Arty catchup

I still haven't got into the swing of doing this regularly, will I ever, who knows.
Although I am supposed to be a papercutter I seem to have been doing more drawing of late, still art, but a little step out of my comfort zone.
There is a trend at the moment, it may be fading as I tend not to keep up to speed with "trends" for colouring books. I have given in to it and have had a go myself, not a book, way too ambitious at this stage, just a page, my Ghost Bunny character has been the guinea pig, even though he's a bunny! I haven't been overwhelmed with orders for it but it's early days snd I'm very slow at marketing what I do, despite help.
That's the thing with my art, it is mine, it is me, and I find it so difficult to push it out into the world as it feels like I'm showing off and I will overdo it . . . "Oh no, not her again". . . "Why's she showing us this". . . that type of thing.
I don't know why this is, lack of confidence most likely. I've spent most of my life just doing my art but putting other stuff first that now it seems odd that anyone should want to buy it. But, if I want to make it work I have to overcome the niggles.
When I really sit and think about it I have moved on, I do exhibitions, have been taken on by a card publisher, done book illustration, and have an article coming out in a magazine soon, all good things. So why the doubts? Why indeed. And now I sound as though I winge too much! Ahh, the creative mind, it's a bloody mystery and I'm not a detective! Back to the cutting mat then . . .

Another Sunday . . .

The weeks are rolling past way too quickly, as ever. But for once I'm a little more on top of things, 2 out of 5 Christmas card designs done for this year. I finally got the magazine article done, more on that in another post though! Except to say that it meant several trips up and down to the next village for the photography, good old Neil saved my skin as he does fab pics, I don't on the whole!
As a break from the norm I am now officially a "proper" arty person as I was asked to judge the art/handicrafts at our local produce show, which has just been started up again after many years, it was great to see so much there, but so cruel to be in such close proximity to so many buns and cakes when I'd not had brekky! Thankfully the cake judge needed help so we were eager volunteers, you can have too much though . . .
We are having a bit of an Indian summer at the moment so art has been put on one side a couple of times in order to get my hands mucky up the garden. Hacking back the Russian vine that should never have been planted . . . it wasn't me! And just enjoying the sun. The sound of crows made me look up at one point to see 4 or 5 of them mobbing a buzzard that had come down low over the village. As it rose on the thermals they drifted off to get on with crow stuff elsewhere. Not so many years ago we would never have seen buzzards down here so as a raptor fan I'm glad they're here now.
It's the time of year the owls start getting chatty too. As I sit here in my studio I can here them squawking as they float from rooftop to rooftop up and down the village. It's great to hear them again after the summer silence but it is a sure sign that autumn is in the air, as is the sound of geese gathering which we hear on most days now.
I'm so glad we decided to plant trees in the garden as they are alive with smaller birds, various finches and tits, sparrows, crows, rooks, pigeons and doves, and only the occassional sparrowhawk popping in for a snack, when it isn't sat in the tree outside the kitchen window, which was quite a surprise the first time I saw her there!
Not much arty talk tonight but I'm going now as I have a poster to design for my next exhibition. Nighty night x

It's Sunday

A late getting going this morning. A late Saturday night with my pens starting my first large drawing.
It was, of course, a ghost bunny piece, a very belated present for my nephew's little daughter so I thought gb's would be the sort of thing that would appeal, light and fluffy, flying kites whilst sitting on mushrooms.
I don't think at her tender age she will look at it and think . . . magic mushrooms? flying white rabbits? how halluconogenic, will she?
It was quite daunting starting this as I've only done smaller bits up to now but I've started so I'll finish . . .

After a Long Gap . . .

I have been most remiss and haven't put anything on my blog for, ooh, well over a year.
A lot has happened, had a gallery, closed a gallery!
Still papercutting but have discovered pen and ink so have started drawing again.
And have created "ghost bunny", more on that later.

My papercutting has developed to the point where I know use full colour which means lots and lots of layers of paper, and much quicker filling up of my jam jar of dead scalpel blades!
My pictures are filled with much more wildlife now, after years of saying "no" to such subjects! Well, I can do them in paper . . . weirdly!

And I've jumped into the world of greetings cards having been taken on by Natural Partners, a North East based publishing company.

