'The Pearl' is a short novel by John Steinbeck.
This work, created from the novel, was commissioned by a husband to his wife to mark
their 30th 'Pearl' Wedding Anniversary.
A blog about my inspirations, influences and day to day activities in and around my studio.
Monday, 29 August 2016
Friday, 26 August 2016
Plum Lines Commission - Commemorating the Women of WW1
I've recently been commissioned by the National Trust to commemorate the work of women in World War 1.
: Jam-making
: Jam-making
: Pershore Plums
My brief is to create an art installation at a National Trust property in the West Midlands, based on the poems of local people, which reflect upon the roles of female relatives during WW1.
My brief is to create an art installation at a National Trust property in the West Midlands, based on the poems of local people, which reflect upon the roles of female relatives during WW1.
My research took me to Pershore in Worcestershire, in search of its famous Pershore Plums.
I timed my visit perfectly (by chance), as now is the time when the Pershore Plums are ripe on the tree. If I had left it a day or two longer, the fruit would have expired.
My journey to Worcester took me to Clive's Fruit Farm, to pick the purple Pershore variety, and to Worcester Country Park to pick yellow variety of Pershore plums from a wild orchard.
Plum Orchards in Worcestershire
Purple Pershore Plum
Yellow Pershore Plum
An old Kilner Jar from early 1900's
Perhsore Plum Jam
Drying out the stones
I'm collecting all of the stones from the plums for my installation. With the fruit, I made plum jam.
I've never made jam before, but I followed the simple recipe (above), similarly to how women would have made jam at the start of the 20th Century.
24 hrs later, the jam has set
(Chief Taster) Miki has given the jam the thumbs up!
The exhibition will open 19th November at Croome Court in Worcestershire.
For more details, visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/f170668f-2884-43df-a3ab-37790cf87999/pages/details
I timed my visit perfectly (by chance), as now is the time when the Pershore Plums are ripe on the tree. If I had left it a day or two longer, the fruit would have expired.
My journey to Worcester took me to Clive's Fruit Farm, to pick the purple Pershore variety, and to Worcester Country Park to pick yellow variety of Pershore plums from a wild orchard.
The recipe
I'm collecting all of the stones from the plums for my installation. With the fruit, I made plum jam.
I've never made jam before, but I followed the simple recipe (above), similarly to how women would have made jam at the start of the 20th Century.
24 hrs later, the jam has set
The exhibition will open 19th November at Croome Court in Worcestershire.
For more details, visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/f170668f-2884-43df-a3ab-37790cf87999/pages/details
Saturday, 13 August 2016
Places available for my next workshop at Charleston House
My V&A workshop has now sold out, but places are still available for my next workshop at Charleston House in Lewes in November
Book your place here
Sunday, 7 August 2016
Charming Tudor House in Hastings
I've posted about this house in Hastings before.
It was the inspiration for the house in my piece 'Once upon a Time' (below)
I've taken photographs of the outside of the house and posted them on here previously, but today, as part of 'Hastings Old Town Carnival Week', we got to see the candle-lit interior, as it was open to the public for one day only.
This Tudor house on three levels was originally built in the 16th Century, and was recently renovated by Alistair Hendy, (who also owns a a quirky home-ware shop in Hastings)
'AJ Hendry' http://www.aghendy.com,
and who was conscious to restore the traditional Tudor interior, while furnishing the rooms with more modern objects to create a cosy, livable space.
the rustic kitchen
outside lavatory (below)
I love these old tiles!
back door leads to the kitchen
the upstairs bathroom (with lead lined bath)
there's even an en-suite bathroom in the master bedroom!
Friday, 29 July 2016
Thursday, 28 July 2016
Paper Cut Dioramas: Workshop at Charleston House, Lewes
Here are some photos from a workshop I led this week at Charleston House, former home of The Bloomsbury Group, and now a historical house/museum in Lewes, East Sussex.
I'd never visited Charleston before, but I have to say, it is magical place, in the middle of nowhere, it is so peaceful. I can see why the Bloomsbury Group were attracted to it.
I'll admit I have always been quite ignorant of 'The Bloomsbury Group', but having a guided tour around the house, opened my eyes to what an established painter Vanessa Bell was, and how (I would say) she is overshadowed by her sister 'Virginia Woolf'.
The house and gardens emit a wonderful calming ambiance, perhaps helped by the fact that it was a beautiful sunny day on the day of my workshop .
I was invited to run a one-day workshop based on the house and garden, and it's famous inhabitants. Below are photos of the students working on their paper-cut projects.
I'd never visited Charleston before, but I have to say, it is magical place, in the middle of nowhere, it is so peaceful. I can see why the Bloomsbury Group were attracted to it.
I'll admit I have always been quite ignorant of 'The Bloomsbury Group', but having a guided tour around the house, opened my eyes to what an established painter Vanessa Bell was, and how (I would say) she is overshadowed by her sister 'Virginia Woolf'.
The house and gardens emit a wonderful calming ambiance, perhaps helped by the fact that it was a beautiful sunny day on the day of my workshop .
I was invited to run a one-day workshop based on the house and garden, and it's famous inhabitants. Below are photos of the students working on their paper-cut projects.
The students created some really lovely work, bearing in mind some of them had never used a scalpel or done any paper cutting before.
Drawings and printed illustrations were cut and pasted onto several frames, which were built up in layers, and then framed inside a wooden box frame.
Inspiration came from the house, gardens, and from text in Virginia Woolf's books.
Some of the gardens at Charleston House.
I'll be running another workshop at Charleston on Monday 7th November
Click the link below for booking details
Charleston House is open to the public Wednesday - Sunday.
For more information, go to
http://www.charleston.org.uk/
For more information, go to
http://www.charleston.org.uk/
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