Forthcoming Exhibition

Currently I am working towards the first gallery show of the year. It’s a new venue The Fountain Gallery in East Molesey near Hampton Court.

I am delighted to be sharing this gallery space with Jaci Hogan to present a two woman show. We enjoy displaying my textiles and Jaci’s pastel drawings together as they share the same level of detail and texture. We are both working on the same theme of water.

WATER: COAST, LAKE AND SEA
23rd May to 4th June  11am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday  26 Bridge Rd, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9HA

A selection of our work that will be on display
The 3 stages of this embroidery shows the silk painted base, the layers of stitch building up the texture and detail and the final finished piece ( 20 x 20 cm)

The show will include my intricate detailed embroideries alongside Jaci’s beautifully observed pastel drawings. Vibrant and textured interpretations of water in all its forms. One of us will be in the gallery each day and we look forward to seeing you there! If you want to meet me email me to find out which days,I will be there. alison@alisonholt.com

Preparations for an Exhibition

Silk painted base ready to stitch

My next big event is an exhibition in Cheltenham in December. I am busy making new embroideries and I am excited to be showing a selection of my new work in such a super gallery.

Pastel drawing by Jaci Hogan

The exhibition is called CHANGING HORIZONS, and I am sharing the venue with pastel artist Jaci Hogan. We both work in a detailed way but in very different mediums. We will be showing a wide range of richly textured artwork of the natural world. This will include stunning animals, birds and landscapes by Jaci and my embroideries inspired by rock pools, coastal walks, woodlands and the English countryside.

Jaci’s method of using a combination of a soft pastel base with pastel pencil details allows her to encapsulate the different textures of each animal from the fur of a leopard to the feathers of a nuthatch. She feels each animal deserves it’s own treatment and she spends many hours building layers to achieve the beautiful finished artworks.

My aerial scene embroidery on painted silk

It is at the SIXTEEN GALLERY 16 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street, Cheltenham. Gloucestershire. GL50 1SW
We open on 15th December and it runs until 21st December 2022, open from 10am to 5pm each day except Sunday when we have something special happening!

We invite you to MEET THE ARTISTS on Sunday 18th December. Open from 11am to 4pm we will be stitching and drawing in the gallery! We will be sharing our creative process with you and talking about why we make art. There will be mulled wine and mince pies, as well as an array of items for sale from cards to stitched prints and original artworks. There is no charge for this event and all are welcome, I do hope you can come along.

This is a great opportunity for people to see the exhibition of two very interesting artists and buy Christmas gifts with a bit of individuality.

Rock Pools, new work for Sixteen Gallery

Variations on Aurifil Threads

A flower based challenge from Aurifil for this month gave me the chance to try out their gorgeous variegated threads.

The completed embroidery with its silk painted base setting off the stitched flower and buds

I love to use these shaded threads as they have beautiful subtle colour and tone changes. It was certainly a challenge making sure the right colours sat in the right place on these rose petals with their gentle curves!

Source photo, silk painted base and Aurifil cotton threads numbers 3660, 4660 and 3840

As you can see by these step by step photographs these threads can work really well. To give more definition and increase the tonal range the final stitching was white thread. It really brings out the highlights and makes the image pop! As always I used a wide tonal range to give a 3 dimension effect.

4 stages showing the colours and details slowly building up

Aurifil Challenge

As an Aurifil Artisan i have the opportunity take part in monthy challenges. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and sign up for this month which was a fabric partner collaboration. We were sent Forbidden Fruit Snacks Kiwi cotton fabric by Tula Pink and Aurifil 4093 50wt cotton thread and no instructions! Total freedom to create anything we like to showcase the fabric and thread.

I decided to make a cushion panel with a mixture of the printed fabric and some embroidery versions of the fruit. The stages are shown in the step by step photos below

Creating a new fabric with random patches and stitches!

First I used a lime green cotton (colour 1231) to stitch down my small patches of frayed edge fabric

I added stitched berries in 2 variegated threads (no. 4648 and 4657). These worked beautifully giving me colour variations without having to change thread. I set the machine on zigzag and moved the hoop slowly in a small circle to form each berry.

Finally I added more structure to the design with straight stitch around the outer edge of the design

Finished panel

New Inspiration

When flying I have always been fascinated by the aerial view of the landscape. It can be the first view of a new country or the last you see of somewhere that has stolen your heart. So often an emotional experience, I remember the excitement or the sadness that view creates.

I think it’s so interesting to see the landscape from that perspective. It’s broken down into shape, pattern, colour and my favourite…texture! Also a completely different colour palette to the UK so often new and beautiful colour combinations to get excited about. Over the years I have been fortunate to take trips in helicopters, sea planes and a hot air balloon. Often on the coast, sometimes over forests and woodlands and have never used these ideas for my embroideries until now.

For some of the pieces my process has remained the same, I paint my composition on silk and stitch the detail on top. Others have seen me experiment using black silk as my base. I am creating more texture than before, using a range of weights in my threads. Aurifil cotton in 28, 40 and my usual 50 weight helps me do this.

Work in progress showing the silk painted base.

I have now become hooked on this imagery! It forms part of a new body of work for a forthcoming exhibition called Textures in the Wild, for March 2022, it will be launched at the Willow Gallery, Oswestry

Created on black silk

Textures in the Wild is a collaboration with Jaci Hogan, a successful pastel artist who has recently turned her attention to wild animal portraits. Using a combination of pan pastels, soft pastel sticks and pastel pencils she achieves life like and tactile studies of some of the world’s most majestic wildlife. Check out her work on Instagram @animal.artistuk
This collaboration started as a conversation about each other’s techniques and processes which sparked the idea to create to create a body of work together which would celebrate the beauty we both find in the varying range of textures within the natural world.
During the planning we have encouraged and inspired each other to step out of our comfort zones and explore new ways of working.

4 stages in this embroidery showing the development from paint base to stitch detail

Aurifil Challenge: featuring 40 wt thread

One of the many bonuses of being an Aurifil Artisan is the chance to try a new range of threads.This month we were asked to use 40 weight in cotton. I thought a seascape would show off the lovely colour range available so looked to some of the inspiration from my trip to Cornwall last month.

I painted a wash of blues and turquoise as a base for the sea and some fluffy clouds in a summer sky.

The boats were the final touch, adding perspective to the scene Tricky as they are only a few stitches each and the masts needed to be straight!

I often use 50 weight on my work so I was curious to try something a little thicker, it threads really easily and being a little stronger is perfect for beginners to freemotion embroidery. The verdict on the threads…fabulous of course!

New Work and Forthcoming Exhibitions

Galleries are open, there is Spring in the air! There is a great feeling of optimism in this house! I am busy framing up new work ready for 3 exhibitions this month and next.

My first exhibition of this year is in North Wales in a beautiful little gallery, Oriel Ty Meirion, near Barmouth. The theme is RNLI Coastal and Maritime with 10% of sales donations to the RNLI. It is such a great cause.

RNLI Opening-26.jpg

Oriel Ty Meirion, near Barmouth

Thursday: 10AM – 4.30PM
(closed for lunch between 1.00pm – 1.30pm)
Friday: Click & Collect / Appointments Only
Saturday: 10AM – 4.30PM
(closed for lunch between 1.00pm – 1.30pm)
Sunday: 10AM – 2PM

“Crashing Ashore”

My second exhibition is the Ellesmere Art Exhibition. Due to Covid-19 restrictions this year it is a online exhibition over an 8 week period. I will put a link on my exhibition page when it’s live after May 31st. It runs until 11th July 2021. Lots of talented artists taking part and I am very proud to be in their company.

The third one is in my hometown Oswestry, Shropshire, its the Summer Open Exhibition : 19th June – 7th August at the WILLOW GALLERY, Willow Street, check their website for opening hours

I will have a large selection of my new work in this show. Including a series of 10 pieces inspired by a beautiful lake I visit regularly.

It is an intriguing place full of wildlife. The atmosphere changes as you walk around its edge.These embroideries are studies of the effect of the light on all the elements. I have explored reflections, movement on the lakes surface and in the swathe of reeds and trees that surround this body of water.

I am looking forward to seeing this series all hanging together in the gallery

BVA LIBRARY SHOW   JUNE 7 – JULY 5

Finally I will have some work in Oswestry Library in the summer. Some experimental stitched and embellished landscapes based on Shropshire walks. It’s a mixed show of work by the BVA, the group of artists that usually hold the Open Studio event in June each year.

New Work and Optimism for 2021

I am sure many people like me are feeling more positive as we move forward with vaccinations and some dates to aim for with the easing of lockdown. I am looking forward to having students back in my studio here in Oswestry. I realise we may have to wait until July or August but it will happen! I will announce dates as soon as I can.

Sparkling Sea off the coast of Cornwall

In the meantime I am continuing with my own creative process and exploring new ideas and ways of working. I have been trying a looser style of working, linking the painting with the stitching more than before, not using resist and trying to capture just the essence of each scene: overall less stitching and making everyone count!

The early morning light on the snow

Early spring flowers in Cornwall

Through Instagram I joined a group of virtual en plain air painters and we have shared images of the Cornish coastline, Derbyshire snowscenes, seascapes. We all seem to share the love of trying to cpature the light in each one. During lockdown nobody can get out to sketch and paint so this was a way of supporting and inspiring each other. It’s been a lot of fun. Check out #l3paintin on Instagram to see all the work.

The texture and movement in the waves

I have continued with the #artistsupportpledge which offers work from all artists at a reduced cost, capped at £200, a real bargain! It’s been a successful venture for me and keeps me motivated. When I have sold 5 I have pledged to buy from another participating artist. So my art collection has continued to grow!

Exploring the light and movement of water

There are several of my new embroideries to choose from on my embroidery page if you want to take a look! https://www.alisonholt.com/ahthum.php

Creativity and Process

For every picture I create being inspired is always the starting point. I always work from a photograph, usually my own but this piece is based on a photograph by Ashley Morris. He used to be be my next door neighbour, he now lives in France and takes beautiful photographs. I asked his permission to use this one as my starting point

It was the combination of colours and atmosphere in the scene that made me want to capture it in stitch.

As usual I started by make decisions about the size, format and composition and then the creative process can follow. I am quite organised in my studio (if a little messy at times) and for me that makes the creative process flow more smoothly.

Aurfils fantastic range of greens

I keep my threads organised together in colour ranges making it easy to select the ones I need for each project I use my source photo, often on my tablet, for reference

1. The drawing on the silk
2. The source photo
3. Testing my silk paint colours before I start
4. The completed base painting
5. Comparing the photo and the background painting
6. My selection of Aurifil 50 Mako
6 stages of stitching from background towards foreground layering the stitches as I progress.
Zigzag stitches form the silver birch tree trunks and straight stitch for the branches

My Seasonal Project

Its always a pleasure to create another project for my Aurifil Artisan group. This month is an easy brief, a seasonal project. It seemed obvious to me it had to a snow scene! I have been experimenting with contre jour and finding ways in paint and stitch of creating that illusion of light breaking through the landscape.

The first stages show
1. My drawing on silk using a textile pencil for guidelines and gutta for the frame.
2. The sketchy painting to give some background colour and structure to the composition.
3. Choosing my range of threads.
4. The first few stitches for distant foliage.

I have worked with a series of straight stitches so far, drawing what I see in the background of the photograph. I then move forward to the foreground and start incorporating some zigzag stitch to give bolder, smoother marks for the snow and give perspective to the work.

1. My reference photograph on my tablet for a constant reminder of colour, shape and texture.
2. I have added some tree tunks.
3. Moving to the middle distance and working some snow on the ground and a few more tree trunks.
4. Finally to the foreground with zigzag for the snow speckled textured trunk.
A finishing touches like decreasing the size of the sunlit “hole” and its complete.
This embroidery has the classic limited pallette, I only used 9 colours of 50 weight Aurifil mako. They are beautiful shades and quality to work with. I love the way it looks like it snowing!

Hand Quilting. Yes not Machine!

You will know me as a machine embroiderer, but I was a hand embroiderer first of all, it was 30 years ago! One of the interesting aspects of working with Aurifil is some of the monthly challenges push me out of my comfort zone. This month was a hand quilting project and I used the opportunity to use one of my embroidery design velvet panels.

The original embroidery was 5 x 5 inches and the print sees this enlarged to 17 x 17 inches, the perfect size for a cushion or wall hanging. The detail and texture of the original paint and stitch shows up really well on this scale.

1. Choosing a thread
2. Hand quilting close up
3. The reverse
4. Thinking of adding more colours

I cut a 17 x 17 inch square each of soft cotton interlining and a medium weight muslin to make my “quilt sandwich”. I pinned them together starting in the centre and working my way out to the edges, then I was ready to start stitching. I used Aurifil 12 weight in the most beautiful fushia pink.

Hand quilting complete

I decided to make it into a cushion and chose a dark grey velvet back panel and top stitched edges to make the design pop..

Completed cushion

I had forgotten how soft and pliable hand quilted pieces are. As tempting as using my machine is for speed I did enjoy the therapeutic aspect of hand stitching and the feel of the completed panel.

If you want to make a similar cushion or panel take as look on my website https://www.alisonholt.com/cushions.php?link=menu there are 6 designs to choose from.

6 different printed panels based on my original embroideries, these have all been made into cushions.

Lavender Field

I am very pleased to be an Aurifil Artisan for a second year. It’s a pleasure to work with them as a company and use their fabulous threads. Here is a step by step of my process showing the evolution of my Lavender Field. This has been worked using my favourite Aurifil thread, 50 weight cotton.

1. Choosing the composition and threads.
2. The first few stitches on my silk painted base.
3. Adding more shades of green for the trees and defining the lavender plants
4.Starting to embroiderer the lavender flowers in the distance
Progressing towards the foreground adding more flowers and stems

The flowers are worked in a straight stitch at first and I as move towards the foreground I use a small zigzag stitch to make a larger mark to represent each flower. The direction that they lie, the size of stitch and the various shades of purple all add to the realism I aim for.

I try to get movement into my scenes, so you can imagine the lavender moving in the breeze. It’s a living thing and I want it to look alive!

Completed embroidery

#Artistsupportpledge update

I felt an update was due to let everyone know how the last few weeks have been for me. If you read the previous blog post you will be up to speed on the #artistsupportpledge.

The support has been wonderful, thank you. My sales have continued thanks to collectors of my work in USA, NZ, UK and Europe. So lots of trips to the post office and perfecting my wrapping skills!

The other great part of the pledge is the promise to purchase artwork from another participating artist. I have linked up with artists all around the world following their work on Instagram. Here are the first few pictures I have bought.