Only in the last few weeks have I started drawing again.
I have discovered the joys of watercolour pens! A blessing as my forays into proper watercolours always ended in puddles of mud a hippo would love to roll in!

This is probably where I can bring up "ghost bunny".
He started life as a papercut character, a little creature that just popped out of my head onto my cutting mat one day, where from . . . nobody knows!
He has his own little online page and a few fans, though I'd love him to have more . . .
When my first pens arrived he became my model, of course.

There is more freedom, I find, with the pens I can step back from the precision needed when working with a scalpel, a bit more scribbley, so my eyes are sighing with relief, not that eyes sigh but you know what I mean.

Time for some pictures now . . . if I can figure out how to put them on after all this time away, lurking in the dark depths . . .

Anther Tour de France piece

And here is the last piece I'll be doing for the imminent visit of the Tour de France to Yorkshire.
This time it's Harrogate, a hint of the Stray, and a bit of the Pump Hous e Museum.
I've enjoyed working like this, creating art that is more poster than picture. I think more will come, possibly with more text, of a more poetic bent too

IT'SUMMER!

As ever, I haven't updated for such a long time, I find my scalpel easier than a keyboard! And I have actually been up to quite a bit . . . artistically that is, no normal life adventures to regale you with I'm afraid, work makes Jill a very dull girl! though I can never find creating dull.

I have had work in several exhibitions over the last few months, several commissions done and more to go.

And, of course, we have the Tour de France hitting Yorkshire on the 5th/6th July, so she who owns a pushbike that is a garden ornament, has had bikes on her mind, under duress I hasten to add! and done with a lot of artistic licence! Please don't comment on the fact that my wheels are spokeless!

It all started because of an exhibition in Leyburn, at the Warlands Gallery with two other artists. 
I did a poster type papercut, with colour, to advertise the fact that Leyburn is on the route, then another version for West Tanfield as it is just down the road and I may tootle down on the day and have a look.
And requests from some of the folk I know in Harrogate inspired me to do another! I have drawn the line now, no more arm twisting for other venues, though I have, due to the Harrogate design, become inspired to do more cuts with buildings on. So for all my moaning about bikes, I will be adding to the range of my images. 

The Harrogate papercut is nearly finished so I will post it later today hopefully . . . or tonight.

I have also done a few more images with animals on recently. Changing for a while the way I do my trees as the image sizes are smaller. I will still do them how I used to when I get back to doing my larger works.

Back Again!

2 days in a row, what is the world coming to?

A bright day today, the sun shone and the sky was blue, and although i work in my little cluttered studio/spare bedroom, it is definitely a joy to have light coming through the window as I hack away at my paper. It's amazing how a little sun can make you feel more inspired to work.

Today I've been working on a commission, a tree with family names in it. Not my usual type of commission but that doesn't matter. Some colour will go into this piece but it will be subtle, unlike the pic I've just finished

           'tis a bright one this! But I'm having fun letting go of pastel tones for a bit. I think it has a look of embroidery about it, but that's just my opinion.

My love of doing bird papercuts isn't diminishing at all, where it has come from, I don't know. When I painted birds were rarely a subject to attempt, far too fussy! As I tend to add detail for the sake of it in this work fussy is great. Cutting paper is an ideal way to put in feather details and as my feathered friends are rather imaginary I can go as mad as I like with detail!

I'm going to have to add to my coloured paper collection this week, I feel the urge for some bright purple in my next bird!
Shopping for paper and books beats "proper" shopping any day . . . with a bun break of course.

Long Time no Blog!

It's so long since I have updated this, sorry folks, but it does show I've been working . . . honest!

My work has changed a bit since I was last here, more colour, probably due to the wet grey winter we are stuck in. Though up in this part of Yorkshire we aren't suffering the floods they are down south, my heart goes out to all those who have drowned homes, and especially to the farmers who have had to move stock and are desperate for help with fodder and the like, thank goodness they are being helped out by fello farmers the country over.

