New paintings and regular art updates.
Wire fairy I made 4 years ago and a sketch of it. I enjoyed making it although I would say it’s not as delicate as the ones I’ve seen at Trentham Gardens in Stoke on Trent, England, where there are some lovely examples. In fact looking at it again I’d call it an Imp, not a fairy!
It resides somewhere in my garden, probably overgrown by the laurel bush that is overwhelming the bottom of the garden.
Wire woven mobiles in my window. The first thing I look at in the morning. One was to celebrate my hubbys 65th birthday, the other Ygdrasil, the tree at the centre of the world was a gift from my friend. I wonder if there will be any more?
Wire weaving is a brilliant skill, I think my friend was featured as a maker on one of the TV sales shows a few years ago. This sort of work takes agility and dexterity.
Creative people deserve recognition and support. In a world where councils, running short of money, are going to close art galleries and libraries, I wonder what people are meant to do to learn and enjoy the arts? Maybe the richest 20 MEN in the world should share some of their wealth more, even if we go back to Victorian values like philanthropy. Art is in our DNA it needs preserving!
I have these hanging in my window. The top one is Ygdrasil, (not sure of the spelling), the tree of life. I don’t look at it very often but with the blue sky it was more visible. I do seem to collect a lot of stuff. The house is full of clutter. Some of it has got to go. But not these. The bottom one is flowers and a dragonfly. Both made by my talented wire weaving friend D.
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.
A few years ago I met a fused glass artist who showed me how to work with glass to create jewellery, bowls and other hand made craft pieces. A friend of mine helped mount the glass with wire weaving.
I wish I had learnt more about it so I could experiment more with glass. This piece was made with dichroic glass which gives it a metallic sheen. I made it into a pendant.
The trouble is that I can’t afford my own kiln so I’m limited in making things at workshops. The original glass artist moved away and it took a while to find another one, I’ve been to a couple of workshops with her and really enjoyed it.
I’m interested in doing other crafts too, like ceramics, but again there is a lot of cost involved. But I am a bit of a jack of all trades (master of none?)
I could have chosen a much more important subject to show how I have learnt from experience, but I’m not in the mood to consider a serious subject today.
A few years ago I went to a fused glass workshop. I made glass cabochons that were then surrounded by wire woven to support them. The result were some amazing and bold necklaces.
The artist that ran the workshop was called Angela Ashton. And my friend Deborah Travis did the wire weaving so the results were really a good collaboration. I found this on Facebook memories and I really wish I could do it again, although Angela moved back up to the North East Coast I did find someone else who does workshops, the only problem now is the cost and I’m sure with the price of fuel these days the process won’t be cheap.
One of the fairy sculptures at Trentham Gardens today. She seems to be throwing leaves into the air in a wild gesture of freedom. She is standing on to of a world or perhaps a seed pod. The creator of the sculptures shows a great deal of variety and not only humour but great expressiveness.
I’ve just dropped off my glass necklaces at Etruria Industrial Museum. I hope that people will be impressed with them and I might make a few sales. The museum is about steam and fire, so there is a bit of a link between it and fued glass? I find art and jewellery making is a bit hit and miss. Just because I like it doesn’t mean anyone else will! And no one has much spending money anymore. So even if the would like something they aren’t necessarily going to buy it. Ah well, self belief is important when you’re an artist. X
One of my glass pendants, beautifully photographed by @transishots on Instagram. They are for sale at the Waiting Room gallery in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. They are glass cabochons made of dichromatic? Glass. I really loved making them and @shivamoonhippybizaar did the wireweaving. X
Just delivered this to my friend. She is really happy with the necklace I made. The others have gone to the Waiting Room gallery in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. They are having an open day on Saturday along with Cherished Chimneys across the road from there. I like the way it lies flat, the wire weaving looks really neat and the colours look good together.
I have just been asked to put these necklaces in the waiting room gallery in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. They will be for sale over the next few weeks. I already have some small paintings on display there. The Waiting Room gallery can be found online on Facebook.
One has already been sold. I hope people like them.
Mallaband-Brown