The first purchase. An oil painting, The Brisoms by Steve Sherris an artist based on the Ilses of Scilly

This is my second purchase, “Morning Light” by David Smith a UK artist. It hangs in our breakfast room and looks great especially in the evening lit by the lamp below.

I will continue with the pledge producing new pieces of my work with the incentive to be able to buy more from other artists but also grateful to have an outlet for my work during this time. It has become a joyous community of artists that have connected with each other through worrying times.

Clockwise top left- Oil by Christina Weaver.(USA) Watercolour by Sara Johnson. (UK)
Watercolour by Deboah Gourley (UK).
Oil by Sergiu Ciochina (MOLDOVA)

It is such a generous scheme, giving everyone access to original artwork at a fraction of the cost that artists normally sell for. Something to cheer us up until life gets back on track.

If you are tempted to buy take a look on my embroidery page on my website and look at the range of £200 or less embroideries on offer. I will be adding new ones regularly too.

Thanks again to all of you who have bought so far your support is much appreciated.

Artist Support Pledge

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists like me have found themselves without art fairs, teaching and gallery work. Exhibitions and sales have disappeared. In an attempt to help alleviate some of this stress a UK artist Matthew Burrows instigated the ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE #artistsupportpledge

The concept is a simple one. Artists post images of their work on Instagram, which they are willing to sell for no more than £200 each. Anyone can buy the work. Every time an artist reaches £1000 of sales, they pledge to spend £200 on another artists work.

Matthew said. “I realised the work needed to be cheap enough to make selling it an act of generosity, but also I needed to make that infectious because generosity creates generosity.” Since Matthew posted his first image and wrote those fateful words ‘I pledge’ it has become a global movement towards a generous culture and economy in support of artists and makers.

The first 4 embroideries I created under the scheme inspired by my walks with my new dog in the glorious weather we are having here.

I thought this was such a great idea so I have joined in this initiative on my Instagram and Facebook pages. I have created new work especially for it priced at £200 or less. It has been successful and I have subsequently bought pieces of artwork from participants on the scheme! A painting of a seascape by an artist on the @scillyartist, a watercolour by @debourahgourley and a beautiful misty landscape in oils @davidsmithart

4 more embroideries based on the beautiful cherry blossom I saw in Japan

These £200 embroideries are also available on my website for people who don’t follow me on Instagram and Facebook. If you want to see the new ones as I post them you can follow me by clicking on the Instagram or Facebook logo on my home page. Thanks!

It feels good to produce new work, sell to all over the world and the best bit is having the perfect excuse to buy art, its addictive!

Creating in lockdown

It’s a strange time, I find myself creating art for exhibitions and events that have been cancelled or at least postponed. It makes me realise that deadlines and imagining my work in a space is quite an important part of the process. That has always helped to supply the drive. I have had to produce work with no aim other than for the love it! How wonderful you say, but it was a tricky transition at first!

Life doesn’t feel too different from normal on some days but lockdown can produce a level of anxiety, fear of the unknown and worst of all, separation from loved ones, we all know now how that feels. We are all trying to find the positives each day. For me this means long walks with my new dog Bobby, accompanied by my son or husband who share lockdown with me. Baking flapjacks and chocolate cake, cooking lovely food and gardening. Wine o’clock has crept a little earlier in the evening than usual and sometimes it’s a cheeky G&T to round off another day.

It’s been a pleasure to allow the good weather to distract me into my garden, which, like many is in shock due to the amount of attention its getting! Cooler days and inspiration gets me in the studio creating embroideries.

I have been working on pieces that were due to go in exhibitions as they were already in progress and I was keen to complete them. In addition I have been experimenting with my embellishing machine. I have tried to make images by felting layers together, learning which fabrics work, how to blend colours and finally add definition with stitch. It has been an interesting learning curve.

One of my embellished landscapes

I have experimented with filming myself stitching, thinking it would be of interest. It was a challenge, getting the right gadget to hold the phone, trying not to nudge the camera when I rethread the machine, getting the right camera angle and still be able to see to stitch! I got there eventually and posted the results on social media with a great response from followers, so it was worth the effort!

A new Aurifil Challenge

It has been a while since I took part in an Aurifil challenge. Recently they have been geared towards hand stitching or quilting and although in these days of lockdown there is a thought that we are all supposed to be learning new skills, I passed up the chance in favour of this one! A project in our favourite weight of Aurifil thread. Mine is the cotton weight 50 and this embroidery shows off the fabulous range of colours on offer.

I have been revisiting images of fruit and vegetables recently and I was drawn to these bright red raspberries. I was intrigued by the subtle colour changes and the structure and form of the berries with their individual little spheres. A challenge!

I designed and painted a silk base of these sunlit raspberries with the intention of only stitching three berries and 2 leaves. I stretched it in a hoop ready to stitch and selected the range of Aurifil threads I would need. I love the range of tones available which help to give my work its 3 dimensional look.

This set of four images shows the progression of this piece. First of all I worked the stems in parallel rows of straight stitch in shades of green and yellow. The berries are worked with a curved line of zigzag in each colour, starting with the darkest tone and then overlapping each subsequent colour a little. As each colour has been added to the berries they became more realistic and 3 dimensional.

The final stage with the leaves stitched

This is now complete and needs stretching and framing to set it off to the best advantage. Thanks Aurifil, it was my pleasure!

My Sewing Street Debut

I was invited on Sewing Street to promote my new book Machine Embroidered Art. We were to talk about the book and I would demonstrate some of the stitch techniques I use. Its a shopping channel that focuses on textiles and sewing of all types and they were working with Search Press and their authors.

The tv studios are near Redditch and I arrived at 8am to prepare to go on live tv at 9am! I met the presenter, John and the small all woman team of producer, director and camera operator. I unpacked all my boxes, I had prepared many stitch samples, framed finished pieces and lots of embroideries in progress to illustrate how I work.They were delighted with the amount as we had lots to choose from.

We chatted quickly about the format of the show which was to last an hour, which techniques I would demonstrate and which parts of the book we would look at. My trusty Bernina had its name taped out as the channel sells another well known brand. I realised I was going to have to sew standing up, new challenge! Someone arranged my pictures around the set and all too quickly they were counting down 10 seconds, live in 5 and John was suddenly introducing himself and me!

The hour absolutely flew by. I didn’t have time to be nervous I was too busy. I focused on all I wanted to say about the book and show the viewers as much as possible of the freehand embroidery techniques. We had live questions to answer throughout the hour as viewers were encouraged to do that through their Facebook page. John’s enthusiasm for my work and book moved the time rapidly on and suddenly we were finished.

As we promised everyone a signed copy I stayed at the studios and signed all the books we had sold online. I enjoyed a well earned cup of coffee as we then discussed the next project I will do for them. How exciting. Watch this space!

Its available to view on their YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHP-FWeqvy6Y1m4PEAMlijg

Changes and New Challenges for 2020

I am very excited to be working with a new gallery for 2020. Ty Meirion is a lovely gallery on the edge of Snowdonia National Park between the mountains and the coast. A beautiful part of the world that has inspired many pieces of my work for years.

The beach at Barmouth, N. Wales

I will be making new work for 3 selected exhibitions. Starting in April with “Coastal and Maritime” followed by “Art in Nature” in July and finally “Illuminate: the Night Sky of Snowdonia” in November. An interesting range of themes for me to be inspired by, I am looking forward to the challenge!
More details on my exhibitions page for dates and the gallery location.

Another new venture for me is to be represented by The Daniel Raphael Gallery on Artsy. An online platform for collecting and discovering art.  Through its website and mobile app, Artsy offers users an opportunity browse through its catalogue of artwork without stepping into a physical gallery.

This will be the first time for 26 years that I will not be exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show. It is an opportunity for me to try new avenues and opportunities that come along. I am looking forward to a change of scene and pace to my creative year.

A New Venture: sumptuous velvet cushions!

I am very excited to announce my collaboration with a local company, Textile Express, on a new venture. A range of my embroideries have been printed on to the most beautiful cotton velvet as cushion panels!

It’s been an interesting journey developing the designs, testing a range of fabrics and working on the colours to get a collection of 6 designs to this stage. We are finally ready and here they are!

Pink Cabbage velvet panel

Designed primarily as cushion panels but so many other ideas are dancing around in our minds!

White Rose, design as a completed cushion

They are available as flat panels for you to sew or as cushions complete with a feather pad.

The panels can also be used for a variety of soft furnishings, making a great design statement as a chair seat or back. Another idea is to frame one or mount it on a canvas and put them on the wall, just one or maybe a set of them!

Eryngiums and Daises, a complete cushion

I also like the idea of incorporating them into a quilt or velvet throw and they would make great tote bags. The possibilities are all there for you to explore!

There are 6 designs. See the full range here

Complete cushion, the Red House Garden design

Settling back at Home.

I love the way I get to travel teaching and exhibiting but being away for 7 weeks means I have to come home and pick up the pieces of life and work. It always feels strange at first, I don’t know whether to take it slow after a few hectic weeks away or to dive into new work as the creative juices have been on the back burner.

Well it is a mixture of both, I try to be logical and do the practical Must Do list first. Unpacking, reframing, catching up on emails and post.

Then finally I can move on to new embroideries, like the December Aurifil challenge! It’s great to be back and to be able to create my own work again.

The brief was a seasonal project. So I opted for an image inspired by a frosty morning in Shropshire. I decided on 5 x 7 inches as the overall size.

Starting in the distance with the hedges and frosty grass in the field

First of all a painted background using Deka silk paints and then choosing some threads. Aurifil 50w cotton is my favourite for this way of working.

The distance fields and foreground details are complete.

It’s complete and all with just 2 types of stitches, straight stitch and zigzag. It is great to be home!

The Australian Leg

April helping me hang my exhibition in Gallery76

I moved on to Syndey for the second part of my trip, to be hosted by the Embroiderers Guild of NSW for a pop up exhibition of my work, a lecture, a weekend course and a 1 day masterclass! Busy week !

I had a super group of students who produced some exciting work on my courses in Sydney. They are on my students work page on my website.

Embellishing play day!

I did have some time off in Sydney and my host was kind enough to let me play with her embellishing/felting machine. It was so much fun. This is my first effort and I also satisfied my urges for some therapeutic hand stitching on this piece. Inspired by the NZ bush colours and textures. Watch this space for more embellishing pieces !

I moved on to WA for the final 10 days. First to Perth for a few days off and bizarrely experiencing the coldest October day in Perth in 17 years! I enjoyed exploring Fremantle and also gorgeous gardens with the early summer flowers

I taught a 3 day course in Margaret River midweek, we made 3D lacy winter trees and applied them to silk painted skies. What a beautiful set of work came out of this workshop!

Finally back to Perth for the last bit of teaching, this was for TAAMMI a textile group strongly focused on machine embroidery. We worked on Colourful Landscapes I was very proud of the standard of work achieved.

I always love the enthusiasm of my students when I travel such distances to share my skills and experience

An evening stroll on the beach south of Margaret River

New Zealand adventures

What to do when its raining….write my blog!

I am into my third week away here in New Zealand and I am having an enjoyable and eventful time. I started the trip in Napier with my exhibition at the Boyd Dunlop Gallery. I shared the show “Silk and Glass” with New Zealand glass artist Evelyn Dunstan. Her work is incredible, she is such a talent, intricate natural forms in lead crystal using the lost wax method. ( I was fortunate to visit Evelyns studio when I was in Auckland and see the process.) I was very proud to have my embroideries displayed alongside her work.

The gallery looked amazing, I was thrilled to see my work given such status in a beautiful space. Richard is keeping the unsold pieces in the gallery when the exhibition ends and we are planning a new exhibition for 2020. Looks like I will have to come back again. Hooray!

After a few days enjoying Napier, the Art Deco architecture and the art galleries  I travelled to Auckland for the Quilt Symposium. This was 5 days of teaching, 2 courses and 38 students! We were based at St Cuthberts College and I was one of about 40 tutors from far and wide including New Zealand, Canada, USA, Australia and the UK. The week embraced all things textile!

My students on the Crashing Waves course

My students on the Colourful Landscapes course

There were courses, exhibitions, lectures, shopping opportunities and best of all a chance to meet other tutors who were previously just names I knew well. That networking is invaluable and it is so good to share experiences with like minded people. It was a pleasure to meet Kim Thittichai, Alysn Midgelow-Marsden and Pat Archibald. Oohhh look at me name dropping!

“Our” beach in front of the Airbnb at Ferry Landing

After the Symposium I had booked a place to stay on the Coromandel Peninsula at Ferry Landing, a couple of hours from Auckland. The weather was very kind and we enjoyed sunshine and walks on deserted beaches.

Fresh fish for breakfast with the view from the deck

We visited Hot Water Beach which was huge fun, to see people furiously digging enormous holes up to 6ft deep to create their own mini spa from the natural hot springs under the sand. We took the lazy option and used an abandoned one!

In Waiau Kauri Grove and waterfalls

We explored the peninsula thoroughly with walks in the bush and a climb up and over Shakespeare Cliff to Lonely Bay. We took the passenger ferry over to Witianga for dinner one evening and just relaxed. It was the perfect antidote to the previous week! 

Hot Water Beach fun!

So a few more days in NZ left to enjoy, a wonderful stay with friends in Hastings followed by Lake Taupo and Bay of Plenty. Then John returns home and I head to Syndey for the Aussie bit of this trip.

Woven Skies

I love the unexpected opportunities that come my way. I open up my emails and find things like this!

Hi Alison,

I discovered some of your designs scouring the internet. I’m a jazz guitarist based in London, and I’ve just recorded a debut album, entitled ‘Woven Skies.’

I’m looking for some main artwork to go on the front of the CDs. After talking to various photographers about a nice sunset sky or landscape for the cover, I’m thinking I might want to take the title a bit more literally!

How exciting to have a piece of my artwork used this way! Do check out Eddys music via his website.

http://www.eddywhite.com/

 

Aurifil Challenge #2!

My trip to NZ is imminent and before I leave once again I am responding to the Aurifil challenge! This time, use more than 5 colours on a project.

Choosing the thread colours

I feel it was an obvious one for me to choose in one way as using more that 5 colours is really not unusual for me. I used the 50wt cotton, a fine thread that allows me to get lots of detail in a small area. Here is the silk painted base stretched in the hoop with some dark green stitching giving some texture and definition to the foliage.

Inspired by a photograph of my garden, it is an excuse to have an image of it highlighted in stitch while I travel to other side of the world. It will be a pleasant reminder of home while I am in NZ and Australia

This is the side entrance to our garden, looking its colourful best in May when all our rhododendrons are in full bloom.