Since my last waffle on here i have been busy, lots of exhibitions and fairs, commissions too. And I'm getting new stuff ready for 2 exhibitions coming up in March, one at the Wensleydale Gallery in Leyburn, t'other at RHS Harlow Carr at Harrogate, lots of trees and birds coming up for those, my favourite subjects still. And this is where the colour comes in, I do love mediaeval manuscripts and have been inspired by the bright colours and oddly unreal birds and creatures represented in them, so my very recent work is a far cry from the black and white with subtle colours I always used to do, and will still do.

And now for something a little brighter!

Weirdy Bird is rather outrageous, especially for me, but I have to say, I'm enjoying a more flamboyant use of colour, and slightly stranger bird forms. 
bye bye for now xxx

Back Again!

It's been a very long time since I last posted on here, profuse apologies.
So, as I can't sleep and it is 4 in the morning, I will write something, which hopefully won't be too garbled!
Lots has been happening work-wise, so at least I have an excuse for hiding away from this blog thing . . . don't I??
Earlier in the year I exhibited at Ripon Cathedral with the Great North Art Show and sold my Mermaid. She was hung the wrong way but this obviously helped! I got to meet her new owner a couple of weeks ago and have been invited in to see her should I ever be passing, which was great, and as she is local, Copt Hewick, I may well do so one day.
I also showed at Art for Youth North at Queen Mary's, Topcliffe, no success at this one I'm afraid, but you can't win 'em all.
Crafted by Hand was a super duper art/craft fair organised by Josie at the Gallery in Masham at the end of October, I had a fantastic day, in fact, I think everyone did. Every stall holder was a real artist/maker, nothing bought in and the crowds who attended were obviously blown away by this as Masham has never been so busy! And all, it seemed, had come with the intent to support us by buying. I think people really are on the look out for handmade at the moment, so many art/craft fairs have become a tad farsical of late, lots of bought in work etc, so to actually be able to buy handmade off the actual makers, talk to them about what they do and see some of us demonstrating, made a refreshing change. A fantastic day!

And up to date, earlier today Sue, Emma and myself hung our joint exhibition at the Station in Richmond, pastels, felt and yours truely's papercuts. I'm rubbish at hanging my work but I hope it looks ok, it will have to as we are now open to the lovely public. or will be when today reaches a more godly hour. We have 2 weeks at this venue so fingers are crossed that we all make at least one sale apiece!
I have had several commissions on the go too and still have some to go, things have picked up somewhat on this time last year, for which I am very grateful. 
Art is the only thing I have ever wanted to do, since being a small child, so when things go badly I wonder if I made the right choice, a very panic inducing thought! when I have work coming in it makes me feel as though all these years of sticking with it have been worth it all, even when I have had to do other work to supplement my living. And the fact that people actually want a piece of work, made by me, to hang on their walls, still makes me feel hugely privileged and I hope this feeling doesn't go away, I would never want to become complacent about what I do, nor arrogant. Please knock be back down to earth if I do! Seriously folks.
For the first time ever I also have things in my diary for next year too, shows and a couple of collaborations. And I am going to have a go at a couple of competitions too, both outside my usual remit, but what the hell, nothing ventured nothing gained! My little brain is getting a challenge, we'll see how it goes. 
I will try to add something a bit more often from now on, and will now try to get a bit more sleep . . . though it hardly seems worth it . . . busy day ahead!
goodnite xxx

I'm skiving now . . .!

After all I wrote a few hours ago about being busy I am now going to add some silly dog pics I have just taken, very badly! as me and cameras, digital or otherwise, do not get on well.

After almost having a flooded porch on Sunday we are now enjoying a red hot few days. Cup of tea under a brollie in the garden, ably abetted by the setter and spaniel gang, though two of them were convinced that if they hung around the car for long enough I would take them on a trip . . . !!! ten out of ten for trying kids!!

They love it when they have us as a captive audience, not often we just sit drinking tea in the great outdoors you see, but the brightness of the day and the lush green of the garden was too hard to resist for once. 
Back to work shortly, with more tea and Radio 4 Extra, feline helpers in my studio, slightly better behaved than the dogs . . . unless they are hungry!

Where Have I Been????

