Off the Peg.

Yesterday I had a lovely time at "Off the Peg" a yearly event put on by the Dartington Printmakers. This year I've had the privilege of working with them and have enjoyed myself immensely. There is something comforting about the atmosphere of a print workshop, (although it's not quite as heady as I remember from my student days, as no one is allowed to use solvents any more!) and I find it the perfect antidote if I've spent the week immersed in photoshop. 

Some of the prints we sold were in aid of Syria and I'm chuffed to bits with the one I bought by Alice Leach

The Pride Place kids.

Those Pride Place kids have been busy again, talking to children about money (what a sensible bunch they are) good to see Kyle and Dale joining in!

If you want to play along, here's a link to where they live, Pride Place. It's a free resource called Values, Money and Me  helping children to explore the world of money within the context of personal and ethical values. 

It's more fun than it sounds, honest. :)

Here are the gang working hard at the pfeg Centres of Excellence teachers' conference in London.
Keep an eye out for these characters and more, coming to a school near you!
Well, probably, if you ask nicely. :)

By the way, that's not me sitting down, that's Jan. But we do have the same colour glasses.

Christmas Cards are here!

Ho, Ho, Ho!
 Yes, I know it's still November, but you need to post those Christmas cards in good time! Check out these cards and others on Redbubble and order early to avoid disappointment!

p.s This is a blatant advert. Thank you for your attention. :)

Winter on the way.

With storms and gale force wind forecast all over the place, this is the activity I recommend for the half term.

Illustration Friday. Together.

Illustration Friday. Together. Because chasing leaves isn't as much fun on your own.

Spotty Doris doll.

So, it's officially Autumn. The freezer is full of blackberries, ready to make into jam (fat chance!). The

flip flops are back in the cupboard under the stairs, and the wooly socks are firmly back on my feet.

If you already have bored little people looking for something to do on dark evenings or rainy days, and

they aren't convinced that hoovering is an actual sport, why not try paper dolls, like the olden days!

Here's a free Spotty Doris paper doll, just for you. You know what to to. Well, if you're as old as I am 

you do. When you've printed her out, cut out Doris and stick her to some card, like a cereal box. Then

cut out and colour her clothes. 

Have fun!

To download file:
Click on the picture  below.
Double click on picture.
Click on "save image as"
Click on "save"

Illustration Friday. Hidden.

First week of the new school year. Who's feeling like this? :)

Wayzgoose

Last week I attended my first ever Wayzgoose. It's a print making thing, I was told. I was a little wary and not even convinced that this was a real word, let alone an event. However, I took my courage in both hands and went along, and I'm very glad I did because in turned out to be excellent fun and nothing to do with geese, which is always a bonus.
When I returned, I looked up the word "wayzgoose" on Wikipedia and this is what it said:

A wayzgoose was at one time an entertainment given by a master printer to his workmen each year on or about St Bartholomew's Day (24 August). It marked the traditional end of summer and the start of the season of working by candlelight. Later, the word came to refer to an annual outing and dinner for the staff of a printing works or the printers on a newspaper.

Well, we didn't quite make it to St. Bartholomew's day, but the weather was glorious,the company was delightful, the bring-and-share picnic was delicious and the river was inviting. I even went in. Up to my knees!
And I'm looking forward to print making by candle light next season.

Illustration Friday "Equality"

Getting in early for Illustration Friday this week. Did someone say tea...?

Illustration Friday.

Just noticed that the Illustration Friday subject this week is Children. Well, I had to really, didn't I?

More art at Delamore.

As I sit here, staring out at the rain and clutching my mug of coffee for warmth, it's hard to believe that it was summer last week.

So I shall console myself with pictures of the beautiful gardens at Delamore, which I visited while the sun was till shining.
Delamore sits on the edge of Dartmoor in an utterly stunning landscape. Every year they open for the whole of May, filling the garden with fabulous sculpture, and the ballroom with paintings, ceramics and art of all kinds.

A truly special day which held the promise of long sultry summer days. Lets hope that promise comes to fruition.

Marie Shepherd

Duncan Varley

Lucianne Lassalle

Giant pencils, it's what illustrators dream about!

sculptures don't move. Very useful.

What I did this weekend.

What a busy weekend was had in Hunters Moon! I admit I was a bit nervous before the Totnes and Dartingto Open Studios event- did I have enough wine and nibbles for the private view? Had I ordered enough cards? Had I hidden the washing? Would anybody come?!

But I needn't have worried (don't you find that's often the case?) after a slow start on Friday (well, it was sunny, who goes to an Open Studio when you can go to the beach?) things picked up rapidly on saturday and by the end of the holiday weekend there was a steady stream of visitors filling the house. So I sat on the stairs and held court!

In between visitors, I was not idle you will be happy to hear. I had spoken to a little girl who, it turned out, was unfamiliar with Paper dolls. So I made one. No little girl should miss out on the fun of a paper doll!

Thank you to everyone who came along and made the weekend so special. Now I can't wait to do it again. I'd better start work, there is apparently a demand for seagulls in bobble hats.

Totnes and Dartington Open Studios. 24th-27th May.

Well folks, it's that time of year again, when artists all over the land are regretting the impulse they had in January, to sign up to one of the Open Studio events that happen over summer.

It all seemed like such fun when we got together in the pub at the beginning of the year to talk about brochures and private views. But now it seems terribly close and I realise what a lot of work there is to do. And worse, I'm going to have to tidy up!

To avoid such things for as long as possible (the tidying up bit, I mean) I've been painting T shirts in the hope that someone will buy them over the bank holiday weekend, 24th-27th May. There will be cards too, and bags. Even some paintings, if we're lucky.

So, if your in the Totnes area for the bank holiday, why not pop along to TDOS and say hello. It would be lovely to see you.

You make me feel like dancing.

Well, morris dancers might be more appropriate, but I don't have any pictures of them.

It's official. Spring has arrived. We all suspected it wasn't going to happen and that Totnes was in fact, as the sign read for some time, twinned with Nania. That is, the pre Aslan, permanently frozen Narnia, not the post Aslan, frolicing woodland folk type Narnia.

For that reason, plus the fact that this is something I've been working on this week, and I have no idea how else one is supposed to celebrate St. George's day, I am digging out my dancing shoes and getting out in the sunshine! Actually, forget the shoes, this is Totnes, I'm off to commune with the barefoot woodland folk...I might take a picnic.

proof that spring is sprung!

No snow.

I do believe that we are the only place in the country which doesn't have snow at the moment. So here's  something to help me feel a little less left out. See? I too can post snow pictures!

Happy 2013!

Well, it's 2013. I'm starting the New Year in a new house, with a new studio and a cat that's not exactly new, just re-visiting (it's a long story!).
I think things are about to get busy! Happy 2013 everyone!