I have used straight stitch for all this embroidery,  just varying the length of stitch and the textures for each area. The arch and fence was a test of a steady hand and good control of the hoop. I have used a very dark brown with pale grey highlights. 

When I took the photograph the gate was open, making it an invitation to come in and look around. I chose to embroider the fence and arch and actually left the gate out! Did you notice…of course you did. Artistic license!

It will be on display at Gallery76 which is the NSW Embroiderers Guild Headquarters, Queen St, Concord West Sydney Australia on 25th October 2019 for a week., while I am there teaching courses.

Aurifil Artisan Challenges

I am prepping for various activities ahead. An exhibition in Napier, New Zealand, another in Sydney and a Quilt Symposium in Auckland to mention just few.

I also have an Aurifil challenge scheduled for this month and I have  been eagerly awaiting the arrival of my threads. The colour choice is just one of the things that Aurifil cotton 50wt does so well in my opinion, it is superb. Their beautiful colours in a wide range of tonal values enables me to paint with stitches and create my trademark 3 dimensional effect.

My embroideries begin as a simple photograph which I translate into a silk painting, so that when I start on the stitches the process becomes about making marks in thread.

Silk painted base

This is when the process becomes all about definition and texture. These marks create the artwork through pattern and colour.

Here is the sequence tracking my progress with this ” Patio Pots ” inspired embroidery. It includes a little reverse stitching (aka unpicking) having originally misjudged the amount of yellow flowers in the foreground.

 

That’s better! A minor adjustment but worth the effort. If it’s not right it has to come out. Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you Aurifil, awesome threads!

Home Again

I am home after my week at Chelsea. The weather and sales were great. We saw friends and customers and had a busy but successful time.
It’s a great venue for meeting people from all around the world. 
I am now relaxing at home enjoying my garden which has bloomed, in my absence, into the most gorgeous colours. 
My next event is my Open Studios in the middle of June. So, tidy up the garden, hang up the pictures and look forward to welcoming all my visitors. 
Come and see me, I am open over 2 weekends in June, 8th 9th and 15th 16th 10am to 5pm each day.
A bit of news from before my trip to Chelsea….
With only a day to go until the deadline I chanced upon the opportunity to apply to be an Aurifil Artisan. I have been a huge fan of their threads for many years. They sponsored my Woodland book years ago and funded me exhibiting at the European Patchwork Meeting at Sainte Marie aux Mines. I was delighted to get this email and to be working with Aurifil and the team.
Hello Alison,
Congratulations on being selected as an Aurifil Artisan for 2019!! We were all so impressed with your application and are very excited about working together this year to promote you, your work, and Aurifil thread.
Today we are thrilled to welcome our 2019 Aurifil Artisan Team. We were incredibly humbled by the enormous response that we received to our call for applications. We had a very tough job in narrowing down over 250 applicants to a team of 50.

That time of year again!

The main focus for me at the moment is creating new work. It’s the run up to the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Run is a good choice of word, it certainly is not a stroll. Lots to organise before the set up day. The most important element is the work of course.

I need to create a well designed exhibition space with its pots and planting looking the best I can manage but it is really the embroideries that need to be the star of the show. I try to be organised well ahead of time and not panic. It’s always the same date, third week in May, so I can’t claim it was sprung upon me! I think I actually like the adrenaline rush and trying to cram just one more embroidery into the collection. I am never short of ideas and inspiration just time!

This year my work includes coastal walks in Cornwall, days spent in the Lakes and further afield, the wild lupins in New Zealand.

Inspired by a visit to Langdale, Cumbria

Work in progress, Lake Tekapo and an abundance of wild lupins

I am also featuring fruit and vegetables alongside my more familiar landscapes and garden scenes. Broccoli, cabbages, blackberries and a cauliflower so far. They are small studies 5 x 5 inches (12 x 12cm). Packed full of details and a mixture of paint and stitch. I have enjoyed exploring the techniques to make this subject matter work, I am enjoying the results. I imagine stitching more of them right up to the night before the show!

There could be strawberries…raspberries…oh and artichokes, possibilities are endless!  

Work/life balance

The year is racing by and this week the weather is fabulous, especially for February so a little time in the garden was in order.  We have had the snowdrops and now the hellebores, primulas and daffodils are making an appearance, it makes me eager for Spring.

I don’t want to wish away the weeks though as this is the time of year I am busy with new work for Chelsea Flower Show. There never seems to be long enough for all the ideas I have for new pieces. The show will be upon me before I know it!

New work in progress. Foreground to complete with fenceposts, wild flowers and grasses.

I am planning some embroideries based on the photographs of NZ and Australia from last year, also some cherry blossom from Japan which is nearly 12 months ago, where did that year go?

I am mixing in some teaching and a little more travel, but this time it was for a holiday not work. Although there is inspiration everywhere so I did take a lot of photographs!

My husband and I went to South Africa for 2 weeks, starting in Cape Town for a few days and then along the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth and finally a few days in a game reserve for the most amazing experience. And before anyone asks…I have no intentions of adding animals to my range of embroideries!

As usual this the time of year for planning my Australia/NZ trip. This year it’s a month earlier and I will start the trip in NZ at the Quilt Symposium and an exhibition at the Boyd Dunlop Gallery in Napier. I will then travel to Sydney to visit the NSW Embroiderers Guild Headquarters for a lecture, weekend course and a masterclass. The final part of the trip will be a visit to Perth and Margaret River for 3 courses.

New work for Chelsea

Meanwhile it’s time for me to concentrate on the Chelsea Flower Show and all those embroideries I want to make!

Finally…NZ trip: part 2!

With the best intentions to write my final blog on my NZ travels before the end of 2018 I failed! With only a few days between arriving home and our boys coming home to join us for a week over Christmas it didn’t happen unfortunately. But here it is!

After travelling down the west coast we moved inland and stayed in Te Anu so we could drive to Milford Sound. We enjoyed more amazing scenery with a trip into Fiordland, driving along the river valley with wild lupins growing in abundance. Towards Milford Sound the valley gets deeper and the mountains get higher. The boat trip when we arrived was fabulous, we saw seals and waterfalls everywhere along the sheer sides of the fiord. A few days in Lake Tepeko was the next stop, turquoise water looked almost unnatural and the surrounding snow capped mountains made a beautiful backdrop. We went up to the observatory to see the 360° view, breathtaking!

Final destination before heading home was Christchurch. We have had not been prior to the earthquake so couldn’t compare then and now but there was plenty of evidence of a city being rebuilt. The Christchurch Gallery is an amazing building. The exterior has beautiful curved glass walls and inside is light and spacious with national and international artists well represented . We enjoyed the Botanical Gardens too. Its huge with a river meandering through it and a lot of variety of native trees and flowers.

 Home was via Abu Dhabi with an opportunity to see the Louvre Gallery. A truly  amazing building with a metal lace dome curving over a cluster of white buildings all on the waters edge.

  We couldn’t leave before visiting the Grande Mosque, the largest in the world and awe inspiring in its scale and majesty . This was an inspirational trip. I took hundreds of photographs and I am full of ideas for new embroideries.  Watch this space!

More adventures in NZ

This trip continued to be a combination of inspiration for my work and a success in Napier! Apologies for all the photos it’s been a challenge to choose from so many. I hope it gives a flavour of the amazing country of NZ.

We travelled across country from Auckland towards the east coast, stopping at the Huka Falls nr Taupo en route. What an amazing sight, the colour of the water was a deep turquoise and the volume incredible to see. 

Moving on we arrived in Hastings and Napier for a 6 day stay. Napier is a beautiful Art Deco coastal town, with great architecture, galleries, coffee shops and long elegant seafront promenade and gardens.

Whilst there I visited the Boyd Dunlop Gallery in the town which has a strong eclectic mix of art on show. They represent some well respected NZ and international artists and I now have my work there too! They have 9 of my embroideries and will display several of them in their Christmas Show. I am thrilled to have my work there and we have plans for a show in 2019.

One of my embroideries chosen by Richard Boyd Dunlop for the gallery

We headed on from the east coast to wine country and to Martinborough for 1 night to enjoy the region for the second time.

Outside the pretty cottage we stayed in 

We then went down to Wellington to catch the ferry over to South Island. A beautiful trip with an opportunity to see the fantastic coastline into Picton.

Our time staying in Nelson was the first taste of South Island, it’s a beautiful town, a cluster of hills with views over the ocean. We especially enjoyed a trip through the vinyards out along the Golden Bay to Wharariki Beach.

On the outskirts we discovered WOW, the Wearable Art Museum and there is an amazing collection of Classic cars too. 

It was time to move on and our next destination was Franz Josef Glacier. A drive down the wild west coast, we stopped at various points, for a picnic lunch overlooking the sea and several walks into the rainforests for embroidery inspiration. Finally arrived to stay a couple of days and the highlight was a helicopter flight.  We went up to the snow capped mountains to land and then flew over Fox and Franz Josef to see the glaciers up close! Thrilling!

The next drive took us further south over the Haast pass between Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea to Queenstown and then to where we stayed, Te Anau. More beautiful scenery. 

 

Te Anau was our stopping point on the edge of Fiordland National Park for the planned trip to Milford Sound. This was to be one of the most amazing drives through a picturesque valley and boat trip along a majestic fjord. That’s for the next blog!

On to Melbourne and beyond

My trip continued with a stay in Melbourne teaching 2 classes at the weekends with a few days of relaxation in between. I started with a class for Carly Leech in Forest Hill called “Sunshine and Shadows”, exploring the unexpected colours found in shadows and the broad tonal range needed to give the images intensity and impact. There were some super results from the 2 day workshop, they are on the students work page on my website.

Mid week I had the chance to visit The Heide Museum of Modern Art, to see a super exhibition by Mirka Mora “Pas des Deux” Drawings and Dolls.

 It is an extraordinary range of work, I especially loved the colourful fabric dolls she created. It was a great opportunity to see these as they are normally kept in the family home.

One of my favourite activities is garden browsing! My lovely host did not disappoint with a local garden famous for its wisteria arch. Unfortunately too late for that but the poppies were glorious!

Another day out took me to the amazing National Rhododendron Gardens, a visual treat and really inspirational with a laburnam arch in full flower as well as azaleas and rhododendrons.

My second weekend was teaching the Melbourne Guild the detailed flower study course “Up Close and Personal”.  A great group of students in full creative mode produced some super results.

All too soon my time in Australia came to an end and it was time to move on to NZ…

Starting with a few days in Auckland and from there a visit to Piha Beach. A stunning view from the headland above is tantalising and the walk along the beach was fabulous. So much inspiration for my embroideries when I get back home!

It is famous as the location for the film “The Piano”. Powerful waves crashing against the rocks and a great sweeping curve at the waters edge gave me some great photos. My adventures continue with a few days in Hawkes Bay staying near the beautiful town of Napier.  I will tell all in my next blog post!

Australia Trip: Travelling and Teaching

It’s only been a week since I left the UK and it feels more like three. I arrived in Sydney and was met at the airport to be taken to stay with the President of Embroiderers Guild NSW in a calm, spacious house in Breakfast Point. Lucky me and a big thank you to Ron and Wendy.

After a necessary day of rest I went into the Guild headquarters to hang my exhibition of 30 embroideries in their beautiful Gallery76. It’s on the top floor of their custom designed building, with great light and gleaming white walls. I had lots of help from April, their gallery curator and we were very pleased with the end result. They had kindly organised a launch that evening with wine and nibbles and with a little jet lag lingering I hope I made sense to all the people I spoke to!

My course “Crashing Waves” started the next day and I had the weekend with a group of enthusiastic student’s. Their work is on my website. Please take a look, they made some great embroideries. I closed the weekend with a talk in the evening about my inspiration and process. Everyone seemed to enjoy it with many really insightful questions to end the session.

“Autumn Sunshine” part of the Embroiderers Guild NSW Collection

One of the highlights of my week here is the purchase of a piece of my work by the Guild for their Collection.  “Autumn Sunshine” is the piece and it will be housed in the Archive Room and be available for students to study and will be hung in Guild exhibitions. I feel honoured to have an embroidery of mine in their Collection, I am in esteemed company!

I have been invited back to teach for the Guild in 2019, we are planning a weekend course in late October but also an additional Masterclass, I will keep you posted.

I have had a couple of leisure days too. A trip to Bondi Beach for the cliff walk to Tamarama Beach. We thought we were too late for the Sculpture by the Sea but fortunately a few were still in place and they looked amazing in that rugged setting. My trip here next year will be a little earlier and I will be able to see the full exhibition of sculptures, can’t wait!

Only a couple more days for me here in Sydney then on to Melbourne for 2 more courses. I am really looking forward to catching up with friends there.

From the Summer into Autumn!

I really have enjoyed this great summer. I am fortunate to be able to open up the bi fold doors of my studio and keep cool. It feels great to let the garden and my workspace merge into one, especially when I have students there too. We have enjoyed lunches on the lawn and have to drag ourselves back in to the task in hand!

I have been teaching in some lovely locations too. A residential course in deepest Dorset and “Etched in Frost” in sunny Brighton in July. Also several courses at home in Oswestry and the most recent in Harwich at The Old Bank Studios where “Flowers and Foliage” kept everyone busy and happy for 2 days.

Celebrations in the Royal Academy!


I have managed a bit of down time too. A few days in the Lakes was a highlight and a few trips to London. I felt I had to take advantage of my artwork being in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition so went 4 times!! It has been so lovely to share the experience with friends and family.

My next adventure is my annual trip to Australia.  I will be teaching in Melbourne and in Sydney, where I will also give a lecture and  have an exhibition of new embroideries. It will be at Gallery76 which is in the Embroiderers Guild Headquarters NSW. More details of rimes and dates on my courses page. I will also be teaching again in Hastings NZ as part of my trip.

Here is a sneak preview of some of my new work.

Chelsea and The Royal Academy

Where to start with an update on my activities…!?

The Chelsea Flower Show:  the annual trek to London for the 3rd week in May. This is 7 days away, starting with packing my pictures into the car, throwing clothes for every weather condition into the suitcase and organising pots and plants to decorate the stand. I pushed the boat out and painted the stand a gorgeous shade of green to set off all the new embroideries.

The weather, gardens and sales were excellent this year. I saw new and established collectors of my work each day. The wonderful part of Chelsea is the enthusiastic and well informed visitors from all around the word. It was my 25th time and continues to be the highlight of my exhibiting year.