Its such a long time since I have been on here, sorry folks.
I have a good excuse . . . I have been busy, honest! Commissions and work for exhibitions have kept me tied to my desk and my scalpel, so I have no complaints, just wish another pair of hands was available!
I have just started a piece for a lovely lady in Scotland, a tree hung with allsorts of things that have personal meaning to her. Have 6 pieces done for the "Great North Art Show" at Ripon Cathedral which starts in September, Jenny Agutter of Railway Children fame will be speaking on the opening night, oooh! And another 6 pieces are under way for the "Art for Youth, North" show at Baldersby in October. 

On top of the overdose of papercutting activity I have been thinking about corn dollies. Corn dollies? I was taught to make these as a very young person, many many years ago, and just recently I thought I'd like to see if I could still do them. But, just to be a bit different could they be made from something else? I tried wire . . . This is my first attempt, not brilliant but will keep playing about to try and get it right and will keep you posted.

Here are a few of the more recent papercuts that have been keeping me busy . . . 
I will try to be a good girl and add to this more often but that scalpel is keeping me busy at the mo.

A Long Awaited Update

Have been a bad blogger and not added anything for ages, apologies folks but I have been busy working . . . not skiving!
I have escaped from doing birds for a while and have been doing other things, including a last minute design for a decorated plate competition, a very tight schedule so not much sleep the last couple of nights, my poor eyes are now on a go slow!!! but being the beast I am I have kept them working. If they fall out there is no one to blame but moi!

Here is the offending design!


And as you may have guessed I didn't get in at the RA Summer Exhib, hey ho, but at least I tried. Another trip to London on the cards now to collect but this time it will be there and back in one day, no gallery hopping this time.
I'm busy with pics for up-coming shows at the moment. 6 pieces to do for the Great North Art Fair at Ripon Cathedral in September, and lots to do for a 2 woman show at the Station in Richmond in October, I'm hoping to have some limited edition laser-cuts done for that one so there will be a broader price range. I've found a laser-cutting place in Leeds and am hoping to get over there next week to discuss how it all works, costs, etc. It's all happening!
Have 2 more Open exhibs coming up too that I will have to sort work out for, one in Lancashire, the other in Harrogate.
And, of course there is "Another Spot on the Wall" at the Station, Richmond from July to September, 1 piece for that but you replace as you sell (fingers crossed!)
So I had better get off now and do some more work or no-one will believe that I ever do any : )

Out of Hibernation. . .!

Long time no writey!
But that means I've been busy-ish. My jam jar of dead scalpel blades is filling up and I have new work done, but not photographed yet, I will get round to it, I promise.
This weekend I'm doing workshops and exhibition with the "popupgallery" again, Reeth this time, the Buck Inn, another wild and wool-y northern place, splendid!
And if the weather is good I'll be at Nawton Towers near Helmsley on Sunday afternoon for an art carboot fair! If London can do them so can Yorkshire! It's called the "Hares Eye Art Fair" and is organized by Sawmill Studios and will be done in conjunction with the open Gardens that Nawton Towers are holding, proceeds to the Red Cross.
I'll be taking some of my papercuts but also paintings as they are just filling drawers in my studio/spare bedroom and if people would like to buy them that's better than them collecting dust, so prices will be down on what I'd normally ask, though most stuff won't be framed.
I've also had a look at an exhibition call in Aberdeen that is trying to get artists to use science in their work, from a geological perspective, no excuse now not to push forward with my "evolutionary" work. Think I will give this one a try. 

Mermaid. . . At last!

Well, I have at last finished my mermaid, yee ha! Or have I?

This is what I've done so far, just 2 layers, but I'm awfully tempted to maybe add another layer of a darker blue, think I shall have to sleep on this one a little. This piece is for the Guild of American Papercutters who set a challenge to depict a subject from folklore or fantasy.


   And I thought I'd put on another clump of my "fantasy" birds, the ones that flitter around in my head not my garden!

These will be adorning the walls at a little arty do in the village down the road from me this weekend, let's hope they fly home with new owners!
And Sue . . . does the mermaid get your approval me dear???

Just A Quickie!

