workshops & shows" page on my website, which outlines all of the workshops I currently offer.  If you don't see what you're looking for but wonder whether or not it's something I can do, just email me and I'm happy to have a chat with you about it!

The first cuddly critter for the baby's nursery is finished and can I just say how incredibly therapeutic and enjoyable it was to make it!

This was one of the most challenging sewing tasks I've ever set for myself and this is probably the best example of sewing I've ever done!  It's a bit different from the original sketch because I made some alterations as I went along.  The backside is finished with natural linen and a strip of Velcro so it can easily stick and unstick from the wall.  It was all hand-stitched, too, which was the most therapeutic part of making this lovely little critter, which my husband and I have decided to name "Arnold."

Stay tuned for updates!

Heavily pregnant and with delivery day quickly approaching, it should come as no shock to my readers that I am experiencing a change of direction in my studio practice.  My creative mind space seems to be full of all things baby and nursery these days.  I've been working on some nursery décor ideas which involve imaginary characters that will become part of an environment that promotes interactive play between us and our little newbie - I mean once their motor skills have been full developed and all that.  The photo here is my digital sketch for my and my husband's idea for the nursery.  The wall would be painted with the jagged mountain silhouette; the tree will be cut out of MDF board - my husband had the fab idea of drilling holes in the tree so we can feed fairy lights through so it can double as a light feature (something the baby can enjoy even before those motor skills are ready to go!)  The sun will also be cut out of MDF and painted.  I'll transform the other little critters into cuddly toys that will be Velcro-backed so they can be taken down, played with, and put back in a different order.  And hopefully more critters will find their way to the wall as well - so it'll be a bit of a work-in-progress.  Very exciting!

I've started working on the transformation of these critters from flat, 2D drawings into 3D cuddly toys.  I'm not a textile artist, but thankfully I have a mom who is a tremendously talented sewer and she taught me a lot about the craft when I was a child.  Because I can be a bit impatient when tackling a sewing project, I've had to tell myself to calm down and take my time.  I quickly realized that there would be no rushing this project - there are a lot of layers to consider.  Or to quote the Dude from the Big Lebowski: "you know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous."  This snapshot gives you an idea of my work-in-progress.  It's challenging but thoroughly enjoyable.  And it's really nice to think I'm making something special for the baby which they'll hopefully enjoy for years to come!

The new creative spurt doesn't end there!  Oh no, my friends.  I've accidentally come up with some new design ideas; my focus for these designs were initially sparked by ideas for a vintage nursery theme.  But soon the ideas started to extend beyond that to quirky designs that I thought adults would enjoy.  So far I've got as far as printing blank greeting cards featuring the designs.  But I could easily see them as screenprints on fabric - I'm thinking bags and cushions.  So many ideas - so little time!  

I've only posted one image from that series, but you can see more on my website.