The week ended on a real high, I got an email from the Royal Academy telling me my submission had been accepted into The RA Summer Exhibition!

I was delighted to be part of this prestigious event and headed back down to London for Varnishing Day on June 4th.  Traditionally a day for artists to varnish or add the finishing touch to their artwork. We all gathered in the courtyard of Burlington House with a steel band to create the atmosphere. All the artists first walk down Piccadilly to St. James Church for the Service for Artists and then back to the Academy for a Reception. It was a terrific day, so wonderful to see my picture hanging up in the same exhibition as David Hockey and Grayson Perry with a glass of bubbly in my hand!

And the icing on the cake…it sold on the first preview day!

Next in the diary was my Open Studios event, this was the 18th year and is still going strong. A big push to get the garden looking its best as visitors seem to enjoy that as much as the embroideries! We had great weather which is not the norm for those 2 weekends in June! Lots of visitors, lots of friends and some people who had come a long way to see me. The lady from Southampton wins the prize for the longest distance travelled!

We had a lovely trip down to Cornwall for a few days, it was a great break between the 2 weekends of Open Studios, designed to stop me working straight through! We spent one day in Padstow enjoying a fab lunch in the Rick Stein Bistro, a day in Falmouth and another walking across to St Michaels Mount in the sunshine.

We are into April…finally Spring!

Too busy to write a blog is a poor excuse but it has been a very full diary for me these past 2 months! I have had lots of studio time, teaching, planning and travelling.

I have my flights booked for Australia and New Zealand for this November, I am excited to be going again, this is my 6th year in a row! I will be in Sydney to teach, lecture and exhibit my embroideries at NSW Embroiderers Headquarters. Also  Melbourne and Hastings, NZ. teaching a range of courses. Full details on my courses/Australia page.

The big event recently was my 17 day trip to Japan. It was a holiday, not work, which made a change. I had time to soak up the culture ancient and modern

It was a terrific experience in a fascinating country. We stayed in 5 different locations and saw some wonderful sights. We coincided with the cherry blossom time which made the first week very special. Starting the trip with a few days in Tokyo visiting temples, shrines and so many beautiful gardens was a great introduction to Japan.

From there we took a day trip to see the Snow Monkeys in Nagano. They are wonderful to see in their family groups.

Our next destination was Hakone for some gorgeous scenery and an amazing sculpture park. Another train journey took us on to stay with a lovely Japanese family in Kyoto, a beautiful experience in a fascinating city and finally Osaka with its neon city lights and great street food.

We got to see Mount Fuji too!


I took many photographs on the trip and I am very excited to create some cherry blossom embroideries. If I hurry up I may have one in time for Chelsea.

The embroidery I submitted to the RA Summer Exhibition has got through to the next stage so it will be going down to London on May 10th to go in front of the Judges. A way to go yet but I have got further than last year. Wish me luck!

One of my embroideries (“Amongst the Linseed”, see previous blog post) has been bought by Diana Springall to be included in her extensive collection. http://www.dianaspringallcollection.co.uk/ Lovely to be in in such esteemed company.

Work continues at speed for Chelsea Flower Show with only 5 weeks to go, trying not to panic. A new colour scheme this year so the paint brushes will be out to give new life to my sale counter! I hope to see you there!

On into February

The snowdrops have appeared outside my studio door, as reliable as ever, they signal to me, that the year is slowly moving on. The primulas and daffodils will be next and spring will really be here. Hooray!

Keeping warm, busy and being productive is my main goal at the moment. I have the Chelsea Flower Show to plan artwork for and my theme for this year is colourful landscapes and gardens. Seems obvious somehow but previous years my work has been more focused on trees, moss and earthy green landscapes so this will have another slant. For my 25th consecutive year there I hope the body of work will look refreshingly different while still looking like my work of course!

Rhododendrons in Full Bloom

Rhododendrons in Full Bloom

This is one of the large garden scenes I plan to have filling the main wall of my stand at Chelsea. I am aiming for 9 on the same theme displayed in a tight group but if I run out of time 6 will work too!

Amongst the Linseed

Amongst the Linseed on display in “Stitch”

An unexpected email has lead to my work being part of an exhibition this month in London called Stitch. It is at the Daniel Raphael Gallery and it runs from February 22nd to March 22nd. I will have eight pieces of my work included in the show.

It’s an intriguing collection of embroidered work by 7 textile artists, hand and machine embroiderers, all with interesting stories to tell and wide ranging imagery. “We are part of a new generation of artists that are enabling embroidery to transcend its domesticity into the fine arts”.

I am delighted to be part of the show and to have a second London gallery (the other being M1 Fine Art in Greenwich ) showcasing my embroidery.

The Moss Beneath my Feet

“The Moss Beneath my Feet” is on display in the “Stitch” exhibition

 

Fighting the January Blues

Fighting the winter blues is always a bit of a challenge, but when it’s so cold, the daylight is grey, at best and I am recovering from flu it’s more difficult than usual.

Inspiration and preparation

Painted backgrounds and threads ready to start stitching

I decided the antidote to potential misery was colourful embroideries! I had a few pieces in progress and decided to look at the most sunny and colourful to work on and found these flower based ideas.

Embroidered Lavender

Close up studies of lavender

I happily stitched and completed each background, enjoying the process after my trip to Aus and NZ which always means an enforced break from my own work.

Welsh Poppies from my garden

Welsh Poppies from my garden

It seemed to work and feeling enthused I trawled through all my photos from my recent trip to Australia and NZ to revisit all those blue skies and summer colour. I found a series of images from a beautiful rhododendron garden we stumbled across in the Blue Mountains. 2 of them immediately attracted me and seemed obvious choices for new work.

Sunlit Rhododendrons

Completed embroidery on the “Sunlight and Shadows” theme

They were just what I needed, colourful and vibrant to lift my spirits. Painting with bright colours and selecting lovely pinks, reds and bright blue threads to work with was already firing up my enthusiasm. I thought a series would be a good idea, thinking about my display at Chelsea in May (planning ahead!) and I remembered had taken some photographs of my own garden when the rhododendrons and blue ceonothus was in flower. So then I had 3 images to play around with and I wanted them to work together. Looking at the compositions and overall size was a good starting point.

Photographs of my garden and silk painted background

Photographs of my garden and silk painted background

Sketches followed, lots of standing back, looking, thinking and drinking tea! Finally a commitment was made on each piece and I could draw each one on to the silk and paint the background colours.

Painted background of the rhododendrons

Painted background of the rhododendrons

As usual some pre arranged teaching popped up in my schedule and an enforced break from my own work came along. It’s never a bad thing, I like the space between the processes, it gives me thinking time, stops me rushing in, too eager to finish a piece without due consideration.

So at this stage I have 3 backgrounds ready to stitch when I can get back into my studio! In the meantime winter is slipping by and the snowdrops are looking pretty outside my window. Daffodils will be next, hurry up spring!

So On to New Zealand

This is the second blog of my Aussie/NZ trip.

I spent a great week in Port Macquarie NSW. teaching 2 courses, “Seascapes” and “Up Close and Personal” with Jenny at Stitched ‘n’ Framed. A lovely well lit, spacious workshop room above the colourful fully stocked patchwork and quilting shop. Some students signed up for both courses and really built on their silk and thread painting skills. The work is on the students work page, please take a look!

I had a couple of days off between teaching and explored the area visiting the Koala hospital, a winery or 2, Coffs Harbour, Urunga, Crescent Head and the beautiful Bellingen Valley (Thank you Diane for that recommendation! ) its a beautiful area and I loved the coastline too. 

So after 4 weeks and 5 courses it was time to say goodbye to Australia and be very grateful for such great experiences yet again. Thank you everyone who made it so special, see you next year!

The next stage of my trip was to fly to New Zealand. Driving out of Auckland I could see the difference in the colours of the landscape immediately, lush bright greens and a more European feel to the scenery. Absolutely beautiful.

We travelled north to stay in the Bay of Islands for a few days. A wonderfully inspiring area, so lots of photography opportunities and a wealth of ideas for new embroideries. We found waterfalls and an amazing coastline with dramatic surf and empty beaches. We were fortunate with the weather too and had sunny days to explore a lot of the area.

The highlight of the week was a helicopter ride from Paihia out to the Hole in the Rock, one of the 144 islands, which has a distinctive hole in it large enough for boats to go through. It was a stunning visual treat and landing on the Rock was exhilarating. We had the chance to walk into the bush on the top to experience the lush vegetation first hand. It was a fantastic experience, memories are made of this!

It was soon time to get back to work so that meant heading south to Hastings for the weekend and meeting up with Georgina Campbell and her lovely family. We had a “Flowers and Foliage” course organised and 16 eager students to meet! It all ran smoothly and we had a lot of fun, what a great weekend. For my first teaching experience in NZ I couldn’t have asked for more.

Napier is a charming town near Hastings, it has lots of Art Deco architecture, outdoor cafes, a long promenade and pier and was a delightful place to visit on my day off.

The final stay in NZ was in Wellington, in Lyall Bay, south of the city, morning walks on the beach and an easy bus ride into the centre of Wellington meant we had the best of both worlds. We enjoyed the Cable Car and Botanical Gardens, exploring the beaches and seeing 2 blue penguins!

Finally it was time to leave NZ and head home. A stop over in Hong Kong was great fun. It’s a busy frenetic city with lots to see. We experienced excellent food in bustling street markets, a trip up to the Peak for the incredible views and a ride on the Star Ferry over to Kowloon to see all the city lit up with Christmas lights.

I arrived home to face the biggest snow fall for years. Minus 16 degrees in parts of Shropshire, what a shock to the system! However it’s great to be home, to see friends and family and plan a quiet Christmas. That’s enough excitement for me…well until next year!

Australian Adventures

This is the first of 2 blog posts, for this, my 5th trip to Australia. I have completed the first leg of the journey with my stay in WA. 3 courses taught so far, lots of lovely enthusiastic ladies eager to learn. Much to my delight some familiar faces from my previous trip had signed up for another course, some travelling from out of state to join me in Perth. This has been the busiest spell out of the 6 weeks, with 7 days teaching in 10 days. ( No sympathy needed but it was full on!) The weather has been over 30 degrees each day since I arrived, a sharp contrast to the weather I left behind in the UK. I have been fed and watered very well in each place I have stayed. Great hosts, thank you! It’s a bonding experience organising courses and the logistics so a glass or two of wine in the evening is a great way to ponder on the successes of the day! The students work is posted on the website and I am thrilled with the standard of work. A team effort on each occasion as the students listen attentively and work hard on their projects to achieve such great results.

Here is a piece by Jill, a student on the “Up Close and Personal” course in Margaret River.

Wendy demonstrates the sound proofed folding doors between the 2 classrooms on the top floor, making it into 1 large room.

While in Sydney I was invited to the headquarters of the Embroiderers’ Guild NSW to see the rebuild. I had an exciting tour with President Wendy Schmid as the building was being signed off by the architect and building inspectors. Wow! What an amazing custom built space. Several beautifully lit workshop rooms. A library and archive room. 4 gallery spaces, meeting rooms and shop. Over 3 floors this new place is fabulous. The details are lovely, especially the cross stitch inspired patterns of the tiles!

I am currently enjoying a few days in the Blue Mountains. The scenery and gardens are wonderful and I am feeling inspired for some new work when I get back in my studio.

Next stage is to drive on to Port Macquarie for my next couple of courses.

Heading Down Under!

I am about to leave on my 5th trip to Australia. It has become an autumn ritual for me heading ‘down under’ to teach a range of courses just as the temperature drops here in the UK! Great timing!

My bags are packed with clothes, embroidery samples, threads, course notes and hopefully everything else I will need for the 6 week trip. I start in Perth and after a couple of days to recover from the flight I will teach ‘Colourful Landscapes’

I then move down to Margaret River for the second course, which is called ‘Up Close and Personal’, the detailed study of flowers.

I head north again back to Perth for the third course ‘Sunlight and Shadows’ looking at broad tonal ranges in the landscape. It is a varied range of courses to start the trip.

So after 2 weeks in WA I fly to Sydney and from there will spend a few days in the Blue Mountains. A well earned rest to recharge my batteries I think!

My final destination in Australia is Port Macquarie, on the coast north of Sydney, I will teach 2 more courses at Stitched n Framed, ‘Seascapes’ and ‘Up Close and Personal’ for the second time.

 

The final leg of the journey, and a new experience for me is New Zealand. I will be on North Island for 2 weeks. Starting in the Bay of Islands then on to Hastings for my final course ‘Flowers and Foliage’ and finally a few days in Wellington. Phew!

Quite an adventure to look forward to, seeing old friends and hopefully making some new ones too! I plan to post more photos and updates each week.

A Very Busy Summer

It is a long time since my last blog post due to an exceptionally busy summer. I planned to have a leisurely one but 2 large commissions put paid to that. I can’t really complain and certainly would not get any sympathy if I did! I can’t reveal one of them as the client hasn’t seen it yet but I can show you the larger one.

The biggest ever at 36 x 26 inches, a large area of the piece is silk painting and it was to be presented over a stretcher frame like a box canvas (not stretched in my usual manner and mounted and framed under glass. A first for me.

Before I could start I needed to buy a frame big enough to stretch the silk on and a size 30 paintbrush (as the largest I normally use is an 8). The image I had to work from was taken on a phone and when printed at A4 was pixelated but I had enough to go on. My client and I had lots of discussions about content and composition and then I was ready to start.

 

The image is a view over Hampstead Heath featuring a row of distinctive winter trees, a family group with their dog and a pushchair, all telling a story of a typical day on the Heath.

The silk painting proved to be even trickier than I anticipated and took me several attempts to get the sky just how I wanted it. I did achieve a painted sky I was pleased with but it wasn’t close enough to the brief so I started yet again! All the silk painting advice I give to my students was going through my mind and I thought how much better they would feel if they could witness my failures! I did succeed in the end ( it wasn’t going to beat me) and then I moved onto the embroidery stage.

With a beautiful soft light glowing through the trees I used a loose bobbin thread to create the blue greys and muted purples and browns amongst the branches. I worked across the image moving the hoop several times, emphasising the variations in each tree, carefully stitching the bench, figures and dog until eventually I got across to the other side!

Once it was finished stretching the piece was tricky too, as any new technique can be. I wrestled with a staple gun and a large frame for a day or 2 and finally had a flat, taut, square finished piece. I suggested to my client a floating frame was a necessity to protect the edges of the bare silk and sent this photograph to illustrate the idea. A £1 coin shows the scale.

Once framed I delivered it to London and had the pleasure of hanging it on the wall in its designated space!

