Today we tackled mark making using black and white and a variety of media. Since everyone loved playing with image making techniques, we will extend this to our next session. Click on events for more info.
Screen printing on off cut fabric
Inspired by a look around the garden, we ended up painting stones and experimenting with water colour inks using the wet on wet watercolour technique.
Pictures from our session on a chilly Sunday morning, we had fun Gelli plate printing using leaves and grasses. Julia gave us a workshop on the process, and Karen provided the Gelli plates and rollers. Everyone produce a good body of prints to take home at the end of the session. The great thing about the gatherings is everyone pitches in, are generous and supportive and of course exchange ideas. A new process for most and Gelli plate manufacturers just got a few new customers!
Check the events page for the next session.
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If it’s not tipping it down, I will be at the Puymaurin 31230 Vide Grenier from 8 am on Sunday 5th May.
Selling my cards, bric a brac and brass decorative bits and bobs
Some of my stuff that will be at the vide grenier
Today Eight of us became the founder members of the Creatives Club. I had chosen a bank holiday to meet up so because of prior plans a lot of people couldn’t make it. I have had over 40 expressions of interest in joining. As it turns out 8 was a great number for our initial meeting, everybody introduced themselves, with a strict brief to be brief. We had a quick overview of our varying interests and what we can achieve in future weeks. As we discovered, each one of us needs to carve out time and space to create, and in a supportive group it’s a lot easier. A bit of business networking went on too!
Some members brought in work, all of which was fab, and immediately we realised that everyone had some new skill, or technique to share. These skills easily lend themselves to future making meetings.
Last but not least everyone screen printed a mini membership card on pre prepared watercolour washed paper. A card to flash if they are ever stopped by anyone doubting their creativity.
IMPROMPTU, What could possibly go wrong? I had planned an exhibition, but events conspired against me..don’t ask. So instead of procrastinating, I have decided to open the doors of Atelier Chouette. There will be some art, some gifts, some cards, some festive cheer, and hopefully chats with those of you who are interested in an art club and courses.
There is a fete on in the local village of Puymaurin on the same day so if it’s not tipping it down, it’s potentially nice day out.
Hope to see you then.
Christmas open studio
16th December 10-4
Here are a few shots of the studio and shopette space to give you an idea of what it looks like now.
We have worked on the build up until the summer of 22 since my last post and now bar a few bits we are pretty much there.
Now I am thinking about marketing and what uses the space could be used for apart from a studio for me and Rob.
Robert ordered lots of larch, apparently with a cunning plan to screen us from the road. We are creating a trompe l’oeil series of openings to mimic our real windows. Not only that but the cladding will return into the barn to hide the extremely messy pile of fire wood created by the original cladding that was taken down. I just have to watch out for the huge rusty nails sticking out of the planks. I fear my tetanus jab is not up to date.
Brrrr, Its really turned autumnal out there. The cladding to the main space is complete and now the openings are sealed against what we call ‘The weather’, a catch all phrase for gales, storms, hail, snow and rain.
The industrial tin ceiling is in place bar a bit of trimming, and the windows and doors (gulp and take out a small mortgage) are on order with a 9-12 week lead time.
If you aim your smartphone at this QR you should be connected to safari and then onto my newsletter page
It s been a while since I did any sort of market. The last one was at the end of Feb 2019, where we were all speculating about the likelihood of a lockdown in France. Now as we enter a supposed 5th wave, I am going to sell a few things (hopefully) at my friends house. She puts on a 4 day event in her delightful studio which is full of things she has been making all year. Astrid is a charming German lady, a clothes designer originally, who does Christmas decoration LARGE and sells off some of her family heirlooms too.
As we hurtle towards winter the studio is now a recognisable building, not just a huge layer of gravel concrete and block work.
Thanks to Covid and supply chain meltdowns, the gift that keeps on giving, we have seen raw materials rocket in price. Any budget that we might have imagined is just a distant memory.
We stand back and look at the build taking shape, and feel poor but chuffed.
Views to the valley we have never had before the build
Fitting the industrial metal roof
The larch cladding appears and so does a real feel of how the finished building will look
We first had the idea that we should build a studio, workshop, teeny shop about 6 months ago. The aim was to do as much as possible ourselves, except the electrics and plumbing. So here we are at the beginning of spring with foundations laid and the first blocks in place.
Being an architect, and not a builder has its own set of challenges. My husband (the architect) has gone from being in his own word ‘ana’l, to much more realistic about making things ‘good enough’. I am a very willing assistant and look forward to the time we start on the timber work. I fancy myself as a carpenter… we shall see.
Our project starts inside and existing barn with brilliant views that a long last we will be able to enjoy, be inspired by and share with other makers in post pandemic France.
The willing apprentice gluing the insulation to the block work
Some zips came my way from a closing down haberdashery. I set to work and screen printed on my modest stash of fabric and then sewed these lined make up bags. They will be for sale soon.
Big wig make up bag. Hand screen printed, recycled linen and lined fabric from past projects.
Since the 1st of April 2020 I have been busying myself with to online art challenges. The first is April Illustration and the other is 100daysproject. Here are a few of the images I have posted so far.
I am sitting here on a stormy March day putting together products for sale at two upcoming events, go to events page for details.
I will be setting up a newsletter for those interested in future art, design, and craft courses.
Workshops will be aimed at mixed ability with and emphasis on experimentation in a relaxed and fun environment. the studio is in its planning stage but if you would like more information on future short course and workshops please do put your contact details below.
I Promise you won’t be inundated by emails!
Having bought a Virgin Mary statue this summer in Marseilles, we wanted to show her off with a kitch but sympathetic background. This is where the tin stars feature, all 200 of them. Cutting them out and embossing was a relaxing craft experience, and like knitting you can glance up at Netflix too.
Another day course at the Curwen print study centre near Linton.
Everything about the process is full of colour and energy. First choosing the inks and then rolling them out on old bread boards, shiny with age and amazing patina. I would happily have them on my wall.
The last picture is the drying rack where the prints sit layer upon layer.