I haven't been here for a while so just to prove I'm still alive I thought I better write something!
  Had a great day at Askrigg on Saturday with the popupgallery, was a tad uncertain as to how it would be as the weather has been, to put it mildly, rather naff, but the sun shone for most of the morning and there was only drizzly rain in the afternoon, until we packed up of course, then it came down with a bit more force!
   The drive up was stunning. I've been up that end of the dales a long time ago but had quite forgotten how beautiful it is. Swinithwaite in particular stuck in my mind, such gorgeous old houses, typical dales style, low, small windows, mellow stone, could definitely live there.
   Met and talked to some lovely people during the day, sold a lot of cards and a picture, yippee!!
   Am still doing lots of bird papercuts, there is good reason for that which I will enlighten you with in a future blog, ooh, you're intrigued now . . . !!
   Have joined the Thornborough Heritage Trust, this has been set up in order to preserve a complex of Neolithic Henges, one of which is just down the road from where I'm sat at this very moment. The landscape they are set in has slowly been eaten up over the years by gravel quarrying and this just has to stop, the Trust is trying to save what we still have http://www.thornboroughheritagetrust.org/ This is well worth having a look at, I know we are lucky over here with so many historical sites but most up here in Yorkshire are Roman and Viking, this is something older and it was created by the indigenous people of the time, this alone should make it worth saving and preserving. 
   There, my preachy rant is done, but with feeling!!!
Just words this time, I will be back with pictures . . . soon!

I Should Grow Wings . . . !!!

I have been getting on with some work this week, honest!
Though all I have to show for it is more damn birds, they are becoming a very slight obsession, as if you hadn't noticed. And I saw my first swallows of the year last week too.
In the past I could take or leave our little feathered friends but for some reason they are taking over my artistic life at the moment, what is turning out to be a rather long moment if truth be told.

These here are of the weird and wonderful variety, new species, that inhabit the space between my ears alone, if anyone else spots one I will be worried, you'll have been creeping into my head, a slightly odd place to be!

It is still my intention, at some point, to do some more realistic specimens but I'm having fun with these for now.

Busy Day!!

Tomorrow is a Richmond day! 
Drop-in workshops at the Station and an exhibition by pop-up gallery artists. So in between vets appointments and catching up with emails and doing this of course . . . can't you just tell I'm putting something off here . . . I have stuff to do. I've got little papercutting kits to put together and simple designs to get organized for my workshop. We will all be at the Station from 10am 'til 4pm Friday 6th, do come and say "hello" if you can get over there.
   It seems such a long time since I sat and did any proper pictures, I can feel withdrawal symptoms setting in. And for Sue, I will be getting on with my Mermaid this weekend, promise! I'll be back to my cutting mat after tomorrow, because, despite what they say about women being good multi-taskers, I am not! Does this make me an honorary man or an alien, who knows, and please don't enlighten me, ignorance is bliss!
   So my plan for this holiday weekend is work, I may escape to do Easter egg deliveries to my best beloved on Sunday, say hello to the pigs, geese, chucks and gorgeous little cayuga, though she is not so little these days and has laid egg number 5 already and her barely a year old, ducks do start young these days!
   My mermaid made her first appearance at the beginning of this blog a few weeks ago and the poor love has been floundering in a state of "un-finishedness" since then, neglectful artist that I am. Let's hope she doesn't put a watery spell on me so I start doing her all wrong. I actually quite like her so far so am looking forward to seeing her finished. Then I can start more birdy stuff, dinosaur birdy stuff I think. I have been reading books about fossils and evolution and extinction and my imagination has been fired, just need to get my act into gear and start doing, soon, soon!!
   And to break up all this wordiness I will put more pictures on too, ooh, that means rummaging about in my way too messy studio . . .

Pop Up Gallery and Stuff . . .

It's another sunny day and here I am, sat in front of my computer! 
Yesterday was my first stint with the "popupgallery", arty folk taking their arty stuff to remoter parts of t'Yorkshire Dales. Tunstall was my initiation day, we were set up in the village hall so no worries on the cup of tea front, phew! As well as yours truly and her papercuts there was jewelry, painting, printing and cup cakes, yummy. Quite a few people came through and tried the various workshops, talked to we artists and consumed afore-mentioned cup cakes. Sue Dewhurst is the lovely lady who runs the popups and the artists and makers I met yesterday were a great group of gals, no chaps there, so I'm not being sexist!
Our next do is at the Station in Richmond, an exhibition is on at the moment but it is workshop day on Good Friday, it is expected to be busy as we are in the Easter Hols now, so lots of locals and tourists should be around. I'll be doing a workshop and am just trying to concoct some little kits for people to take home with them in order to have a go at papercutting at home. Thought I'd do one kit with a couple of designs in to hang on ribbons. The other is a bit different, a string of bunting! How will I do it? Mmm, well, I shall create 2 designs, print about 5 of each so they can be alternated and hung on a long piece of ribbon. I haven't explained this very well so will attempt a photo when it's done. 