It was a challenge, all commissions are a step out of the comfort zone because the clients wishes are always in the forefront of my mind and I don’t have the same freedom as when I create for myself. This one was a whole lot of firsts! The reward is a happy client.

Open Studios 2017

Every June I open up my studio to the public for 2 weekends as part of the Borderland Visual Arts group Open Studios. I demonstrate and chat to everyone about my work. We welcome visitors to stroll around the garden and look at the photography display by Myk Briggs in the summerhouse. We had mixed weather as usual, persistent rain over the first weekend and a mini heatwave on the second!

We work on the garden to make it look its best and people really enjoy looking around it when they visit us. We had lots of people come to see us, some new faces and some regulars.

We took a trip to Cornwall between the 2 weekends. Visiting The Lost Gardens of Heligan, somewhere I have wanted to visit ever since I saw the show garden inspired by the renovations at the Chelsea Flower Show many years ago.

We ended the day in Mevagissey with a Cornish ice cream and a sit on the harbour wall.

 

Day 2 we enjoyed a great coastal walk near the Godrevy Lighthouse and Seal Bay.

 

Then on to St Ives to the Tate and the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture garden

We fitted in a visit to Wistman Wood on Dartmoor on the way home. It was a wonderful break and reminder of how beautiful our countryside is.

Chelsea Flower Show 2017

My 24th year at Chelsea! I can’t believe it. Where did those years go? The weather was wonderful with 6 days of sunshine and only one short sharp shower on Saturday morning.

We spend Sunday setting up the stand with all my new artwork, with the focus on several large pieces especially for the show. We had new lights, pots and plants and got it all ready for the judges to view it on Monday. The big surprise for me on Tuesday morning was to be awarded The RHS 3 Star Award for my stand! Its only taken 24 years, best not to rush these things! I was thrilled, what a great start to the week. 

 

Monday is press day with lots of celebrities and publicity stunts. It is the fun day to be there to see all the TV crews and this year all the Radio 2 DJ’s. We have very special visitors on Monday afternoon before the show opens to the public. A selection of Royals get their preview of all the gardens. This year I was fortunate to see the Queen, she really is marvellous for 91 years of age.

The gardens at Chelsea were interesting as usual, some controversial but all showing horticultural of the highest standard. My favourite was the Japanese Artisan garden with its waterfall and beautiful cushions of moss.

I had a successful week with sales and commissions, meeting up with collectors of my work and making new connections and sales to South Africa, Australia, Ireland and USA.

 I came home to my garden overflowing with coIour….and weeds! I now have two weeks to rest, tidy up the garden and get organised for my Open Studios on June 10th, 11th and 17th, 18th. Hope to see in Oswestry then!

 

Preparing for Chelsea Flower Show

It’s that time again when the weeks fly by and the “to do” list grows! Chelsea has become my main focus of the year for exhibiting my new work. From the time I arrive home in December from Australia up until mid May I am busy creating new pieces.  I think about how the stand will look for the whole week and I know I will need lots of choice of pictures so it will look as good on the last day as the first. 

This embroidery “Early Morning Frost” will be one of the largest pieces on display. I always aim to have a wide range of picture sizes and subject matter for people view.  I meet collectors of my work there each year and it’s good to have a few ideas they haven’t seen before!

Here is a new piece inspired by the garden at Plas Tan Y Bwlch in North Wales. Dappled shadows are always a favourite of mine.

The design of my stand has to be considered in plenty of time too. I have invested in new lights this year and a change of colour for my counter and stencilled lettering on the walls.  We all need to have a floral content to our display and I am fighting off the slugs so my prize hostas can take centre stage!

It’s worth all the time and effort invested, it’s the top horticultural show in the world and standards are exceptionally  high!

My London trip

I have just got home after a few days in London. It was an opportunity to feed my creativity by visiting lots of galleries and take a break from teaching and my studio work. It was a great mix of exhibitions, theatre, restaurants and a little retail therapy. I was fortunate to be invited to Burberry House to see the lastest catwalk collection from London Fashion Week. Amazing clothes and fabulous fantasy capes inspired by Henry Moore sculptures. Some made out of found objects others sculpted out of metal, wood or leather.

It was great to see the Burberry collection, but the real treat for me was the chance to see sculptures, maquettes, sketches and studio tools giving a great insight into Moores way of working.

Over the few days of the trip I went to the Mall Galleries to see the Pastel Societys Exhibition, Tate Britain for the Hockney and the RA for the America After the Fall  Exhibition, lots of visual treats.  I love to look at other artists work, their techniques,  colour palete, choice of compositions. I am inspired by the brave choices and bold decisions they make and hope it encourages me out of my comfort zone!

On the way home we made a detour for Stanley Spencer. We visited the lovely gallery in Cookham, his home town. The unfinished Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta is on display there and it was like meeting an old friend! On seeing it for the first time in the RA I was fascinated by the unfinished areas as much as the finished sections of the painting. I particularly like  the details on the mop head and the check trousers of the centre figure.

I first saw his work at a retrospective at the RA about 30 years ago and have been a huge admirer of his work ever since. I especially love his eye for colour, pattern and rhythm.

RA Summer Exhibition and Womans Hour Craft Competition

I have spent a few evenings recently filling in application forms and now I remembered why I don’t enter competitions! It is so time consuming to do it thoroughly and quite stressful making decisions about which works to be judged on. We artists are not generally very good at promoting ourselves but you have to be “in it to win it” so they say!

First of all I have entered an embroidery for the RA Summer Exhibition, there are only 12000 people doing the same thing! I visited the Summer Exhibition last year and saw an amazing array of artwork and felt inspired to apply  So, this is the year I put myself forward, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

I have submitted this piece of work, it is 16 x 10 inches. Based on photographs and sketches of the woodland at Plas Tan Y Bwlch in North Wales. It is a piece of work I am proud of so it seemed a good choice.

The Moss Beneath My Feet

The second event is the Womans Hour Craft Competition in conjunction with The V&A and the Craft Council. They are looking for the 12 best craftsmen in the UK, the successful ones will have their work exhibited at The V&A and the best of the 12 exhibitors wins £10,000. This application form was extensive and I nearly gave up! I have submitted 4 embroideries to be judged on and a proposal for a new embroidery for the exhibition if I get that far i the process. It is all based on work from the last 5 years. This a new piece of work this year and one of my submissions

On a Frosty Morning

 

I intend to forget about it now, the process is complete and l wont hear anything until April, I will keep you posted!

 

Starting the New Year

It makes me very happy to hit the ground running in January! I do enjoy Christmas but crave getting back to my studio and creating new work. I had prepared so many painted silk pieces for my Australia trip last October that it seemed a good idea to lay them all out in my studio, and work towards the completion of each one. I use images that inspire me as examples for courses so the intention is always to complete them.

It was interesting looking at them all again, quite a range of subject matter, lots of flowers and some seascapes, also woodlands and dramatic skies. Hard to choose which one to work on first! A lot of the creative decisions have been made by the time I have a painted background, a commitment to colour, image size, shape and composition, so in most cases each painted background was ready for my stitching to add texture, depth and definition.

Working these prepared backgrounds is a great way to get me back into the creative zone. As with many things I do it’s become part of my annual routine. I always focus on producing new work for exhibitions in the first few months of the year. Then a week at Chelsea in May swiftly followed by my Open Studios in June, then the summer ( if we get one!) Finally in October my 6 week teaching trip to Australia…if I am in a rut, it’s a very happy rut! There is of course a liberal sprinkling of teaching throughout the whole year, with courses at my studio and around the UK.

I am always pleased to have a magazine article about my work, there were two last year and one in 2017 already. This time it’s in “Be Creative with Workbox, a four page spread of a snow scene which is the winter project out of my Woodlands book.

 

Australian adventures

I really intended to write a blog for each city/location I visited during my trip to Australia this autumn. Each place was rich with sight seeing, great students and good times. You will probably have noticed it didnt happen! So here is my tale of the whole 6 week trip.


End of October I arrived in Canberra, a new place for me to visit. Before I started teaching I had a couple of days to get over the journey spent looking around the surrounding countryside and the downtown area. My hosts were very generous with their time and I enjoyed seeing a lot of the spacious green city. Built around a huge man made lake there are fantastic vistas of the ANZAC Parade with Government House one end and the Australian War Memorial at the other. I love the story about both Melbourne and Sydney wanting to be the Capital as as neither would give in to the other they built Canberra!

I taught 2 courses, “Dramatic Skies” and “Seascapes” so I was there for a week in total. Thank you Leonie and Lorna for taking great care of me.

I moved on to Melbourne next for 2 weekend courses, “Up Close and Personal” and “Textures in Nature”.

My painting demonstration for ” Up Close”

This meant I had 5 days off in between the 2 weekends in such a great city with so much to see and do. Fortunately I coincided with the last few days of the Australian textile artist Annemeike Miens exhibition and the first day of the David Hockney! What a lovely way to spend time off. There was a Banksy exhibition on too so it was a visual feast for me.

Hockney giant landscape

I always meet new students keen to learn my techniques but also several who I have taught before. As the number of my visits increase the friendships grow, we keep in touch and I look forward catching up with them. At the Annemeike Mien exhibition I bumped into 2 women I knew, that’s a strange but lovely situation to be in the other side of the world!

There is a large selection of the work by my Australian students on the website courses page. There were 6 courses in total so a wide range of work and a lot of talent to see.

Sad to leave Melbourne but with more places to go, I flew to Syndey for a few days, staying in Manly and travelling into the CBT on the ferry each day. Its such an iconic sight, as the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge come into view. I hand delivered an embroidery that was bought at the Chelsea Flower Show in May earlier this year. Can’t promise everyone that service but it just worked out I could do that! I enjoyed the Rocks and The Botanical Gardens were fabulous, 2 days were spent there taking photographs, lots of inspiration!

Next venue was Harrington, a 3 hour drive north of Sydney on the coast. 2 more courses here for Jen at Love Patchwork. “Landscapes” and “Flowers and Foliage”. Jen and her friend Cecily had been to Margaret River on my Seascapes course in 2015 so it was really good to meet up with them both again.

View from my teaching room!

I had a wonderful room to teach in, overlooking an estuary and warm sunny weather too. It was a great week, exploring the area and meeting all the neighbours.

The trip ended with a few days in Queensland on Hamilton Island.

Hamilton Island

Sunset over the Marina on Hamilton Island

Time to unwind, sit in the sun and think about what a great experience it all was. I am often asked why I keep returning to Australia. It’s an extraordinary country with warm hearted generous people. I hope my plans for a trip in 2017 work out so I can enjoy even more of the same.

A visit to Gardens by the Bay in Singapore on the way home

Travel, home and away, plus a new gallery

September and October have been a fun months for me with a bit of holiday travel combined with some textile work (of course!).

A few days in the Lake District with good weather gave me an opportunity to take some great photographs. Such inspiring scenery in Langdale with lakes, mossy walls and mountains. This was swiftly followed by a 4 day trip with the family to Rome. Not a place inspirational for my embroideries in the way of lush English countryside but a wonderful city with fabulous architecture at evey turn. We walked over 24 miles in 4 days, so we certainly saw a lot of the city!

My sons at the Trevi Fountain!

Before I set off for my 6 weeks in Australia I selected a few of my embroideries to have on display at a new gallery. A few local scenes with an autumnal theme, including 2 pieces inspired by one of my favourite places, Ellesmere. So…

Across the Mere

The Copper Tree Gallery in Tarporley, Cheshire now has a collection of my embroideries. This is a new venue for me in a beautiful part of the country. My work will be on display from October 18th until Christmas. I do hope you can get there to see them, the gallery is easy to find in the High Street.

For my next blog I will be in Australia, where it will be a bit warmer! I start my trip in Canberra which is new location for me, so I am really looking forward to being there.

Bare Roots in Springtime

 

Magazine Feature

“Our Quilting” magazine have given me a fabulous 8 page feature in their August magazine.

Here are 4 of the pages. They have included many images and a wide range of stitch techniques too.

It is a German publisher, printed in the UK in English and a lovely quality, glossy magazine

Thank you. I am thrilled!

Teaching through the summer

The year is flying by and the variety of my activities certainly speed it along!

I am enjoying teaching a few embroidery courses this summer in beautiful locations, Brighton, Dorset and of course at my home studio in Shropshire.

My silk painting of a white poppy in the Chelsea Physic Garden

A range of subject matter as always, to keep me fresh and enthusiastic. Rivers and waterfalls, flowers and reflections in water are the themes. I am inspired again by another trip to the Chelsea Physic Garden where some close ups shots of their colourful borders gave me some great source material for the “Up Close and Personal” course in my Garden Studio this month.

Lots of colour and inspiration from the Chelsea Physic garden

During the course in Brighton I started a waterfall embroidery of the Liffey Falls in Tasmania. It is an amazing place and I have wanted to make an embroidery for some time based on my visit there. The students work from all my summer courses are posted on my students work page

My trip to London was filled with visits to galleries and gardens, it was a great few days break. The RA Summer Exhibition was a wonderful eclectic mix as usual and a return trip to the RA to see the Hockney – 82 Portraits and a Still Life completed the visit in style. Lunch in the National Portrait Gallery gave us great views over London!

New work in the M1 Fine Art Gallery

I have some new work in the M1 Fine Art gallery in Greenwich, London this week.
10 pieces in total, a range of colourful countryside scenes, including bluebells, daffodils and poppies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is the Summer Exhibition and I am deighted to have my embroideries included in this predigious show. The opening night is July 15th but the work will be on display throughout the whole summer. Please go along and take a look!

Juggling pictures and a magazine.

With Chelsea Flower Show and my Open Studios event behind me I can now focus on producing some new work. I have a range of colourful landscapes for the Summer Exhibition at The M1 Gallery in Greenwich and also work in the Willow Gallery, Oswestry plus 4 pieces for an art exhibition in Bickerton, Cheshire. The studio is littered with work covered in colour coded post-it notes as I try and decide which pictures should go where! I try to give a mixture of price range and subject matter to each exhibition and just when I think I have worked it all out I realise I need to keep a certain picture with me as it illustrates a course I will be teaching soon!

Behind the scenes my website has had an overhaul,  it doesn’t look very different but it has some new buttons, sub menus and a general tidy up. Apparently a website is never finished it continues to evolve! I get a lot of positive feedback about mine, long may that continue, thank you Myk for all your hard work and technical knowhow.

My courses are filling rapidly for this year and next, always lovely to see students return for more and exciting to meet a few new ones too.

I am still optimistic we will get a summer but it needs to hurry up, I am seriously fed up with all this rain!