Due to my gadding about the countryside I have done very little work so have no pics to fluff things out, I'd better fill my mug with tea and get back to my desk now or I shall be appearing very slack!!

Birds, Still-life and Stuff . . .

Thought I'd put a few more bits and pieces on today, after all, this is supposed to be about my work even though I keep getting side-tracked! Butterfly-brained I know.

Birds, birds, birds . . .

   I have started getting a little obssessed with our feathered friends! thus far they've tended to be of the generic variety as that allows me a bit more artistic license, which translated means I get let off mistakes!! I won't have bird enthusiasts pulling me up for getting plumage wrong, or missing a claw off. But, as I have a head full of new ideas based on extinction and evolution, to include dodo's, pteradactyls, etc, I'm going to have to break the habit of a life-time and at least attempt to get things right, or do I??? They're extinct, who can tell me off?
   And here are a couple of still-lifes, just to prove that my bird obssession isn't totally taking me over, yet! After struggling to do these things when I was at school I swore blind that pots with greenery in them would never darken my desk again, so what when wrong? Well we all need a challenge from time to time, and to tell the truth, I enjoyed doing them. The pots are by Charlotte Morrisson, a local maker and their stripey-ness inspired me, so a stint parking my car up hedgebacks in search of interesting frondly things to arrange in afore-mentioned pottery eventually brought forth these two pieces, there may be more but my studio is a tad messy and they could be anywhere!
   Thankfully school art classes didn't make me still-life phobic forever, after that initial quivering fear and dread I took the plunge, alright, hundreds of years later! but I think these turned out ok.

    

A Sunny Day . . .

Something a bit different today.
   I've been a bad girl and have done very little papercutting thus far, there is time yet, as bed-time is a few hours off!
   Hit the market in Masham, a Saturday ritual, can't beat David's butter and cheeses and the veggie boys at Blands then lunch and today the sun broke through so we ate outside with big red dog. Oh, and I bought some rather spiffing bunting to put up for Queenies Diamond Jubilee, yes, I admit it, I'm more royalist than republican, we can't half do pomp and circumstance splendidly over here!!!
   Then off to Northallerton to collect my train tickets and a little trawl around the shops, for essentials only of course!! The drive over was lovely. It's been a day of hazy sunshine, almost autumnal to look at but without that chill. Fields full of cattle, sheep and lambs at various stages of growth, little jiggly new borns hassling their mums for milk, through to the stockier older youths! Birds everywhere doing their usual bonkers springtime showing off and the hedgebacks starting to green up with blackthorn sprinkling white, confetti like blossom throughout. A definite windows open day in the car, the haunting voices of the "Civil Wars"(a bloody marvellous American duo who sing country, folksy, bluesy stuff, heavenly) just adding to the afore-mentioned loveliness!  I'm so lucky that I live in the midst of all this life. Out here you feel the full force of the seasons all around you, the wildness the beauty the stillness. A walk down the road takes you straight into it, away from houses and people, surrounded by the sounds of curlews, traffic just a muted buzz off in the background somewhere. And if you're lucky the peregrine will show his/her feathers.
   I should be getting inspired by all this and creating pictures but instead here I am thinking I'm a writer and wiffling on about it in a very bad writerly way, maybe now is the time to grab another cup of tea and go wave my scalpel about!!! 
   But first maybe I should email www.yorkshire and see if I can blag some commission off them for my praise of this most marvellous bit of England! I'd do it for free any day really. 
   I should put pictures on here but you can't do justice to perfection with a camera, especially when it's me pressing the button!!!!
   I really am going now, goodnite x