This month Border Welsh Life have written a great 3 page article about me being inspired by the local countryside. They have included lots of photographs of my work too. It is good to have some exposure in a local magazine.

My Week at the Chelsea Flower Show

This my 23rd year of exhibiting… hard to believe! It’s an experience that’s difficult to describe, stressfull, exhilarating, exciting, a privilege, hard work but always worth all the effort. It has become the main focus of my exhibiting year with months of planning leading up to a great week.

It is a welĺ rehearsed routine, finely tuned over the years but there are often a few surprises. Months of preparation ends with me packing the car with alĺ my framed pictures, cards, prints, books, the counter, lights, plants and flooring for the stand. Choosing my clothes for the week is always a challenge as we have had everything from a heat wave to torrential downpours over the years!

The Moss Beneath My Feet

The week begins on Sunday with an early start, driving down from Shropshire to Chelsea. We organise my display when we arrive, it is usually a 5 to 6 hour job which includes laying the floor, erecting the lights, hanging the pictures, assembling the counter and finally arranging the plants. The RHS judge our display so the pressure is on! 

Monday is Press day, we are knee deep in celebrities all morning and usually see the Queen and accompanying royals in the afternoon. Overall it is a day to look at the gardens up close, take lots of photographs, catch up with other exhibitors and enjoy the whole experience before the crowds arrive on Tuesday. In the evening it is the Gala with music, champagne and canapés, I admit…it’s not all work!

Richard E Grant!

Its a busy week with long days as the show is open 8am to 8pm. We meet established and new customers who chat and buy, adding to their collection or hopefully starting one!

There are highlights for me every year, something special resulting from exhibiting here. This year an invitation to the Chelsea Physic Garden to teach a course next year. I had a private tour of the garden, which was such a privilege and I took lots of photographs for inspiration. I am really looking forward to working with them next year.

Chelsea Physic Garden

I was also lucky enough to meet the Australian women who are responsible for the 5000 Poppies. They visited my stand and we enjoyed a mutual admiration moment or two. It was such an amazing project and I was so pleased to meet them.Well, as always the week slips by and then its time to go home, unpack and lie down in a dark room. I plan to do it all again next year!

Teaching and preparing for Chelsea

The months are flying by as they usually do when there is lots going on. I am trying to get all my embroideries ready to exhibit them at Chelsea in May as well as fit in my teaching. Always a balancing act, but for someone who thrives on variety it’s all good!

I find it interesting that the demand for me to devise new courses leads me to produce work which illustrates and supports them. I taught ‘Up Close and Personal’ for the first this year and in preparation I looked at some of the roses in my garden for inspiration. This is the painting of a climbing white rose I produced to inspire my students. Quite a departure for me, but something I really enjoyed exploring.The course was a great success and I was very pleased with how everyone tackled the subject matter. Here are the students in my studio at the end of the course…still smiling! 

I also had a great weekend at Plas Tan Y Bwlch this month with the North Wales Embroiderers Guild, a lovely group of students at a super venue. The wonderful work both sets of students produced is on my website

My own embroideries continue to develop, especially with exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show as motivation to create a body of work. I have produced a new large landscape for centre stage as I sold the piece from last years show. I have aimed for variety in the work but flowers, gardens and woodlands feature heavily. Here are a couple, the rest of the new work can be seen on the embroideries page and of course at Chelsea. I hope to see you there!

Teaching in my Garden Studio

I have been organising my studio with teaching in mind and recently took delivery of some very smart tables and chairs! All part of the preparation for the 2 courses I will be running in there in March.I will be teaching 2 courses in March. The first one is “Up Close and Personal” when we will be learning to stitch the fine detail in close ups of flowers and leaves. Learning how to blend in stitch to create a smooth transition through colour and tonal ranges, plus interesting stitch techniques for petals, stamens etc.

The second course is “Texture in Nature” celebrating and exploring the colours, texture and detail of trees, concentrating on stitch techniques for tree bark. Some smooth, others craggy and covered in lichen and moss.

I had an email this week from a picture researcher at Quarto Publishing in London to say they love my work and would like to publish it in a new edition of the Encyclopedia of Embroidery Techniques. They told me they plan to update the book with some more contemporary embroidery examples in the gallery section and are looking for beautiful finished embroideries in a range of styles and stitches that reflecting different themes including landscapes, flowers etc. They chose several from the website and I have sent 10 examples of my work so they can print as many as they like! I am looking forward to seeing it.

 

As busy as ever!

Finally the days are getting longer and I have snowdrops and hellebores flowering outside my studio door, with daffodils in hot pursuit! I am enjoying spending time in my studio teaching and creating, watching the seasons change and the garden wake up, it’s wonderful being so close to my garden but warm in my studio! Its a busy time, lots of organising for the year ahead going on, with lots of forms to fill in for various exhibitions and opportunities as the year falls into place.

I have been invited to exhibit in the Capability Brown Festival with the Embroiderers Guild and my piece is on its way to Guild Headquarters this week.

My embroidery “Amongst the Snowdrops” inspired by the snowdrop walk at Chirk Castle will be on display at 3 of the venues throughout the year. The Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch show at the NEC in March, then in the exhibition “Landscapes and Gardens” at  Chirk Castle and on to the Knitting and Stitching Show later in the year, more details here

Preparations for the Chelsea Flower Show are underway too with lots of embroideries planned and some already completed. I do enjoy the pressure of a deadline, it focuses the creative juices!

Following on from my week at Chelsea will be my Open Studios event in Oswestry, a chance to visit me, see my studio, garden and embroideries. We have 33 artists working and displaying their artwork in 16 studios in and around Oswestry. It will be a great event and we are expecting lots of visitors over the 2 weekends, June 11th,12th and 18th,19th.

My flights to Australia at the end of October are all booked, it will be 10 flights in total and a total of 5 weeks away! I will be teaching 6 courses in total. I am excited to visit Canberra this trip, as a new venue, then on to Melbourne to see some familiar faces, finally to Harrington, north of Sydney to run the last 2 courses of the trip, more details on this page

 

The beginning of the year

I do love the time over New Year, with new beginnings and a fresh start. After a busy year I look forward to the time off over Christmas and enjoy the family time enormously but my desire to get back to ‘normal’ leads me rapidly into the studio to get creative.

It’s a good time to plan new work, try out ideas that I have been mulling over for weeks. Time to experiment a little, take some risks, tackle a big project with no time restrictions. I wanted to make another sweeping vista style landscape and choosing the right image is so important. Last August, on my way from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to Manchester, driving along through the beautiful countryside of the Derbyshire Peak District, I took masses of photographs. I was captivated by the tracery of crumbling dry stone walls creating a network of fields, with distant sunlit hills covered in purple heather, visually stunning! I have often thought of that scene and was keen to make an embroidery that captured my feelings on that day. My aim was to find a composition that conveyed the enormous sense of scale and all the textures, details, colours.

A sketch of the composition on several sheets of A4 paper.

I based the composition on a series of photographs, I played around to get the perspective right, sketching out 2 or 3 versions until I was happy with it. I then draw it out on silk and paint a background wash adding extra detail to the sky.

I work within an 8 in embroidery hoop so I stitch one section at a time until its complete, moving the hoop as many as 8 or 9 times to access all the composition. I do like this way of working, I don’t get overwhelmed by the scale of the piece. It is 26 x 12 inches and focusing on one small area at a time seems to work well for me. Of course it could be because I have always done it this way. If it aint broke, don’t fix it!

There is a real momentum that builds on the success of each stage of the picture. As I progress from area to area working out the colours and stitch techniques I am spurred on to complete it. I call it being in the zone, it’s a great feeling!

Finally, the finished piece, and an enormous sense of achievement.

The first outing for my new work will be exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show in May, its a few months away but I have my centre piece ready!

A week in Prague

Old Town Square lit up with the Christmas tree and market

What a beautiful city. Being invited to exhibit and teach there was a great incentive to go to a city I had been meaning to visit for a long time. I was not disappointed, the architecture, food, sculptures, museums and the people combine to create a wonderful atmosphere. It was also the start of the Christmas markets so everywhere looked really festive.

The Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square

208 steps down from the Cathedral

I was exhibiting at Textile Prague held in the beautiful building Slovansky dum over the weekend. On the Saturday I held a Masterclass for students from Russia and the Czech Republic. I had an interpreter, Helene, who was wonderful. She had printed diagrams of a sewing machine with all the parts named in Russian and Czech, how organised is that! It was a new experience for me and the day went really well, due to enthusiastic students and a love of machine embroidery by all concerned!

My books in Russian!

Inside Slovansky dum exhibition space

Fellow exhibitors Elena Tkachenko and Galina Domakha from Russia

I had a few days to explore the city after the exhibition ended. I had researched a sort of sculpture trail and we set off each day to find 1 or 2 or more. Its such a great place to walk around, so much to see, lots of places for a coffee or lunch or a beer or 2!

It was a wonderful week in a city of great culture.

Entrance to Municipal House designed by Mucha

Heading Home

My Australian trip for 2015 is coming to a close. For those of us that like the stats, I have taken 11 flights, adjusted to 5 different time zones, held 6 courses, taught 87 students, visited 8 different locations over 42 days, enjoying every experience along the way.

The rose arch at the Voyager Estate winery, Margaret River

The delightful blue wren

The highlights have been many,  the wildlife and the stunning scenery that I have been fortunate to see include whales (a mother and calf ) and quokkas at Rottnest, blue wrens and wineries in Margaret River, devils in Tasmania and a helicopter ride over Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

I had an even bigger smile after the flight!

Uluru from the air

I have stayed with some great people who I can now consider friends, I have been wined and dined and generally spoilt. People at home are often suprised to hear I am planning to return for another trip, they only have to read this and see these photos to understand why it will be a great pleasure to come back!

Sunrise breakfast at Uluru

Up close to the rock

The biggest reason to return is the students I meet. To spend time with people who share my enthusiasm for textiles is a joy. To show them the techniques I have discovered, to watch them develop their artwork and often suprise themselves with what they achieve makes me very happy. Their work is on my students page, I am proud to display it on my website.

I will be home for a couple of weeks, taking a short break after all the traveling. My next adventure is Prague at the end of November for Textile Prague. I will be teaching and exhibiting there.

Teaching in Melbourne and Tasmania and Melbourne…

The trip continues and I have reached a busy spell. 3 x 2 day courses in 9 days, phew! Not a lot of downtime but that’s OK. First of all I ran a “Waterfalls” course in Melbourne for Sue and Carly. We learnt all about the texture and movement of fast moving water, a few mossy rocks and ferns, I was thrilled with the results and so were my students. They were such a talented group. The work is on the courses page of the website, please take a look. Here we all are at the end of the course.

I then moved on to Tasmania for 5 days to teach a “Reflections” course for Cindy at Elemental Artspace, in Deloraine. So lovely to go back to where my first Australian trip began! Cindy now has a great new gallery and studio space, where we held the course.

Elemental Artspace Gallery, Deloraine, Tasmanian

 

I had a free day at the beginning of the week to explore Tasmania a little. We went for a walk and then visited the wildlife park where they have a breeding programme for Tasmanian Devils. They are so different from anything else. They are marsupials but look like a cross between a tiny bear and hairy piglet! Apolgies to all devil fans but I did think they were amazing. Whilst walking in the wildlife park a mob of about 30 kangaroos thundered past us. Then they stopped a few feet away and just looked at us! What a fun experience!

A mob of kangaroos!

The course midweek was “Reflections”, which involves a lot of painted detail, they can all be seen on the students page on my website, it is really super work.

So on Friday I got back on a plane to Melbourne for another weekend course, for the Embroiderers Guild. The theme was “Seascapes” and we were in the beautiful Guild House. It was certainly a busy spell but I have a few days off next week to relax…before the next one!

 

Fibres West and beyond

I feel like I have been in Australia for ages, its actually only 14 days into my trip but I have packed in a lot so far!

After a couple of days to get over the journey I started my first teaching post for this trip at Fibres West, in Muresk, a 5 day residential course. It was an an amazing experience.

The Homestead, Muresk

I was 1 of 10 textile art tutors from all over Australia and further afield. It was an action packed week with classes, presentations, an artist in residence, wearable art show and pop up exhibitions. I had 13 students who were learning how to paint with stitches and I was thrilled with their results. They worked hard, learnt a lot and have the embroideries to prove it. Their work is on display on my Courses page on the Students Work page, please take a look.

Pretty countryside around Muresk

All good things come to an end and it was time to head back to Perth for a few days off. A lovely mixture of quiet days to relax and a bit of sight seeing. The highlight has been a trip to Rottnest Island with Jill and Diane, 2 of my students who have become good friends and have taken such great care of me.

Yes that is wine… it’s a day off!

The sun was shining and the sea flat calm for our crossing on the ferry. Halfway across the boat slowed down for us to see migrating whales, what a thrill to see them so close. First of all there was an adult with her calf clearly visible next to the boat and soon after a pair of adults repeatedly breaking the surface and then diving. It was a magical start to our day.

I will be moving on to Melbourne tomorrow for the next stage of the trip, I am looking forward to seeing friends and teaching enthusiastic students!

This is me meeting a quokka. They are like miniature kangaroos, very cute, really tame and are only found on Rottnest.

Home from Italy… off to Australia

I have just got back from a wonderful week in Italy with my family. We stayed in Reusa, near Fizziano, up in the mountains north of Pisa in a beautiful villa with views to die for. We visited Tellaro on the Italian Rivier and had a day in Florence and Lucca for a culture fix. I was trying to have restful time before my big trip to Australia and with good food, long leisurely lunches, great company and sunshine, I succeeded!

There are only a few days left until I fly to Perth so I am busy gathering everything together for my trip. I have a lot of courses to prepare for and a few clothes to pack too!

I have a few things to do before I go, deliver some pictures to the Willow Gallery in Oswestry and an article to finish for the Swedish Embroidery Magazine.

I am really looking forward to meeting all my students when I get to Australia.  I will be teaching at Fibres West for the first week, then on to Melbourne to teach another course over the weekend.

During my time in Australia I will be exhibiting my embroideries in Melbourne at the Firestation Print Studio Gallery with textile artist Carly Leech. Our work will be on display from October 14th to 24th. I first met Carly at the Tasmanian Craft Fair in 2013, she flew from Melbourne to visit me there. Carly and her friend Sue are the organisers of my course in Melbourne this year and we are planning one for 2016 too!

After teaching in Melbourne for the Embroiderers Guild and then in Deloraine, Tasmania at Elemental Artspace, I will head back to Perth for yet another course! Then down to Margaret River to complete my 6 courses in 6 weeks away. A very busy schedule,  meeting up with some very special friends from my last visit. I plan to post my travel progress on this blog so you can keep track of me!

A Busy Summer…

I like lots of variety to make life interesting and this summer has certainly given me that

I have been busy with a range of activities, such as placing new work into galleries, trips away teaching, a 3 day course in my new studio and even some time for some stitching!

After exhibiting at Chelsea I was approached by the M1 Gallery in London. they wanted me to put my embroideries into their Summer Show and likewise the Willow Gallery in Oswestry. Both ventures have resulted in sales which is lovely

It was great to finally welcome students for a new course ‘Texture in Nature’ held in my new studio. We had 3 days of painting and stitching the texture in tree bark and the woodland floor. The work can be seen here. We even had lunch in the garden between the showers!It is getting close to my next trip to Australia so I am knee deep in preparation, a work visa to apply for, course notes to complete and materials to organise. I will be away for 6 weeks and be traveling all over the country. I start by teaching at Fibres West, a 5 residential course in Muresk near Perth, then I visit Melbourne, Tasmania, Uluru, and Margaret River before I head home. I will be posting my progress here!

 

The Willow Gallery, Oswestry

I really appreciate the very good, long running relationship that I have with my local gallery in Oswestry. The Willow, is a wonderful space, cleverly converted from a former car show room, hence the large windows and fantastic light. Big comfortable sofas and a great coffee shop which serves really good food too.

I always have a selection of my work on display, often invited to put pieces in a current exhibition and my books, DVD and cards are always for sale in the shop.

For the Summer Exhibition I put in several large new pieces including ‘Under a Green Canopy’ which I am thrilled to say they have sold this week. There is something so satisfying to sell so close to home (5 minute walk). I sell my work all over the world but this felt really good!

Opening my new studio

My Open Studio event in June this year was the first opportunity for people to visit me in my new studio. Only a short time after coming home from my week at the Chelsea Flower Show it was a frantic ( more than usual! ) lead up to the first weekend. I enrolled the whole family to help, we were painting walls, making shelves, varnishing the floor, weeding the garden and hanging pictures on the walls, it was non stop activity!It was worth all the effort when we had lots of visitors over the 2 weekends and really good sales. Everyone enjoyed the new studio and with all the doors open it allowed people to stroll through to the garden and the summerhouse to see Myk’s photography display. Most of the time the weather was very kind and we had some sunshine!I am planning to have a quieter spell now, enjoying working in my new space, occasionally getting distracted by the garden and relishing the summer months ahead.

Between Wisley and Chelsea

The Wild Garden at Wisley

I have returned from my first show of the year at RHS Wisley, nr Guildford. It really was a top quality show in beautiful surroundings. We had 5 days to enjoy the gardens and meet new and valued customers, their response to my new embroideries was really wonderful. The event was also a great a practice run for Chelsea, after being in glorious isolation at home for months since my last exhibition it can be a shock to the system! I returned to see the progress on my new studio. Its a major project with a cloakroom, utility room and the studio room with its 2 sets of bi-fold glass doors. Its going to be ready for my Private View on June 12th…hopefully! I am thrilled with how it looks and can’t wait to get in there with my sewing machine and hang my embroideries on the walls.

Starting to lay the oak floorboards

Preparations for Chelsea are now high on my agenda, with a few more embroideries to frame and plants and pots to organise for the stand its a busy time. The mammoth task of fitting everything into the car is a challenge, we always manage somehow! There is so much to remember, hi-vis jackets, tickets, screwdriver, framing gun, clothes for all weather conditions, etc. etc. It is the major event of my year and demands my full attention before and during the week we are there. This will be my 22nd year as an exhibitor…I should know what I’m doing by now!

My centre piece for the stand at the Chelsea Flower Show ( 23 x 36 ins)

Teaching in Devon and Cornwall

I have just returned from a wonderful teaching trip around Devon and Cornwall, 5 different courses over 8 days! I enjoyed teaching a range of silk painting and stitching to lots of enthusiastic students, in some lovely locations. The weather was very kind too, its a very pretty part of the world but the sunshine really makes it sparkle

I enjoyed great hospitality from everyone who was kind enough to have me to stay. I was greeted with everything from glasses of wine, fresh flowers in my room, beautifully cooked evening meals and even a hot water bottle if required…and they call it work! Thank you everyone. I have posted a selection of the student work from each course on the website. I was so pleased with the results and so were they.

I eventually made the journey home to Shropshire to find great progress had been made on my studio build. The doors had been fitted, they fold back beautifully to give lots of light and access either end of the room, we also have freshly plastered walls ready to paint. It looks great, I just have to decide where to put my sewing machine for the best view!

It’s a busy time ahead for me now with my first show of the year in the RHS garden at Wisley at the end of the month, April 30th to May 4th over the Bank Holiday weekend. The bluebells will be out and the gardens will look wonderful as always. I am looking forward to exhibiting all my new embroideries there.

My New Studio

Work has begun on my new studio. We are converting the double garage behind the house into a teaching room and studio. There is a lot of work to do, the brick walls and ceiling need insulating, plastering, painting, and a wooden floor laid. The wall overlooking the garden and the garage door will be replaced by floor to ceiling bi-fold doors, so there will be lots of natural light.

Framework on the wall for the insulation and plaster

I currently work in a smaller studio the attic, (all jokes of artists starving in garrets have already been made, thank you!) so I am really looking forward to having more space to create in. On a sunny day it will be great being able to open up the doors and enjoy my garden. I will overlook the pond and my favourite tree, a corkscrew willow.

This wall will become glass bi-fold doors, my entrance to the garden

There it was …gone!

The view of the studio from my garden. Waiting for the glass doors to be fitted, bit draughty in there at the moment!

My regular students are looking forward to being in there too. It will be ready in time for my Open Studios event in June. I will be open 10am to 5pm on 13th, 14th and the following weekend, 20th, 21st

I will post more photographs as the work progresses. Exciting times!

Juggling everything!

Its an interesting time of year when the creative and the admin have to run parallel. There is little point in me creating new embroideries and courses if I don’t let people know about them and create opportunities to exhibit them!

So this month I have been getting my annual promotional postcard designed, (thank you Myk) printed and posted. It features 14 of my new embroideries. My printers have made it their postcard of the month on their website

I have also been busy filling in endless forms for this years exhibitions and shows, listing my new teaching venues and exhibitions on my website. I have designed a whole new set of greetings cards they will be available from my website and exhibitions. I have had 2 magazine articles to write too. One will be published in June in an Australian magazine, Textile Fibre Forum, the other is online on shopper lottie a new blog that has an interesting range of interviews.

I also had my new pieces professionally photographed (thank you Myk) and they are on the website gallery to view. Sourcing new picture molding and clarity glass (thank you Nel) was another job to tick off the list

I quite enjoy the range and variety of tasks but as shows and exhibitions appear to gallop towards me I feel I need to be in the studio making embroideries. There are not enough days in the week! Oh and booking flights and hotels too but who is going to complain about planning a trip to Australia or Prague…not me!

Invitation to Textile Prague 2015

Just when I thought my diary was complete for this year I have been invited to Textile Prague 2015 

A 3 day textile show held from November 27th to 29th in the beautiful building Slovansky dum in the centre of Prague. Its an exciting opportunity for me to exhibit my embroideries and I will be teaching a 1 day course there on Sunday 29th. The venue looks wonderful and I am looking forward to meeting the other exhibitors. There are more details on my exhibitions and courses page.

January’s racing by

Approaching Candy Woods

Its been a busy month so far, with wet and windy weather and even a bit of snow the best place to be is a warm studio! I have been thoroughly immersed in some new embroideries. This is a piece “Approaching Candy Woods” which I have just completed. Inspired by a series of photographs I took last autumn walking the dog near home. Working on the piece was bitter sweet, bringing lovely memories of that day but sadness too because our dog, Toby is no longer with us. There he was in nearly every photograph, he is missed by the whole family.

I have enjoyed working on my 2 new Australian influenced embroideries. I had to complete and photograph them in time for the magazine deadline in February. I have written my 1000 words for the article, as my youngest son said ” Easy, that’s not many words”. There speaks a boy in his final year at University with research projects and dissertations to write. It was plenty thank you!

I have some interesting offers of teaching and exhibiting in 2016 and 2017. I can hardly bear to think that far ahead but have to! I do love the fact an email out of the blue can be an amazing opportunity. The wonders of the internet, social media but just as importantly the sales of my book world wide all helps to spread the word about what I do. Long may the exciting new ventures come my way. Otherwise there is nothing to write about in my blog!

Out with the old…in with the new

This will be the last post of 2014, it has been a great year for me with lots of highlights. It is lovely to reflect on it all before moving forward to my plans for 2015. My forthcoming year has a familiar pattern to it, a creative time in my studio followed by lots of teaching, exhibition opportunities and another trip to Australia in the autumn. I will start the year with a commission, my client has waited patiently for several months. I am looking forward to working on it, always a pleasure to make an embroidery for someone. I have been approached by an Australian magazine Textile Fibre Forum, they are going to publish an article on me, featuring new embroideries inspired by my travels down under, it will be in the June issue. So I will be preparing some images and text in the next few weeks.

I have had confirmation of my main exhibiting opportunities. Starting in May, with the RHS, the first one at Wisley and later that month at the Chelsea Flower Show. So I will be planning new work with those shows in mind. I will open my studio in June for 2 weekends, I am looking forward to some warmer weather by then!

I am excited by the prospect of building a new studio here at Highfield. I have been in the attic for 14 years and have decided a larger ground floor space to work and teach in would be wonderful. I will post progress reports when the work starts.

Wishing everyone a Happy Creative New Year!

The final leg of the journey

What an amazing time this has been. I managed to see so much more of Tasmania this year. The Wall, an incredible 100 metre wood carving, Hobart and MONA. The Bass Forest and the Bay of Fires to mention a few of the highlights.

Saying goodbye until next year I moved back to Melbourne for the 7th and final course of the trip. 2 lovely days with Carly, Sue and an enthusiastic class, we learnt how to paint reflections. The results are on the students work page. I was so pleased with how well everyone did with challenging subject matter.

Then it was time for a few days break visiting friends made last year. It was great fun staying with Anna in Torquay and catching up with some of my lovely students from the Geelong Guild. Then on to Port Campbell along the Great Ocean Road. What an amazing place, one for the bucket list, as they say!

The final leg was a few days in Dubai on the way home to a very cold England and a very warm family!

Plans are already underway for my return to Australia in October 2015

Return to Tasmania

I had a wonderful time in Melbourne teaching for Sue and Carly. The first course was “Dancing in the Breeze” and the students impressive work is on my website courses page. The time with them seemed to fly by so quickly and then I was on my way to the next location, Tasmania

Leaving Melbourne

It was great to fly over to Tasmania and see the familiar green fields and Western Tiers. I have 12 days here in total, teaching 2 courses for Cindy in Deloraine at the Elemental Artspace Gallery. I have had some spare time to explore and see more of this beautiful state.

So soon it’s back to Melbourne for the last weekend in November for my final course of the trip!

Moving on to Melbourne

The first leg of my trip is coming to close. Its been a terrific time for me. A very busy 12 days, with 3 courses, all in different locations. The first course was in Perth at the Bernina Shop in Cannington then I broke up my stay in Perth with a midweek trip down to Margaret River.

Redgate Bay

 It is a beautiful part of WA and my hosts Helen and Maureen took great care of me, showing me some great places to get a flavour of the area. The coastline at Redgate Bay, Swallows Welcome Winery, where I had the pleasure of meeting watercolour artist Pat Negus and the Margaret River Silk Road, where they produce mulberry trees and therefore silk worms all year round.

I headed back to Perth, staying again with my host Jill, for the last weekend where I taught the WA Embroiderers Guild at their headquarters in the city. Its been a super time meeting all these enthusiastic students and sharing my passion for textiles with them. 

I saw the sun go down over the Indian Ocean and my last day was spent looking around Perth at the Jacaranda trees and black swans on the Swan River! Its a beautiful place. Thanks to Jill and Diane for a special day

Next stop Melbourne!

Let the adventure begin…in Perth!

Isn’t it wonderful when a plan comes together! Arrived in Perth on time, sailed through the airport to be met by Helen and Jill my hosts for this leg of the trip. We drove through Perth to Kings Park for the best view of the city. The botanical gardens were wonderful and afternoon tea finished a great first day in Australia.

Today we took a drive to Fremantle for some inspiration for my first course “Seascapes” which starts tomorrow at Burnells in Cannington. The colours here are so rich, blue skies and turquoise water, just wonderful

Fibres West Australia 2015

Before I can set off on my travels next week for my 2014 trip to Australia plans are revealed for next year!

I have been invited to be a tutor at Fibres West 2015, a national textile and fibre art conference in Western Australia taking place at Muresk Institute October 4-10, 2015

Sworn to secrecy until they officially launched the program in Australia this evening, when they revealed all 10 classes and the tutors. They received a lot of positive feedback about the calibre of the 2015 program, and enrollments have started to come in already!

My course will be

EXPLORING NATURE THROUGH PAINT AND STITCH | ALISON HOLT (UK)
In this intensive workshop students will explore landscapes in the broadest sense, with detailed, colourful, textured drawing on a sewing machine.


The new website Fibres West 2015 is ‘live’ and students can enroll on-line. Take a look at the amazing range of courses on offer and I hope to see you there!

ThreadLink

I have a new addition to my website called ThreadLink. It’s for people who are interested in knowing when I add anything new to my site.

It may be a new post on my blog, an addition to my courses list, a new exhibition or embroidery in the gallery.

It’s free and easy to sign up!

Members will get an email which takes them straight to the newest content on the website. If you are student who recently came on one of my courses it will let you know when your embroidery is on my website. If you follow me on my travels to Australia or like to keep up to date with my latest work ThreadLink is perfect for you!

A New Gallery

I have traveled home today after a busy weekend teaching the Blackmore Vale EG in Dorset. A  2 day course on Seascapes with a talented and enthusiastic group of ladies. I will post their work on my students work gallery very soon
 I called at a new gallery on my way back to Shropshire to delivery 8 of my embroideries to the TIMOTHY HAWKINS GALLERY in Bartestree, near Hereford

So from now on I have a selection of my work on display alongside Timothy Hawkins beautiful handmade furniture

Its a beautiful space filled with amazing furniture and a selection of hand picked pieces from a small group of artisans. I am very pleased to be in their company

Exhibition and Talk: The Making of the Sweater

The Willow Gallery in Oswestry have offered me the opportunity to exhibit the embroidered jumper I made last year. It was a collaboration with Steven Tai, a London based fashion designer and is quite a special piece of work. Also on display will be all the test samples I made for Steven, showing all the stitch and paint experiments before we settled on the final way to work the sweater.
To coincide with the exhibition I will give a talk in the Willow on Saturday 11th October at 11.30 am about the making of the sweater and my 30 year textile career, followed by a Q and A session

My travels here and away…

Recently home from a relaxing trip to Sorrento. An actual holiday…no teaching or exhibiting! Just a week enjoying some wonderful Italian food, wine, scenery and sunshine. A beautiful place, it was an opportunity to take a break from everything and recharge the batteries.

Its only 5 weeks until I travel to Australia. Its getting close now and I am getting excited! It will be wonderful to see old friends there and make some new ones. This time my trip takes me to Perth, Margaret River, Melbourne and Tasmania. I will be teaching 7 courses in total so it will be a a busy time.

I heard this week I have won second prize (visitors choice) at the Summer Exhibition at the Heritage Centre, Oswestry with my Hidden Depths embroidery. Thanks to everyone who voted for me!

I have some teaching lined up over the next few weeks. Looking forward to revisiting Stitchcraft in Grantham, The Cotswold EG in Gloucester and taking my first trip to the Blackmore Vale Embroiderers Guild in Dorset

 

The Lake District embroidery is finished!

I have finally finished this embroidery. Several weeks of work, a lot of moving the hoop from section to section and eventually it was complete. I am pleased with the end result and I plan to hide it away for a few weeks and then run a very critical eye over it before I stretch then frame it

I recorded each stage and I now have a page on my website where anyone interested in the whole process can see all the stages. The link is also on my home page.

Lots of lovely teaching…

I seem to have hit a rich seam of teaching…I shouldn’t be surprised, I did book it all into my diary! Sometimes when all the commitments come together I realise how many times I said yes, I would love to come and teach for you!

Derby, Melton Mowbray, Grantham, Leicester and Gloucester to mention a few, a tour of some lovely parts of the UK. I do enjoy meeting students and sharing my skills. Its great to spend time with like minded people.

I am also preparing for my trip ‘down under’ in the autumn. I am due in Australia at the end of October, visiting Perth, Margaret River, Melbourne and Tassie. I wont be able to throw something in the back of the car in case I need it when I go there! I had a practice run last year so should be able to manage. I am really looking forward to going again

I have put a selection of recent student work on my website here

 

Work in Progress

I am in the middle…no, not quite,  I am a quarter of the way through a large landscape embroidery!
It is a scene in the Lake District based on sketches and photographs from a trip 3 years ago, so I have been thinking about it for some time
The silk painted background is clearly visible with the white lines left from the gutta I used when drawing out the composition. I have started the stitching at the most distant point and will increase the richness of colour and amount of texture as I work through to the foreground
I am photographing it at each stage to make it part of my slide show lecture, so this is a sneak preview. I will post the finished piece in a few days time…just kidding… a few weeks time when I have completed it

It measures approximately 24 x 14 inches and will be my largest embroidery so far (excluding my sci fi sweater!)

Another a Day in the Spotlight!

The sci-fi inspired sweater I embroidered is off to Paris. Steven Tai, the fashion designer that I collaborated with, is one of 10 ANDAM finalists and will be taking the sweater, with other selected pieces he has designed to take part in the final next week

The ANDAM Fashion Prize, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, offers designers a 250,000 Euro prize, a yearlong business mentorship courtesy of Kering’s François-Henri Pinault, and 10,000 Euros of Swarovski crystals.

“I am very honored to be a part of this years final. The ANDAM Award is the most globally recognised support for designers over the last 25 years. I am incredibly excited (and a bit nervous too!) to present my work to the jury,” offered Steven Tai.

I am excited for Steven and wish him every success. On its return to the UK it will be on display for the first time in Shropshire at the Willow Gallery in Oswestry. I will post more information nearer to the date

Open Studios 2014

Its that time of year again and my Open Studios weekend is here. We have been busy getting the garden to look its best and the weather has been kind…for a change!Myk Briggs is exhibiting his photography in my summerhouse, the theme this year is ear trumpets in all their glory and variety. Beautifully photographed, its a visual treat and so informative too.I have displayed my embroideries in the garden room with lovely views of the rhododendrons. I have quite a selection for people to see and I will be working on several pieces during the 2 weekends. The working process is such an important part of Open Studios and my sketch books, sewing machine, boxes of threads and paints makes it more interesting for the visitors. I am looking forward to seeing familiar and hopefully some new faces!

My day at the Willow Gallery

 As part of this years Open Studios event several artists are holding free workshops or demonstrations in the Willow Gallery in Oswestry over the next 2 weeks. Today was my day!

I took embroideries, my sewing machine and lots of my work in progress for people to see. There was a steady stream of people through all day and lots of interest in how I work

It was a good practice run for my 2 Open Studio weekends on 14th 15th and 21st 22nd June

Did you notice the cheeky glass of wine next to my sewing machine…..?!

A Busy Week

I am enjoying an eventful time at Chelsea. My stand has new flooring and a new counter I designed and had made over the winter. I have had lots of positive feedback from the public and the RHS. I also brought lots of new embroideries to tempt people

I met up with Dave Myers on Monday which was great fun. We were friends at Goldsmiths and hadn’t been in touch for years. He was just the same with a better memory than me for all the people we knew!

Its been a fun week, sunshine and showers, hard work but record sales. Can’t ask for more than that!

Preparing for Chelsea Flower Show

On the telephone, framing pictures with one hand and ironing clothes with the another….not quite, but it feels that hectic in the lead up to Chelsea! The biggest and the best show of my year and only a couple of days to go. So much to think about in addition to all the embroideries, cards, books etc. I will be taking.

It will be an opportunity to show off some of my new work, such as the “As the Sun Goes Down” with its reflected autumn tints, inspired by my trip to Maine last year.

Today was the usual last minute panic buying of the ‘floral content’ for my exhibition stand. This year was supposed to be different but the bulbs my husband kindly planted with Chelsea in mind are long over their best due to the warm weather earlier in the year. The best laid plans…

I will be squashing it all into the car on Saturday and heading to London early Sunday morning. Its a wonderful feeling when I get to Sunday evening and everything is ready for the opening of the show. Then all we need is some sunshine!

Exhibiting at RHS Wisley

I am just home from a 6 day exhibition at RHS Wisley in Surrey. The weather was a little wet to start but by the weekend the sun came out and so did the crowds of visitors. It was really good to meet established and new customers at the show. It was organised by Craft in Focus, an organisation with a reputation for the best contemporary art and craft in the UK.

Its a great time of the year and the gardens were a joy to see. I have plenty of inspiration for some new embroideries but will have to wait until I return from exhibiting at Chelsea Flower Show at the end of the month to get into my studio!

Busy teaching my embroidery courses

Its that time of year again and springtime means lots of teaching for me. I have travelled to some beautiful areas around the UK. This year up to North Wales and the Wirral. Also down to Malmesbury, Bideford, Devon, Bridport, Dorset and of course at home at Highfield in Oswestry. A range of courses on various themes but the most popular has been “Dancing in the Breeze” inspired by my embroidery above.

If you want to see a selection of students work from the courses this year I have posted some on my courses page

My Postcard

My annual promotional jumbo postcard is ready for printing.This always showcases a selection of my new work produced over the winter months. My logic is, if I am exhibiting my new embroideries it makes sense to tell people when and where I will be throughout the year! I will be posting about 600 of them out in the next few weeks. Despite the rising postal costs I still think a large colourful postcard has more impact than an email.

Its rather good to know that people collect them each year and put them on the fridge door or somewhere they can see them.

Creating the embroideries is only the beginning, so a huge thanks to Myk who photographs my work so well and is a whiz on Photoshop, he always does a great job for me on the postcard design, patience of a saint!

Plans for 2014

I am working on new pieces and enjoying it enormously. I am revisiting an idea of using torn and layered paper collage then adding stitching for detail and definition. Its feels like an interesting diversion and I have an exhibition opportunity locally in Oswestry in mind for the work. I am also working on a series of embroideries based on my trip to Maine. The year is stretching out in front of me with exhibitions and teaching commitments to look forward to.

I will be at Chelsea Flower Show in May again this year and June will be Open Studios time at home in Oswestry but before then I am at a Craft in Focus show at RHS Wisley . So lots of my work needed to fill the walls. There is no better motivation!

I am busy planning another teaching trip to Australia in November. The dates and details are slowly coming together. So far it looks as if I will be starting in Perth and then moving on to Melbourne and Tasmania. I will put all the details on my courses page when the course content and dates are finalised

I do like this time of year (apart from cold, wet, windy weather!) with plenty of time in my studio to develop ideas and the prospect of lots of events and trips to look forward to

Back in my studio

This week was all about getting back into the creative process. Its the longest break I can remember away from my studio. With preparations for Australia, the 5 week trip followed by Christmas its nearly 3 months since I worked on my own embroideries! Will I remember how to do it? How can I get back into the process ?

The studio was a mess with my teaching folders and samples, empty frames, fabric and paperwork on every surface including the floor. It was impossible to work in there so yesterday I started to tidy up, it was a gentle reaquaintance with everything and it was lovely to be back in my familiar space with time to think about what to do next.

I found half finished embroideries, photographs, silk paintings and sketches of foaming waves and rocks I had planned to work from. I also had new photographs from my holiday in Maine with fabulous woodlands in autumn colours. I had gone to Australia before I could consider embroideries based on those images. I had ferns, moss covered trees and fast flowing streams in Tassie and the inspiring scenery along the Great Ocean Road. Too much choice and I didn’t know where to start!

Tidying up soon morphed into a bit of sketching, with lots of photos spread out before me. The tree ferns were my first choice and then I realised stitching was what I had really been missing.

So I dived into a picture I had started as a demonstration on a ‘Etched in Frost’ course a few months ago. I stretched up the silk, selected the thread colours, filled some bobbins and I was back in the zone! Bliss!

It probably won’t be the best piece of work I produce in 2014 but its a start and its great to be back. I shall revisit and tweak it into shape later. I need to find my rhythm and the familiar process will follow. Onwards now to new silk paintings and more stitching.

 

A long forgotten treasure

I was recently reunited with a piece of my work, an alphabet sampler. I was contacted by the owners who wondered if I was interested in seeing it again. Of course I was!

Its hand stitching, appliqué and quilting. It formed part of my portfolio of work that helped me get into Goldsmiths. I made it in 1975 and sold it soon after that.

It was wonderful to see it again. Lots of memories came flooding back as I looked at each section and saw what I had chosen to represent each letter. P for parquet, the flooring we had in our home. T for telephone with our red phone that my mother loved and our phone number clearly stitched. M for map, with our village of Llynclys nr Oswestry centre stage. S for sweets, my favourite, Liquorice Allsorts, all French knots and satin stitch

So much detail too, I worked on it for weeks, enjoying creating each letter, thinking about the subject and how to interpret it in stitch. It was great to see it again and record it as part of my early career on my website

Its been in the same family for 38 years, enjoyed by 3 generations, much loved and treasured by all the children as they have grown up with it. That makes me very happy!

Home again

Old Dubai and spice market

I am finally home again and I have had time to reflect on my trip to Australia and Dubai – what a wonderful time it was. There cannot be a better way to visit a country for the first time than to be treated so well by everyone.

I was made so welcome everywhere I went, hosted by kind, generous people and accommodated in lovely B&B’s, one with a personal chef! My 4 week trip was memorable for many reasons, the amazing range of wildlife I got to see in the wild, determined hosts made sure I saw wombats, kangaroos, whales, koalas and a duck billed platypus. Thanks to Maree, Laura, Joanne and Cindy I was shown the amazing scenery of Tasmania, empty white beaches, limestone caves and rain forests. When I was in Geelong, I had a fabulous day out along the Great Ocean Road with Gillian and Anna.

The people I met made it memorable, my course organisers, the Rotarians in Deloraine, the enthusiastic students on all my courses and fellow artists in Tassie, Geelong and Sydney.

In Tasmania I met Cindy Watkins a very talented textile artist, Ken Smith, a machine embroiderer of repute and Bill Flowers, a painter of snakes, just 3 artists out of a huge group at the Deloraine Craft Fair where the quality of craft and art was very high.
In Geelong I was very pleased to catch up with Dijanne Cevaal especially as she was so busy with organising the Geelong Patchworkers and Quilters Exhibition. On to Sydney, where I visited ( twice !) the Craft Gallery of NSW. Meeting Jude Skeers who was so helpful and informative about all things textiles in Australia. I had the pleasure of Julie Haddrick on my course, take a look at her website

I was away for a total of 38 days, I took 7 flights, stayed in 8 different locations, taught 6 courses and I met 76 students. A few of them came on 2 courses and many of them flew many miles to join me. I have made a lot of friends and look forward to seeing them all when I go back in 2014. Thank you everyone – it was amazing!

Teaching in Australia

I am having such an adventure. I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time and it has exceeded all my expectations! So far I have met students in Deloraine and Geelong. Between my teaching commitments I have been taken on some wonderful day trips. Whale watching, rain forests and amazing caves in Tassie followed by The Great Ocean Road when I was in Geelong. Inspirational photos have been taken at every opportunity. Thank you to all my tour guides!

With Cindy Watkins in Deloraine. Thanks for a great opportunity. Looking forward to next year!

I have taught 4 courses so far and the students have been great fun to teach and they have all shared my enthusiasm for machine embroidery. Who could ask for more.

 

Tasmania Craft Fair

The Meander River in Deloraine

After months of planning and anticipation I am finally here at the Tasmanian Craft Fair as the Feature International Artist. A fantastic event held over 4 days in Deloraine, a beautiful town in the Meander Valley. Over 220 artists and craftsmen in 7 venues in the town makes this a major event that I am thrilled to be part of. I have met enthusiastic visitors all day, been interviewed for the TV news channel and wined and dined by my excellent hosts. Its great experience and I am having a wonderful time!

A few red dots!

Inspiring Vacation

I am enjoying the delights of Boston and Maine. A well earned break between all the travelling, exhibiting and teaching this year. The scenery is inspiring. From the ocean outside the house to the autumn ( or should I say Fall ) colours up into the mountains. I am busy taking lots of photographs and can see what my winter projects will be based on!

Only 4 weeks until I set off for Australia. Still lots to organise but the intinary is set and the courses are full. I am looking forward to it all immensely